{{short description|Canadian folk singer-songwriter (born 1959)}} {{Multiple issues| {{BLP sources|date=May 2013}} {{Autobiography|date=May 2013}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians --> | name = James Keelaghan | image = James Keelaghan au Folk sur le canal.jpg | caption = Keelaghan (left) performing in Montreal in 2017 | background = solo_singer | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|10|28}} | birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada | genre = Folk, roots revival | occupation = Musician, songwriter, producer | instrument = Vocals, guitar | label = Green Linnet, Jericho Beach, Tranquilla, Borealis | current_member_of = Compadres | website = {{URL|keelaghan.com}} }}
'''James Keelaghan''' (born October 28, 1959) is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia/ James Keelaghan1">{{cite web|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/james-keelaghan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007212203/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/james-keelaghan|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 7, 2012|title=Keelaghan, James|last=Gregory|first=David|year=2012|publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|accessdate=May 17, 2013}}</ref> Born in Calgary, Alberta, Keelaghan is now based in Perth, Ontario.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.folkmusicontario.ca/about-folk-music-ontario/board-of-directors/|title=Folk Music Ontario – Board of Directors|website=Folk Music Ontario|accessdate=December 25, 2014}}</ref> Many of the lyrics in his songs display a concern about social problems and justice in society. Examples of such themes include "Kiri's Piano", about the internment of Japanese Canadians, and "October 70", about the FLQ crisis, inspired by events and figures in Canadian history. Some of his songs concern tragic historical events, such as "Fires of Calais," about the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation of Allied troops during World War II, and "Cold Missouri Waters," about the Mann Gulch fire of 1949. Keelaghan's lilting baritone voice, driving rhythm guitar, and a sense of scene and narrative result in his ability to bridge traditional folk music with roots revival and Celtic music.
==Biography and career== Keelaghan studied history at the University of Calgary and two of his influences there were Drs. Margaret J. Osler and Sheldon Silverman. With an international following in Australia and England, Keelaghan plays a wide variety of venues from large festivals and concert halls to intimate folk clubs venues and often invites the audience for a beer after his performance.
At the 1990 Northern Lights Festival Boréal, Keelaghan and guitarist Oscar Lopez participated in a collaborative workshop exploring the fusion of Celtic and Latin music.<ref name=celtino>"Just your average 'Celtino' guitar duo; The unlikely fusion of Latin American and Celtic music came easily to Lopez and Keelaghan". ''Toronto Star'', October 11, 2007.</ref> The duo would later collaborate on two albums, ''Compadres'' and ''¿Buddy Where You Been?'', further exploring that theme.<ref name=celtino/>
In 1994, he won the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year for ''My Skies''.<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia/ James Keelaghan1"/>
In 2003, Keelaghan won first prize (Folk Category) of the 8th Annual USA Songwriting Competition.
His song "Cold Missouri Waters" was covered by the band Cry Cry Cry in 1998. His songs have also included some by famed folk musicians. They include Roy Bailey<ref name="Canadian Encyclopedia/ James Keelaghan1"/> and Garnet Rogers.
Frequent guest musicians on his albums include Stephen Fearing and Hugh McMillan of Spirit of the West. His 2009 CD, ''House of Cards'', produced by Keelaghan, is a collection of ten new original songs, some co-written with Karine Polwart, David Francey and others. The album received critical praise both in Canada and abroad. His 2022 album ''Second-Hand'' includes songs co-written with Catherine MacLellan, Lynn Miles, J.D. Edwards, Cara Luft, and Dave Gunning.
Since 2011, Keelaghan has been the Artistic Director of the Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival in Owen Sound.
In August 2025, Keelaghan taught Songwriting, Storytelling in Song and Performance at the five-day Celtic College in Goderich Ontario.
==Discography== * ''Timelines'' (1987) * ''Small Rebellions'' (1990) * ''My Skies'' (1993) * ''A Recent Future'' (1995) *''Compadres'' (1997) (James Keelaghan, Oscar Lopez) ''Nominated for a '''Juno Award''' for '''Best Roots & Traditional Album – Group''' '' * ''Road'' (1999) * ''Home'' (2001) * ''Then Again'' (2004) * ''A Few Simple Verses'' (2006) *''¿Buddy Where You Been?'' (2007) (Compadres – James Keelaghan, Oscar Lopez) ''Nominated for a '''Juno Award''' for '''Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group''' '' * ''House of Cards'' (2009) * ''History: The First 25 Years'' (CD and DVD) (2013) * ''Second-Hand'' (2022)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.keelaghan.com/ Official website] *[https://www.songwriting.net USA Songwriting Competition]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Keelaghan, James}} Category:1959 births Category:Canadian folk guitarists Category:Canadian male guitarists Category:Canadian folk singer-songwriters Category:Canadian male singer-songwriters Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Calgary Category:People from Perth, Ontario Category:20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters Category:Singers from Alberta