Added on Sunday 10 Feb 2013

Lots of interesting projects going on at the moment; collaborations with people more talented than myself, new songs getting written and old songs getting remixed (free downloads at foot of this page).

I'm working with Robert Ruthven and Lawrence Alexander on our 'Bearpit Brothers' project. It's been slow but we are getting there. Two songs are more or less finished, another is being recorded right now and there is yet another that Robert is working on an arrangement for. Every one of them sounds great to me. I think you'll really love them. If you can imagine a mix of 1950's Rock n Roll, and Roy Orbison 60's Pop you'll not be that far away.

I recently had a fun day out recording at the magnificent Newbattle Abbey (build in the 11th century) with the Scottish Folk band, The Linties. Morag, Iyaah and Stuart did backing vocals on a new song of mine. The nicest most generous people you could meet; and great singers too. :-) Check them out at linties.co.uk

I've also been learning some new recording techniques and finding out how to make more 'avant-garde' music with classical composer Cluny Strachan. Cluny teaches composition at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as well as composing music for film and television. A smart and talented man.

A New Song: Promise That We'll Meet Again

I've written a new song called, Promise That We'll Meet Again. I wrote it as a gift to the Linties for helping me out; though reading the lyrics it's clearly connected to my mother, who passed away just before Christmas. We miss her - and always will.

Lyrics for Promise That We'll Meet Again:

Take these broken beads from my hand
Take this golden thread
Carry them with your wherever you go
and promise that we'll meet again

Spirals and spires and chapels of stone
Brothers and sisters our own
the choir is singing for those who have gone
they sing
promise that we'll meet again
promise that we'll meet again.

hold in your hand the stones and the? earth
try to follow the tracer of love now gone
talk of a silence that's deep in our heart
Peter and Rose Christina and John

So take these poems I've written for you
take these lessons learned
And we'll walk down the old road where the blackberries grow
and we'll promise that we'll meet again
and we'll promise that we'll meet again
yes we'll promise that we'll meet again

You can listen to the song here:
reverbnation-promise that we'll meet again

Songs to download

I've worked on a couple of new mixes of some songs from previous album. Feel free to download them.

Both 'Black Sky Blues' and 'Every Day Is Sunshine (I can relate to a man who's a sinner)' are available to download from my Reverbnation page: reverbnation.com/jimbyrne

You will need to register to download them.

Speak soon, Jim

** The Innocent

"Congratulations Jim on a wonderful album The Innocent - having a wee listen now and am very touched by your sincerity throughout the album, Loving all the songs but really like Sand in our Shoes (loving your guitar playing too Jim) The more I play it, the more I'm enjoying it Jim, well done again for this musical masterpiece." Bernie Devlin

Buy on iTunes

(itunes jim byrne or at the discounted price at my store songsbyjimbyrne

** Every Day Is Sunshine

"..full of cinematic turns of phrase, dressed up in alluring melodies delivered by some of the most respected players on the modern-day Celtic Folk scene." UNCUT!

Buy on iTunes

(itunes jim byrne or at the discounted price at my store songsbyjimbyrne