re: Endless Sleep - The Obituary Thread

I have belatedly learned of the death of Belfast-born singer-sogwriter Bap Kennedy on Nov 1. I'm not terribly familiar with his work, but one of his songs is a favorite of mine:

Bap Kennedy - "Unforgiven"



Acclaimed Songwriter and Performer Bap Kennedy Has Passed Away - savingcountrymusic.com

quote:

---

“The best songwriter I ever saw” — Steve Earle

Not known by every country, blues, and Americana fan, but cherished deeply by the ones who did, songwriter and performer Bap Kennedy took his cross-Atlantic enthusiasm for roots music and became one of the most well-respected musicians and songwriters by his peers ranging from Nashville to Belfast during his nearly 40-year career.

A diverse and accomplished songwriter, Bap Kennedy began his career in punk and rock bands such as Sellout and 10 Past 7 in the late 70’s and early 80’s, blowing out eardrums in his hometown of Belfast before heading to London to pursue music more seriously. It was there that Kennedy helped establish the band Energy Orchard that for nearly a decade was a mainstay of the London live scene, opening up for many of the touring artists passing through London in the day.

Bap Kennedy’s experience in Energy Orchard put him in contact with American artists such as Steve Earle, and opened up and entirely new influence of country and roots music that he would call upon after Energy Orchard disbanded in 1996. Shortly after the breakup, Bap set out to record a solo record, and Steve Earle signed on as producer and guru. Recorded in Nashville, Domestic Blues featured contributions from folks such as Jerry Douglas, Nanci Griffith, and Peter Rowan, and became a favorite among the burgeoning Americana crowd when it was released in 1998.

---