‘The greatest Irish musical find of the ‘90's’, Sean Keane, will play the Town Hall Theatre on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March. Lisa Regan talks traditional music to the Galway man who dreams of performing with Dolly Parton

Is there a different vibe/feeling associated with playing in your home county?

Yes, of course! It is wonderful to play for a home audience and, because this is probably the only Galway date for 2008, I am looking forward to it even more. The Galway audience are the first audience I ever played to and they remain special.

What can Galway audiences expect from this show?
Well, it’s much bigger than the normal ‘gig’; we have 15 or more on stage at times. There are guest singers, dancers and musicians and plenty of variety. We have cameras in there too; the performances will be recorded for a DVD release later in the year.

You have a distinctive voice. Do you think the distinction in your voice leads to your individuality in the business?
I suppose so, but I am just superstitious enough not to analyse it all too much. I am very grateful for all the years of enjoyment I have gotten from the business up to now and I thank my audiences for that.

You have recorded seven solo albums and collaborated on five others. Has your musical direction and style changed much since your first album?
Not really; I just sing the songs and play the music that appeals to me, regardless of genre. This show brings me back to my roots in ways, as a lot of the songs are from the traditional and roots pool, which is where I started off.

What constitutes a traditional song?
The lyric and the story of the song are the most important elements to me.
It is considered to be an old genre; the writers of such songs are often unknown and the subject matter is usually universal. In a way, they are the social documents of their day. I see the process as a continuum where newly composed songs in the traditional vein only have to be strong enough to become part of the genre, for example, ‘Isle of Hope, Isle of Tears’.

You were described as ‘the greatest Irish musical find of the ‘90's’ was it a long road for you in getting this acclaim?
It took all my life! I sang from infancy, so I wasn’t really in pursuit of anything; I just loved it. If people praised me and gave me accolades that was great. But I still do it only because I love the buzz I get from performing and seeing an audience enjoy the music.

Your songs encompass a mixture of traditional Irish folk music, pop, blues and country. So where does your musical influence come from?
Everywhere I have found a song that I enjoy singing. Initially it came from my family who were all involved in traditional and folk singing. After that, I suppose I was influenced by singers and musicians I admire.