‘Fret King’ and singer Damien O’Kane is earning a growing reputation for being a creative and exciting musician, singer and composer. Primarily a banjo player, and an “outstanding” one at that according to The Sunday Express, he’s recently been winning accolades as a singer, focusing on songs from his native Northern Ireland and further afield.

O’Kane has a sincere and exceptional ability to accompany the subtlest of songs then lift his banjo and rip into a blistering set of tunes. He is probably best known for his work with Shona Kipling and Flook. He has travelled worldwide with both of these acts and been a full-time member of Kate Rusby’s band for three years playing guitar, tenor and electric guitars, banjo and vocals.

2011 saw the release of Damien’s instrumental record The Mystery Inch with superb Sheffield guitarist David Kosky. The album won Best Instrumental Album at the The Spiral Earth Awards and was described by Songlines as “incredibly assured, intimate playing, full of invention, fun and friendship and studded with moments of real beauty…”

“He’s a formidable player and outstanding interpreter of songs…” – Songlines