Connor hits the right notes

WITH a varied list of influences ranging from Ben Folds and Regina Spektor to Thin Lizzy and Metallica, 29-year-old Tyrone-based pianist and singer Connor Josef is quickly becoming one of the most promising and reoccurring names on the local gigging scene.

Hailing from Clogher, the ambitious musician is currently busy gigging all over the North and beyond with a set list that truly caters to everyone.

Recalling how his musical journey began, Connor said, “When I was growing up, my dad was a drummer in a country band.

“Throughout the years, he played for the likes of Brian Coll and the Buckaroos and he also had a brief stint playing with Philomena Begley.

“He was always trying to get me interested in music from a young age, so I tried to learn numerous instruments but would always just give up in the end.

“At the age of 10, I picked up the bass guitar but again, it wasn’t long until my interest dipped and I forgot all about it.”

It wasn’t until the age of 15 that Connor’s interest in music was revived, inspiring him to purchase his first ever keyboard.

“I started listening to more piano players and piano based music in my teens,” he recalled.

“I bought my first keyboard at the age of 15 – a dirty wee second-hand Casio model that I found online – and got myself started.”

Connor spent a year learning the instrument, figuring things out himself with the assistance of YouTube tutorial videos.

“After a year of practising, I decided to stick with it and started taking lessons.

“Upon starting my lessons, I was already sitting on my grade four on piano, so I kept at it and in 2020 I achieved my grade eight.”

Connor has now been performing full-time as a solo artist for just over two years, however, prior to that, he was no stranger to the stage, having performed numerous gigs throughout his teens and with the wedding band ‘The Professionals’ from 2018 right up until the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘Inspired’

“I got really into Jerry Lee Lewis in my teenage years and that inspired me to get out and perform,” he said.

“My first gig was in the Old Town Inn in Cookstown on New Years Eve one year and following that I played a handful of random gigs all over the country.”

Connor admitted that early on in his musical career, he briefly lost interest in gigging.

“I fell out of the gigging scene for a while and ended up stuck in an IT job for a few years.

“Then, around 2018, I joined ‘The Professionals’ and that kept me busy for a few years.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Connor decided to leave the group to do his own thing.

“I decided to get back to playing gigs as a solo performer but would still fill in with The Professionals occasionally,” he said.

Taking to the stage on his own, the Clogher musician explained how he covers a wide variety of styles and genres throughout his set list.

“I like to start the set with what I call the ‘big piano songs,” he said.

“Stuff like Queen, Billy Joel and Elton John, then I move onto a couple of old Irish sing-a-longs like ‘Dirty Old Town’ – all those old classics.”

As his set list progresses and with his audience sufficiently loosened up, Connor said he likes to often end the night with a number of contemporary hits.

“Nothing ends a night with a bang better than the likes of ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ by Oasis or ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers,” he said.

With plans to gig all over the country in 2025, it’s set to be a busy year for the Clogher man.

“My main plan for this year is to collaborate with other musicians and to break into the wedding entertainment scene,” he explained.

To keep up to date with Connor’s musical venture, you can do so by searching ‘Connor Josef’ on social media.