Ken Cotter is an Irish singer & songwriter based in Cork, Ireland. He is noted for his strong voice, captivating melodies and astute lyrical composition. His live performances are steered by a confident guitar and a well-honed stage craft.

2010 sees Ken celebrate 21 years of playing original material- original being the operative word. You won't find stained faux Dylanesque tones here, or lyrics dripping in a pastiche American landscape. Ken's charm is that he manages to stay loyal to his own place, it's accent and it's rhythm, while still sounding contemporary and new. He has managed to straddle his Irish folk and songwriting heritage with a distinct indie heartbeat. He is of his place, but also, as importantly, of his time.

This confidence in himself and the place that shaped him probably comes from a music career that has seen him spend years on the road, touring Ireland, the UK, Europe, Singapore, Australia, the US and Newfoundland.

Origins

Ken is from Cork City, Ireland. He started playing guitar at the age of 12, and over the next few years found himself penning songs in the style of his heroes, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Bragg. But it was in the songs of Jimmy MacCarthy, Paul Brady, Luka Bloom and many other Irish Singer Songwriters, that Ken began to feel most at home. These great Irish performers helped him shape his sound and acquire the confidence to sing in his own voice about his own experiences. As a teen Ken was also listening to The Jam, The Who, U2, Big Country, Echo And The Bunnymen, as well as Irish homegrown rockers, Something Happens, Light A Big Fire and Cactus World News. Radiohead became a big influence. However, gradually Ken began to discover his own style. Certainly, he incorporated aspects of these different musical strains, but by marrying them to his own experiences and by never deviating from his core principles of pride in place and uniqueness of accent, he has created a rare sound.