John McDermott (singer)
Encyclopedia
John Charles McDermott is a Scottish-Canadian tenor
best known for his rendering of the song "Danny Boy
". Born in Glasgow, Scotland, John moved with his family to Willowdale, Ontario, Canada
in 1965. Growing up in a musical family, his only formal musical training was at St. Michael's Choir School
in Toronto, Ontario in 1971 and 1972.
and Toronto Maple Leafs
. From 1984 through 1992 he worked as a circulation representative for the Toronto Sun
; Conrad Black
heard him singing at company parties. Black, along with other executives, financed McDermott's independent recording of "Danny Boy
" in 1992, which was picked up and released in North America by EMI Music Canada
. Following this unexpected success, McDermott decided to pursue a professional singing career.
. From there he continued to tour the rest of Canada, performing as an opening act for The Chieftains
. Throughout 1994 he went on a tour of Australia
and New Zealand
, following the great success of "Danny Boy", which had been ranked Number 1 on the charts there and achieved triple platinum in New Zealand. Next, in 1995 he went on a tour of Britain with The Seekers
.
At this point in his career he was becoming recognized internationally, so he started to tour regularly as a solo act rather than an opening act. He also appeared at several special events including the D-Day
ceremonies in France
in 1995, and the US
Democratic National Convention
in 1996. He has also appeared on TV several times, both as a host of CBC Television
concert specials in 1997, and in his own television special titled John McDermott: A Time to Remember, which aired on PBS in 2002. He formed The Irish Tenors, and after performing a large concert in Dublin, Ireland in 1998, they spent some time touring the US, appearing on TV, and releasing a gold record.
Since leaving The Irish Tenors, McDermott continues to tour extensively throughout the World, performing with his own group and with the great symphonies of the world. He continues to work to support the veteran community in the United States and in Canada. In 2000 McDermott dedicated McDermott House in Washington, DC, a transitional home for homeless veterans. His latest release, Journeys: Bringing Buddy Home, was recorded to help support fundraising for Fisher House Boston and launch the Canadian initiative for an outreach center for Canadian veterans.
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
best known for his rendering of the song "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
". Born in Glasgow, Scotland, John moved with his family to Willowdale, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1965. Growing up in a musical family, his only formal musical training was at St. Michael's Choir School
St. Michael's Choir School
St. Michael’s Choir School is a boys' semi-private school located in downtown Toronto's Garden District, embodying a unique learning environment for its students. The school serves as a union between two distinct institutions: the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome and the Toronto...
in Toronto, Ontario in 1971 and 1972.
Starting out
After singing at weddings for a few years, he joined with several other choristers to form a group named The Mistletones in 1980. Starting in 1988, he has regularly been called upon to sing the national anthems at Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
and Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. From 1984 through 1992 he worked as a circulation representative for the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
; Conrad Black
Conrad Black
Conrad Moffat Black, Baron Black of Crossharbour, OC, KCSG, PC is a Canadian-born member of the British House of Lords, and a historian, columnist and publisher, who was for a time the third largest newspaper magnate in the world. Lord Black controlled Hollinger International, Inc...
heard him singing at company parties. Black, along with other executives, financed McDermott's independent recording of "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" in 1992, which was picked up and released in North America by EMI Music Canada
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Following this unexpected success, McDermott decided to pursue a professional singing career.
Professional career
He performed his first concert at the Rebecca Cohn Theatre on October 5, 1993 in Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. From there he continued to tour the rest of Canada, performing as an opening act for The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
. Throughout 1994 he went on a tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, following the great success of "Danny Boy", which had been ranked Number 1 on the charts there and achieved triple platinum in New Zealand. Next, in 1995 he went on a tour of Britain with The Seekers
The Seekers
The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States...
.
At this point in his career he was becoming recognized internationally, so he started to tour regularly as a solo act rather than an opening act. He also appeared at several special events including the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
ceremonies in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1995, and the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1996. He has also appeared on TV several times, both as a host of CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
concert specials in 1997, and in his own television special titled John McDermott: A Time to Remember, which aired on PBS in 2002. He formed The Irish Tenors, and after performing a large concert in Dublin, Ireland in 1998, they spent some time touring the US, appearing on TV, and releasing a gold record.
Since leaving The Irish Tenors, McDermott continues to tour extensively throughout the World, performing with his own group and with the great symphonies of the world. He continues to work to support the veteran community in the United States and in Canada. In 2000 McDermott dedicated McDermott House in Washington, DC, a transitional home for homeless veterans. His latest release, Journeys: Bringing Buddy Home, was recorded to help support fundraising for Fisher House Boston and launch the Canadian initiative for an outreach center for Canadian veterans.
Discography
- Danny Boy (1993) (double platinum record)
- Old Friends (1994) (platinum record)
- Love is a Voyage (1995) (platinum record)
- When I Grow Too Old To Dream (1997)
- Christmas Memories (1998) (platinum)
- Danny Boy Collection (1998) (triple platinum)
- If Ye Break Faith.... (1998)
- Remembrance (1999)
- Love is a Voyage, Enhanced Re-release (2000)
- A Day to Myself (2001)
- O Canada (2001)
- A Time To Remember (2002)
- My Forever Friend (2003)
- Stories of Love (2003)
- Songs of the Isles — IRELAND (2004)
- Songs of the Isles — SCOTLAND (2004)
- Just Plain Folk (2005)
- On A Whim — The Songs of Ron Sexsmith (2006)
- Images of Christmas (Duets 2006)
- Sharing Christmas — John McDermott & Friends (2007)
- Journeys — Bringing Buddy Home (2009)
Awards and recognition
- For his support for veterans' causes, John McDermott was made an honorary member of The War AmpsThe War AmpsThe War Amps is a Canadian nation-wide registered charitable organization founded in 1918 and operated under the direction of war amputees. Since its inception, The War Amps has had as its hallmark the unique philosophy of “amputees helping amputees.” The War Amps is able to operate its many...
. - Also for supporting veterans' causes, he has received the US Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Bob Hope Award.
- Received five JunoJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
nominations (1993–1998) - McDermott was called the "worthy heir to the famed Irish tenor John McCormack" (Chicago Sun Times).