Biography
Kieran Kane and Jamie O'Hara, performing together as the O'Kanes, created three albums of outstanding country music across their short-lived partnership. Their debut record, issued under the group name and widely viewed as their strongest, captures the essence of the duo's approach by drawing deeply on longstanding country conventions without becoming an exercise in nostalgia. Its lean instrumentation still yields intricate sonic detail, and the material overall delivers plainspoken, emotionally charged performances that continue to resonate once the final notes fade. The pair's vocal blend evokes the peak achievements of country harmony singing, with some commentators drawing parallels to the Louvin Brothers while others, noting the propulsion in their accompaniment, reference the Everly Brothers instead. Their instrumental palette stretches from bluegrass, anchored by mandolin, to the coiled energy of Sun-era rockabilly, as demonstrated on the hit single "O Darlin'." An accordion further contributes Tex-Mex inflections alongside clear blues shadings, resulting in music that genuinely fuses disparate strands.
Of the two principals, Kane had always leaned more toward musical pursuits. He took up drums at age nine in his older brother's rock & roll band, then added bluegrass and folk to his activities during his teenage years, appearing at festivals throughout the Northeast. His profile eventually allowed him to open shows for rock acts including Country Joe & the Fish and the Steve Miller Band. At twenty-one he relocated to Los Angeles and established himself as a session guitarist and staff songwriter. Eight years afterward he moved to Nashville, again working sessions and penning songs. Within two years Elektra offered him a contract, and over the ensuing three years he placed a series of modest hits on both that label and later Warner.
O'Hara did not begin playing guitar until age twenty-two, after a knee injury ended his prospects as a professional football player. Once he had composed several original numbers he started performing in Midwest clubs while holding various day jobs. He reached Nashville in 1975 and secured a publishing deal with Tree Publishing. By the early 1980s other artists were recording his material, most notably Ronnie McDowell, who took "Wandering Eyes" and "Older Women" into the country Top Ten in 1981.
The two songwriters first joined forces in 1985 on "Bluegrass Blues," a composition later cut by both Southern Pacific and the Judds. They continued writing and cutting demos throughout that year and formally became a performing duo in 1986. Columbia signed them, and their self-titled first album consisted entirely of those demo recordings. "Oh Darlin'," the initial single, reached the Top Ten, and the album itself also entered the country Top Ten. In 1987 the group scored three additional Top Ten singles drawn from the same record: the chart-topping "Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You," along with "Daddies Need to Grow Up Too" and "Just Loving You." Their follow-up, Tired of the Runnin', appeared the next year and yielded two further Top Ten entries in "One True Love" and "Blue Love," though the third single, "Rocky Road," failed to reach the Top 40.
After completing work on a third album, Kane and O'Hara went separate ways in 1989; that final project, Imagine That, surfaced in 1990 and attracted scant notice. Both continued writing songs professionally. Kane issued his self-titled solo debut on Atlantic Records in 1993, while O'Hara released Rise Above It on RCA the following year.
Of the two principals, Kane had always leaned more toward musical pursuits. He took up drums at age nine in his older brother's rock & roll band, then added bluegrass and folk to his activities during his teenage years, appearing at festivals throughout the Northeast. His profile eventually allowed him to open shows for rock acts including Country Joe & the Fish and the Steve Miller Band. At twenty-one he relocated to Los Angeles and established himself as a session guitarist and staff songwriter. Eight years afterward he moved to Nashville, again working sessions and penning songs. Within two years Elektra offered him a contract, and over the ensuing three years he placed a series of modest hits on both that label and later Warner.
O'Hara did not begin playing guitar until age twenty-two, after a knee injury ended his prospects as a professional football player. Once he had composed several original numbers he started performing in Midwest clubs while holding various day jobs. He reached Nashville in 1975 and secured a publishing deal with Tree Publishing. By the early 1980s other artists were recording his material, most notably Ronnie McDowell, who took "Wandering Eyes" and "Older Women" into the country Top Ten in 1981.
The two songwriters first joined forces in 1985 on "Bluegrass Blues," a composition later cut by both Southern Pacific and the Judds. They continued writing and cutting demos throughout that year and formally became a performing duo in 1986. Columbia signed them, and their self-titled first album consisted entirely of those demo recordings. "Oh Darlin'," the initial single, reached the Top Ten, and the album itself also entered the country Top Ten. In 1987 the group scored three additional Top Ten singles drawn from the same record: the chart-topping "Can't Stop My Heart From Loving You," along with "Daddies Need to Grow Up Too" and "Just Loving You." Their follow-up, Tired of the Runnin', appeared the next year and yielded two further Top Ten entries in "One True Love" and "Blue Love," though the third single, "Rocky Road," failed to reach the Top 40.
After completing work on a third album, Kane and O'Hara went separate ways in 1989; that final project, Imagine That, surfaced in 1990 and attracted scant notice. Both continued writing songs professionally. Kane issued his self-titled solo debut on Atlantic Records in 1993, while O'Hara released Rise Above It on RCA the following year.
Albums
