October 2004 News

Ronan is still riding high in the official UK album chart at No. 2 with 10 Years of Hits - Click here

RONAN TO CLOSE IN ON SCOTS FANS Oct 31ST 2004

RONAN KEATING is set to play a secret Scottish gig for just 250 fans, and you could be in the audience.

Scottish Radio Holdings and The Royal Bank of Scotland are presenting Up Close with Ronan Keating on November 18.

The only way to be in with a chance of being at the intimate concert is by checking out next week's Email column in the Sunday Mail - or by tuning into one of the SRH's stations.

Win the chance to ask Ronan a question on the night by logging on to Clye 1, Forthone, Northsound 1, Tay FM, Radio Borders, West FM, MFR, or CFM Radio here

Ronan visits Minster FM - October 28th 2004

Ronan Keating popped in to perform a few songs and help Ed co-host the CD Chart.

Ed and Ronan

Ronan's band

Ronan's fee for co-hosting the CD Chart

More photos from the 10 Years of Hits launch party!

Hello Magazine: Issue No. 839 26th October

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Ronan is sitting Pretty - Click here - Thanks to Emmie!

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10 Years of Hits interview - part 5 added - Click here

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Nasty illness was warning bell to rest - Click here

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My secret life - Click here

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10 Years of Hits intervew part 4 added - Click here

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Vote for Ronan as Mr More 2004 Celebrity Man of the year - Click here

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Belfast Telegraph reviw of 10 Years of Hits - Click here

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Ronan Keating with Paul Kennedy on Cool fm Belfast

Cool FM

Father and Son featuring Yusuf Islam, the 2nd single to be lifted from Ronan's latest album '10 Years Of Hits', will be released on December 6th - Click here

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Ronan still in the top 10 in Irish charts

Ronan is still riding high in the Irish top 50 singles chart with 'I Hope You Dance, and the Irish top 75 artist album chart with 10 Years of Hits, I hope you Dance has gone up one place from No. 8 to No. 7! - Click here, and 10 Years of Hits has dropped just one place from No. 5 to No. 6 - Click here

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10 Years of Hits interview from official German website - Click here

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OK magazine - Hotstars

"I went to see Ronan perform a gig the other day to celebrate his Greatest Hits album being released, which was great. He's a nice guy and was really good to see him perform live. I was a Boyzone fan when I was younger and bought the first album. Its very impressive that Ronan's been around for 10 years. We'd love to be around for that long. We have a lot more we want to acheive fingers crossed."

Michelle Heaton - Liberty X

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Cannes Do!

Shelltown Productions are in a jubilant mood after the recent successful launch of their new animated production, Shelltown, at MIPCOM 2004 in Cannes.

With the fresh success of Cannes, Shelltown has also been enjoying substantial media coverage recently on TV shows such as Top of The Pops, and CDUK. Featuring the voices of Ronan Keating, Kerry McFadden and local star John Lineham (aka May McFettridge). Shelltown was, as predicted, a huge hit in Cannes. Indeed Ronan and John jetted in to the glamorous sunshine destination to add their support to the unveiling and to soak up the ambience of the stunning Côte d'Azur.

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New photo from Top of the Pops

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Ronan on The Late Late Show

Ronan Keating, who is celebrating ten years in the music business, performed his current hit single 'I Hope You Dance'.

He then spoke to Pat about his latest album, '10 Years of Hits', his forthcoming duet with Cat Stevens and family life on the road.

Ronan will be performing live at Vicar Street on December 21st.

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Vote for Ronan as Hello Magazine's most attractive man - Click here

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Irish Sunday People interview - Click here

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Vote for Ronan as best Hit40 UK session - Click here

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Ireland on Sunday - Diary

There was finally some good news for Kerry McFadden this week. The pint sized blonde is set to hit our tv screens with singer Ronan Keating. The duo have recorded the voiceovers for the pilot of a new animated series called Shelltown which premiered this week at the Cannes MIPCOM TV festival. The pilot was picked up by all the major cartoon networks according to Keating, and is now set to be made into a 26 part series.

Delighted with the break, Ronan told the Diary how the project is set to rocket both his and Kerrys career across the pond. "Its great news for both of us. I do the theme song called Eggstra, Eggstra, for the cartoon but it will be someone like Busted or one of those younger boybands who will release it as a single. I do the voiceover for the main character, Splat while Kerry does the voiceover for the female lead, Cracker."

"We were in Cannes this week at the TV festival to launch it. Cartoon network and Disney both wanted to pick it up so now we are moving on to recording all 26 episodes, with the show out by next year.  Hopefully getting in with Disney, will lead to more work for both of us in the US."

Ronan will be recording the voiceovers for the show at his home studio in Dublin which will give the singer more time in Ireland. "Cosgrove Hall Films in Manchester - the producers of Dangermouse and Count Duckula - are the company behind the show and they have allowed me to record the scripts in my studio at home - which is great for both myself and the family."

