'Man of Many Hats': Irish songwriter Keith Harkin finds freedom in music, makes first stop in Ruidoso on Dec. 14

All his life, Keith Harkin has been writing his own chapters.

With his professional life as a musician, he’s balancing it with being a husband, a father and an entrepreneur.

“I’m learning as I go,” he says with a laugh. “There’s no real book to it. I have another business in Ireland. My wife owns her own company. We’re building a music venue in Portugal. It’s a lot of hard work.”

Harkin is currently on tour and will make a stop at Downshift Brewing Company - Riverside on Thursday, Dec. 14, in Ruidoso. It will be his first time in the New Mexico town.

He is an Irish singer-songwriter from Derry City, Ireland, now residing in Portugal.

Harkin rose to fame as the lead singer of the massive Irish sensation Celtic Thunder, which had huge success with more than 15 No. 1 records worldwide and over a million in album sales with numerous PBS specials.

His musical talents have brought him across the world, including shows for President Barack Obama at the White House, Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island, Muhammad Ali at Celebrity Fight Night and performing national anthems at The Garden for The Boston Celtics.

“When I go on tour, I grind hard,” he says. “I’ve been touring America for 17 years now. I rarely take a day off. Each day is a work day. I’d rather save the days off for being back at home with my family.”

During his time touring the states, he gained recognition from David Foster, Grammy Award-winning producer, who then went on to sign Harkin as one of the first artists to the new Verve Records.

He released his solo debut album with Foster and Verve Records, where they watched it soar to No. 1 on the Billboard charts in Canada and the United States.

Over the past 12 years since his first release, Harkin has been writing all his own material for his solo records.

His latest record is 2022’s “Man of Many Hats.”

He’s getting ready to release his next album in 2024.

“In my 19-year career, I’ve made 20 albums,” the 37-year-old musician says. “I’m always writing and I try to encompass all of my music. I do like the odd cover song here and there. I mix it up as much as I can. I write setlists out, but it’s rare that I follow them.”

As Harkin continues his journey in music, he’s found freedom within the industry.

“A lot of musicians are afraid to speak,” he says. “I’ve always tried to create a piece of art that resonates with others. I don’t pay attention to the streaming platforms. You can write one of the most popular songs in the world and get millions of plays streaming and walk away with a couple thousand dollars. It’s sad that I have to be part of a system like this.”

Harkin has also released three Christmas records and will incorporate some of those songs.

“I suppose it’s that time of year,” he says. “I wrote a song a few years ago called ‘Santa, Please Come Home.’ It’s not your typical Christmas song. It’s about just wanting Santa to come home and spend time with him. It’s a song for everyone.”