A man of serious thought and good humor, Kiernan is a musician with a more interesting
story than most. Born in Hong Kong to an Australian mother and Irish father who met on a
plane, Kiernan had traveled the span of three continents by the time he was eighteen.
This experience as a nomad served him well, when after landing a record deal with an
American label, Kiernan flew to Boston with no laptop, no phone, and no clear-cut plan to
tour on his own. He calls the experience one of the most memorable he’s ever had.
“It was daunting and scary,” he admits, “but it was the most memorable three months of my
life… I could write a book for just that [sic] three months.”
Kiernan spent that time playing shows he had booked on MySpace. After landing in Boston,
he hitchhiked his way down south, and eventually ended in South Carolina to spend some
time with family. Since, then, Kiernan’s career has been far less dangerous, but perhaps no
less eventful.
The musician averages 200 shows per year, and thankfully not by hitchhiking. “I’ve been on
a big old tour bus, and I drive around in my car,” he explains. “I’ve hitchhiked. I’ve taken
Greyhounds, and I’ve done the van and trailer… Pretty much toured in every capacity you
can tour in over the last ten years.”
Kiernan has also played virtually every type of venue – from big stages with sold out shows
to bars and small clubs. “I have been lucky enough to play some pretty big shows,” he
shares. He then adds that in spite of this, “Theaters are the best because they’re always a
listening crowd [and] I like small clubs that are busy. I love a crowd that is there to see a
show.”
On stage, Kiernan embodies much of the Nashville sound, mixed with the storytelling skills
he thanks his Irish roots for. “I come from an Irish family, so a lot of storytellers,” he says. “I
like the idea of being able to tell a story [and] being able to tell somebody a story that kind
of compels them, and maybe changes the path of their day or their lives.”
Kiernan’s main aim with his music is to leave a lasting impact on the world and the way it
works – while inserting some good laughter into the mix. He hopes his music provokes
thought, laughter, and even the occasional tears.
The artist is currently working on a new album, and will do the final recording this month.
After that, he plans to go off to Iceland to polish up the album, and add the final touches. He
describes his upcoming masterpiece as a more traditional, Americana sound, and a tribute
to Nashville and its active music scene.
However, he plans to focus a lot more of his efforts on releasing his album in Ireland, and
plans to tour there at the end of the year for about six weeks. “There’s a different
atmosphere when I go,” he says of his home. “I could go play a little, tiny bar in Ireland and
at the end of the show everybody wants to talk about how it was… The show becomes an
experience that only the people there got to have… It’s very supportive.”
After hitchhiking across America, being threatened with a gun by a stingy promoter,
sharing the stage with big acts like Ed Sheeran, and mixing an album in Iceland, there’s not
much else to accomplish. This musician seems to have done it all.
Or has he? Kiernan jokes, “I love standup comedy. That’s my next thing to conquer.”
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