Blackwater Irish Band
Bio
Black Water Irish Band
PJ Cullen comes from a traditional Irish Music Family background where as a child he experienced weekly Irish Music Sessions in his home. PJ states that some of the best Irish Music/Musicians visited his home on a regular basis.
In the early years PJ was influenced by his grandfather, a professional fiddle player who played traditional Irish Music. PJ started playing the guitar at an early age and in the 70’s progressed to support the rock bands Gary Moore .Thin Lizzy .Eric Bell The Sweet and Marmalade to name but a few.
PJ has played with Irish Rock Bands in Dublin, Galway, and London and then gradually progressed to Irish Music. A full time professional musician and passionate about guitars, is style is influenced by the greats – Chet Atkins, Django Reinhardt and Eric Clapton. PJ plays a variety of styles – Finger Picking, Jazz, the Blues and of course Irish Folk music.
A resident of Australia since 1990, he is an established and respected guitarist on the Irish music scene throughout Sydney and Australia. PJ has played for a number of famous people including the President of Ireland Mary McAleese. He also played at the film premier of Michael Collins with Liam Neeson and for Tourism Ireland at Martin Place on St Patrick’s Day combined with Channel 9.
On one occasion he played at the St Georges Leagues Club in the morning then flew to Townsville to play at the St Patrick’s Day festivities on the same day. The following day PJ played in Darwin. PJ also represented the Irish community at the celebration of the addition to the new steeples to St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.
PJ has featured on an Irish Bands CD recorded in Sydney where many Australian Irish bands collaborated on the joint project called “Irish Bands”. In addition Blackwater supported the Irish Band “Four Men and a Dog” on their successful Australian Tour in Sydney during the late 90’s. PJ brings an innovative sound to traditional and contemporary Irish music and his love for Irish music led to the formation of Blackwater.
Backwater Irish Band is renowned for the excellence of their Irish Wedding Music and is on one of the most popular Wedding bands in Sydney, they have travelled interstate and overseas for these events. Blackwater Irish Band has played Irish Music for over ten years, during that time musicians have come and gone but the band has continued to evolve into the success it is today.