Paul Brady
An Irish musician's musician, a revered bridge between traditional folk's soul and contemporary songwriting's craft.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Irish musician·Birthday: May 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Paul Brady emerged from the rich folk scene of 1960s Ireland, first as a nimble-fingered accompanist for legends like Planxty and Andy Irvine. He was a custodian of tradition, his guitar and piano playing providing bedrock for ancient ballads. But a restless creativity simmered beneath. His 1978 album "Welcome Here Kind Stranger" is often cited as a pinnacle of folk interpretation, yet shortly after, he shocked purists by turning decisively towards rock and pop. This wasn't an abandonment but an expansion. Brady began writing his own material, songs like "The Island" and "Nobody Knows" that blended a storyteller's heart with a modern melodic sense. His compositions became coveted, covered by artists from Tina Turner to Cher, cementing his role as a songwriter's songwriter. He navigated the tension between preservation and innovation, ultimately forging a singular path that commands deep respect on both sides of the Atlantic.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Paul was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His 1978 folk album "Welcome Here Kind Stranger" won critical praise and is considered a landmark of the genre.
- Wrote "The Island," a powerful political ballad about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, covered by multiple artists.
- Successfully transitioned from traditional folk performer to a respected solo singer-songwriter in the pop/rock realm.
- His songs have been recorded by a wide range of artists including Tina Turner, Cher, and Phil Collins.
Did You Know?
He was a champion Irish pianist in his youth, winning competitions across Ulster.
Before his solo career, he was a member of the influential Irish folk groups The Johnstons and Planxty.
He turned down an invitation to join Steely Dan as a guitarist in the early 1970s.
He co-wrote "Luck of the Draw" with Bonnie Raitt for her album of the same name.
“The tradition is a springboard, not a prison.”
