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Bill

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BILL MONAGHAN'S BIOGRAPHY
BILL MONAGHAN
“It’s always a joyous struggle, this music making thing.”
He has been called varied, eclectic, surprising…Bill Monaghan has been making musical creations since his high school days in the Philadelphia suburbs. A writer of songs, musical plays, children’s ballets, and thematically charged CDs like his 9/11 In Memoriam, Bill is at home in finger picking folk songs, story-telling in his energy driven rock songs, or reflecting in his touching love songs and ballads.
Bill and his band celebrated his Some Assembly Required CD with a release party early in 2007, with a diverse mix of song, story, emotion, and journeys to other lands. The year also saw the realization of a 6-year dream to perform a musical tribute to those lost in the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the reflective and comforting songs of Bill’s 9/11 CD. The Word: A Gospel Opera, a full length spirited stage drama, has moved audiences with more than 55 performances in the tri-county area since its inception.
The heart-warming “All That Your Heart May Desire,” in memory of his brother Michael who died in the US Navy, sets the theme for an annual memorial concert, presenting local artists and performers joining together to raise scholarship money for high school students in need. Even the harmonies and rhythms of Africa are an influential force in many of Bill’s works, made more authentic by his recent mission work in Uganda, Africa, where he has experienced and contributed music firsthand to the people with whom he has worked so closely in areas of education and basic human needs.
Onstage, Bill can be seen solo or with his band, and he has played such venues as Sellersville Theatre, Stockton Inn, Grape Street Pub, and as featured artist at many local charity concerts.
“Fresh! Jimmy Buffet meets Nancy Griffith and Paul Simon. Certainly an album of poppie folk. All-in-all a very pleasant mix of music.” [David Hermanson on CDbaby.com, on Bill’s Some Assembly Required CD]
MORE ABOUT BILL MONAGHAN
"When I heard the Beatles, I fell in love with multi-layered harmonies, whether theyre in country, folk or gospel."
Bill Monaghan's love of music ratcheted up to new levels when an old piano from his grandparents basement landed in his familys living room. He was 11 years old and thrilled with the gift.
Piano lessons had started when he was seven. But without a piano for practicing, he had focused instead on listening to the Clancy Brothers, captured on his fathers records, to Jim Croce, the Beatles, Sha Na Na, John Williams track for Star Wars, and Beethoven. That eventually translated into his ability to learn by ear the music of Billy Joel, Ray Charles and others.
In high school he taught himself to play the guitar, started composing, and formed the rock-and-roll band, Some Assembly Required. With 80s music as a major influence, he wrote "For All You Were Was Life" and "All the Years Gone By." At the University of Scranton he frequently collaborated with long-time friend, Tom Feledick, directed several musicals and played in rock cover bands. Bill graduated cum laude with a B.A. in English and minors in math and music.
Bill has written musical plays (Brunswick 2057, The Word: A Gospel Opera), childrens ballets (The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Wizard of Oz), film soundtracks (Lusting for Dust Words), orchestrations with other lyricists (Flying Horses, Antigone, Schumaker and the Elves), teen mission theme songs for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia ("I Am Loving You for Life," "Walk His Way"), and liturgical music settings (The Psalms).
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/4/2006
Band Website: www.monaghanmusic.com
Band Members: RICK CONICELLI drums, Hawaiian shirts;
BRIAN DIBIAGIO guitars, vox, hair of waviness;
CHRISTINE FAVORITE vox, jello, general elegance;
CARL LICHTNER vox, guitars, switches & dials;
SHANNON MCMULLEN vox, armadillos;
JIM MONAGHAN bass, muscles

Influences: Jesus, Beatles, Billy Joel, John Williams, Han Solo, Beethoven, Jim Croce, Weird Al, Obi-wan Kenobi, Nat King Cole, Mom, Dad, J-pop, K-bo, Megwegs, Mike, Sister Mary Rita, John Paul Sharp, Kurt Vonneget, aliens
Sounds Like: Billy Joel takes a train ride with John Lennon and Paul Simon, with a horn section

Record Label: YIP Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

"September Judgment" Review

Hi everyone! My friend Karen reviewed "September Judgment". You can read it below. Peace, Billy M The tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 will remain burned into the memories of...
Posted by on Fri, 29 May 2009 09:36:00 GMT

Interview with Cicely Schuring

Hey Everyone!I recently did a cool interview with Cicely Schuring about my interest in Irish music and how it developed.Here's what transpired: 1.) What is your interest in Irish music?   My...
Posted by on Fri, 15 May 2009 09:08:00 GMT

The Word - A Gospel Opera in Concert

April 8th The Word in Concert at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.  Come out for a fantastic evening of Gospel music to kick off Holy Week.  7:00 p.m.http://www.svdp-rich...
Posted by on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:05:00 GMT

See everyone tonight, 7:30

Archbishop Wood High School, 7:30 the concert of the Spring!  You don't want to miss it!  Corner of Street and York Roads, Warminster Pa!Bill Monaghan on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace
Posted by on Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:42:00 GMT

April 4th Concert!

See you there!Bill Monaghan on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace
Posted by on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:06:00 GMT

Michael S Monaghan Scholarship Concert

What are you doing April 4th?  Coming to Archbishop Wood High School to listen to some great music. We have some new stuff for you this year, and of course our tribute to the Ser...
Posted by on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:40:00 GMT

Youtube

New Video's available on youtube, live from carley's ristorante.  Check them out!Bill Monaghan on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace
Posted by on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:28:00 GMT

Celtic Pride myspace

Hey all, Celtic Pride now has its own MYSpace page. All your Irish Favorites in one place. Check it out and Friend Us! www.myspace.com/celitcpride09.
Posted by on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Music Music Music

There is an old time song about - "put another nickel in, in that nickel-o-deon, all I want is loving you and music, music, music!"And that pretty much sums up my life - lots of love and music, music,...
Posted by on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:13:00 GMT

2 projects - I need help!

Hello to the true of heart!! Whew! Lots going on! Our band is preparing for our show at Dr. Watson's this Saturday, and our Street Team is doing a great job getting the word out!  I really treasu...
Posted by on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 06:31:00 GMT