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10 Years of Hits is No. 1 in the official UK album chart! - Congratulations Ronan! - Click here

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Ronan with Donny Osmond - The Late Late Show, 15th October 2004

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10 years of hits is the highest new entry in the HMV artist chart! no.1! - Click here

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Ronan to play at Vicar Street

Ronan announced on the Late Late show last night that he will be playing one night only at Vicar Street:

RONAN KEATING LIVE AT VICAR STREET 21ST DEC '04....

RONAN KEATING TO PLAY LIVE AT VICAR STREET FOR 1 NIGHT ONLY 21ST DECEMBER '04 TICKETS €44.00 GO ON SALE THURS AT 9am 21ST OCT FROM TICKETMASTER AND ALL USUAL OUTLETS.

Event Dates

The following table shows the dates and ticket prices for this event: Venue Date Time Price Booking Vicar Street Tuesday, December 21, 2004 20:00 € 21.00 (GENERAL ADMISSION) Thursday, October 21, 2004

Full Lineup Official Links

Ronan Keating

Event Details

AIKEN PROMOTIONS presents.....

RONAN KEATING LIVE @ VICAR STREET FOR 1 NIGHT ONLY THE 21ST DECEMBER '04.

TICKETS €44.00 WILL GO ON SALE THURS 21ST OCT '04 AT 9AM FROM TICKETMASTER AND ALL USUAL OUTLETS.

Ronan Keating is a great live performer. This will be his fourth arena tour in as many years, which is quite an achievement. Currently Ronan is working on plans for a brand new album due for release sometime in the autumn. More details to follow shortly.

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Thanks - from Ronan

10 Years of Hits album

Unbelievably it is ten years since my first hit on Polydor Records. Seven albums and twenty four singles later I thought it was right to release this album looking back over an amazing time of my life. I've had great fun pulling out the old singles, re-recording three of my favourite songs from the Boyzone years and recording two beautiful new songs. I am very lucky to still be making records after all this time, I owe it all to the fans that have been with me from those mad early days. I hope that you have as many great memories as I do.

Without my family and friends I would have nothing. People come and go in your life and some leave a mark. Sometimes that mark can be a positive one, sometimes negative, I have been incredibly lucky and have got through with the love and support of these people...

First of all - my mother: For as long as I can remember her arm was there and her soft tone telling me all would be OK. That is an incredible phrase to hear from another person; for someone to take that responsibility in case it all goes wrong. She was my rock, my friend and I miss her every day of my life, especially when I long to hear her say those words or when I hold her grandchildren in my arms. I dedicate every word and every song I have ever sung to my mother and her memory... miss ya mam.

To my wife, Yvonne: I love you more than you know. You are my life and always will be. Thank you for always believing in me and keeping me on the straight and narrow.

My kids, Jack and Marie, you are the most special thing in my life; you give me the reason to be. I love you.

I am very lucky to have so many fantastic people around me in my life. My family and friends who have always been there for me; I hope that I have been there for you, Trev and Sally Ann, Glin and Elaine, Mario and Dawn and all the Connellys - Thanx and love always.

To Barry Egan, Clodagh and Gerald Keane, George and Kenny, Richard and Anne Parks - Thank you for always being there.

I thank my manager, Mark Plunkett and his wife Clare, for pushing me and making me believe in myself more than anyone else has in the industry. I owe him a lot - he was the one that through the Boyzone years pushed us all to sing live even when the rest were happy to mime - a real person!

Thank you for putting up with me for all these years - Alex Delves, Sam Wright, Andrea Phipps, Barrie Knight, Anto Byrne, Stuart Bell, Lindsey Holmes, Ray Burniston, Richard Bray, Alan McEvoy, Florence Irwin, David Hall and all the staff at the Marie Keating Foundation, John Giddings, Iain Whitehead, my towing crew and the best live band in the world... The Shams!

10 years of thanks to Lucian, Calum, David, Greg, Alex, Peter, Orla, Neil, Grant, Tony, Adam, Cynthia and all the team at Polydor UK and Universal around the world, to all the producers, writers and musicians that have helped me make my music and to all the radio and TV people everywhere for playing it.

Most importantly I would like to thank the fans for supporting me over the past ten years. It has been a fantastic journey; I would not be here without you. Let's do it all again over the next ten years!

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart... up and on!

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Fan reviews of 10 Years of Hits from the BBC - Click here

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Ronan to perform Life is a Rollercoaster on Hit40 UK on Sunday October 17th

Hit40 UK

Thanks to everyone who voted for a Ronan Keating track!

Below are the results of the vote, and as you can see the winner was 'Life Is A Rollercoaster' so Ronan will be playing that track live when he comes in to the hit40uk studio this Sunday!

He's also prmoised us a version of his single 'I Hope You Dance' so make sure you tune in!

