Johnny Logan is musical
legend in
Ireland. Loved by one and all, Johnny's success is revered throughout the country both as a winning
singer and winning
songwriter in the
Eurovision Song Contest.
Born Sean Sherrard in Frankstown, Melbourne, Australia, 1954, Logan was not actually born Irish, but moved to Ireland with his family at the age of three, and posessed an avid interest in music from a very young age. In his teens, he developed a great interest in Irish traditional bands like the Dubliners, and had learned how sing, play guitar and write music.
In 1979, he wrote a song "What's another year?" that came third in the National Song Contest, and was asked to perform it the following year in the Eurovision. After a hands down victory, and record sales running into millions, Logan's career took off.
However, in 1987, Johnny Logan did something that no other Eurovision competitor had ever done before, he came back for a second time and WON for a second time with "Hold Me Now", a song dedicated to his wife which sold 6 million copies, and reached number 2 in the UK Top Ten. A song that is forever etched in the memory of any Irish person over the age of 18.
In 1992, Logan also composed the music for Linda Martin's winning Eurovision performance, making it a hat trick of victories for himself, and the most successful Eurovision competitor of all time.
Since his Eurovision successes, Logan has successfully pursued his solo career as a singer and has also performed in many musicals across Europe where he remains as popular today as he did in 1987.
Johnny's opinion on the current state of the Eurovision though, reflects the feelings of many others in that the competition has become too artificial an over produced. Here are some quotes on what he had to say about the 2000 Eurovision Song Contest in an interview with Terry Wogan:
"This year's Eurovision song contest was so bad it could mean the end of the competition."
"I think this year is the finishing of it. It has turned into karaoke."
"When I sang, there was an orchestra that you can sing with and they can lift you. A backing track can be nothing but a backing track."
Discography:
In London (1979)
What's Another year? (1980)
The Johnny Logan Album (1980)
Straight From The Heart (1985)
Hold Me Now (1987)
Mention My Name (1989)
Love Songs (1990)
Endless Emotion (1992)
Reach Out (1996)
I'm No Hero (1996)
The Best Of Johnny Logan (1996)
Living For Loving (1996)
Love Is All (1999)