Dungannon guitarist and drummer lives and breathes music

Graham McKinstry is a 29-year-old singer, guitarist and drummer for Dungannon who lives, breathes and makes music.

From being a well-renowned pub singer; the front man of six-piece Irish folk and trad-rock group, ‘Chasin Hooley’; the creative officer at Apex Music Centre in Cookstown; and the leader of Cookstown Samba band, his decades-long passion for music has is also inspiring the young musicians of the future.

Graham recently took time out of his hectic schedule to sit down and share his story with the TyroneHerald, as he looks forward to yet another busy year in 2024.

Speaking of what first sparked his interest in performing, Graham said, “I first got into music when I saw ‘School of Rock’ in the cinema, back in 2003.

“I remember telling my dad afterwards that I wanted to be on-stage after seeing Jack Black with his flying-V guitar.

“Shortly after that, I got my first acoustic guitar, and started learning the basics.

“Then, from there, it wasn’t long until I got my first electric guitar, and I also started to play drums when I was in secondary school.”

In his formative years, Graham played guitar in a metal band, but it wasn’t long until the talented Dungannon man was venturing into other genres and embracing other musical ambitions.

Speaking of some of his first pub gigs, he explains, “I started playing at open mic nights with a friend of the family who needed a guitar player, which eventually lead to a residency at Broderick’s in Omagh.

“Throughout those years, I started singing more-and-more. And after she quit the residency, I took over on my own, and it all snowballed from there. It was then that I started gigging all over the country.”

In recent years, Graham has been fronting the Irish folk and trad-rock group, Chasin Hooley.

Speaking of how this opportunity came about, Graham explains, “It’s a funny story, really…

“Before joining Chasin Hooley, I went to go and teach music at a summer camp in America for the summer.

“When I came home, Chasin Hooley’s original singer and guitarist, who actually taught me guitar when I was younger, asked me if I would come and play guitar with them to help fill out their sound.

“About two months later, he left the band, so I ended up falling into the role of front man from there as I took on vocal duties.”

Chasin Hooley have been active now for well over a decade, playing what Graham describes as ‘all the old Irish favourites’ in venues and weddings all over Ireland.

When not performing on stage, Graham keeps busy as creative officer for Apex Music Centre in Cookstown.

Alongside his friend and fellow musician, Oran McGuckin, the two have turned what was originally a recording studio into an essential hub of creativity in Cookstown.

Graham explains, “Oran started ‘Apex’ as a recording studio, before we both teamed up to form the Apex Music Centre as a charity organisation.

“We offer music lessons, art workshops, drama workshops… Any sort of creative tutoring that we’re capable of providing, really.”

On a regular basis, Apex Music Centre run an event known as ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ – a day in which they welcome up to 12 local musicians and bands, allowing them to showcase songs of their choice to be recorded and filmed in a professional studio setting for the promotional purposes of the artist.

Graham’s work with Apex Music Centre has also seen him forming and leading the Cookstown Samba Band – an all-age, all-inclusive percussion based band that often take part in local carnivals and parades.

“The samba band started when Streewise Samba from Belfast came to the music centre to run a workshop, so we decided to keep it going,” explained Graham.

“Radius Housing Association offered us funding which allowed us to buy the instruments needed.”

It’s safe to say that Graham and the folks at Apex Music Centre like to keep busy.

Some of their latest projects have included a couple of special festive cover songs and videos over the Christmas period. For example, their young music students recently performed a lovely rendition of ‘Snowman’ by Sia, while the staff and tutors put a somewhat hard rock twist on the Pogues Christmas classic ‘Fairytale of New York’, which featured Graham and fellow musician, Cherie Morgan, taking on the classic roles of Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl.

To keep up with Graham and his work, you can follow both ‘Chasin Hooley’ and ‘Apex Music Centre’ on all major social media platforms.