Born and raised in Strabane, Northern Ireland, Paul Brady first gained attention in the 1960s as a soulful singer, prolific songwriter, and superb multi-instrumentalist with the premier Irish folk bands The Johnstons and Planxty, and in duo work with Andy Irvine. He established himself as one of the country's finest interpreters of traditional songs with definitive versions of great ballads like "Arthur McBride" and "The Lakes Of Pontchartrain".

In the 1970s, he stepped into new territory, combining traditional and contemporary influences into highly original, passionate songs that have been recorded by folks from Bonnie Raitt and Joe Cocker to Tina Turner and Santana. Last year, Paul released The Liberty Tapes (Compass) a memorable concert recorded in 1978 which was presumed lost these past years.