The results in full:

Number 1:
Life Is A Rollercoaster
24%
Number 2: I Hope You Dance
21%
Number 3: When You Say Nothing At All
11%
Number 4: Father and Son
8%
Number 5: If Tomorrow Never Comes
5%
Number 6: The Way You Make Me Feel
4%
Number 7: Somebody Else
4%
Number 8: Lovin' Each Day
3%
Number 9: Baby Can I Hold You Tonight
3%
Number 10: I Love It When We Do
2%
Number 11: We've Got Tonight
2%
Number 12: She Believes In Me
2%
Number 13: Last Thing On My Mind
2%
Number 14: Words
2%
Number 15: Lost For Words
1%

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A fantastic amount of money was donated to the Baslan fund by Ronan's fans from his official message board, here's the cheque, well done everyone!

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Metro 60 Second Interview - Ronan Keating - Click here

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10 Years of Hits is No. 5 in the Irish top 75 album chart! - Click here

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Boyzone can reform wihout me! - Click here

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CHART-TOPPER RONAN WILL LIGHT UP OMAGH FOR CHRISTMAS

The Belfast Newsletter 13th October 2004

BBC Children in Need

IRISH chart-topper Ronan Keating will be Omagh's star guest at the official Christmas lighting-up ceremony.

The former Boyzone star will be switching on the town's lights on November 19 as part of council plans to make this the biggest and brightest Christmas ever.

Ronan, 27, will stop off in Omagh on his way to a BBC Children in Need event in Belfast.

He will be joined by local bands and, of course, the great man himself - Santa Claus.

An ice rink will be located at the former Royal Arms car park making the town the coolest place to be this Christmas.

The temporary rink will be officially opened by the chairman of Omagh District Council Sean Clarke, with a world-class performance from a professional skater and will be operational for six weeks.

Cllr Clarke said: "We are expecting big crowds this year and can promise that a visit to Omagh will be bright, fun and lively."

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WIN TICKETS TO SEE RONAN KEATING

October 11th marked the release of Ronan Keating’s stunning new hits collection. Featuring all of his solo smashes plus reworked Boyzone favourites, it charts one of the most successful careers in pop music from the past decade.

Virgin Megastores are giving away a pair of tickets to Ronan’s hugely anticipated Wembley Arena show on December 22nd to the first person to answer a very easy question correctly - Click here.  The closing date for this competition is December 5th 2004

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BBC Radio 2 concert and competition

Ronan Keating performs in an exclusive concert for Radio 2, to be broadcast on Friday 26 November at 1930.

Win tickets!

Ronan Keating comes to Radio 2 for an exclusive concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra, from the Mermaid Theatre in London.

COMPETITION

Radio 2 is now offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see this fabulous concert. All you have to do is answer a very simple question - Click here to visit the Radio 2 website and enter the competition.

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I C Croydon review of 10 Years of Hits - Click here

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The Sun

RONAN KEATING was all smiles at his Greatest Hits party in London on Tuesday. The ex-BOYZONE man was given a Guinness Hit Singles award for his 30 consecutive Top Ten singles, beating ELVIS & MADONNA.

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RONAN KEATING

The Mirror

LOOKING as fresh-faced as ever, Ronan Keating celebrated his 10 years in the music biz with a special album launch party at Cafe de Paris near Leicester Square.

The singer, whose greatest hits album is set to top the charts this weekend, was cheered on by former Boyzone bandmember Mikey Graham.

Ronan, 27, said: "I hope fans will continue to support me for at least another 10." We're sure they will.

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Channel 4 teletext review of 10 Years of Hits and launch party review - Click here

Thanks to Karen!

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Two of the pop industry's favourite blondes are hoping to take the album charts by storm with their greatest hits. Irish crooner Ronan Keating has just launched his new compilation, entitled 10 Years Of Hits, while American chanteuse Britney Spears is likewise set to release a collection of her singles.

The two singers' latest releases are made all the more impressive by the fact they are both still in their twenties. Ronan was accompanied by his model wife Yvonne at the launch of his new disc in London on Tuesday. The record includes tracks like Words, Father And Son and When You Say Nothing At All.

Hello Magazine

Click here to see more photos from the album launch party,

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Ronan Keating's Playlist - itunes

1. You get what you give (New Radicals) "I love this song because it's so uplifting. When I hear it on the radio it makes me want to open the windows and turn up the volume – it makes it feel like summer.”

2. Everybody hurts (REM) “This is one of the most beautiful ballads of the 90s as it’s such an honest lyric and so true. The video was brilliant too.”

3. One (U2) “The best record of the 90s. It’s an incredible song and in my eyes, U2 do no wrong – I’m sure most people agree. They’re the best rock ‘n’ roll band in the world.”

4. Parisienne walkways (Gary Moore) “This is a beautiful ballad from Phil Lynott and Gary Moore. It’s got that real lazy type of vocal across it. Just turn it up and enjoy.”

5. Crazy love (Ray Charles and Van Morrison) “I’m a big fan of Van and I’ve got all his albums on my iPod. It’s hard to pick one track by him but this is a great big ballad that’s been covered by over 40 different artists. Van is a legend.”

6. Nice to meet you anyway (Gavin DeGraw) “Gavin’s an artist who I discovered when in America this year as he was being played a lot on the radio. He’s signed to J Records and so is from the same camp as Maroon 5. He’s a singer/songwriter who sounds like Stevie Wonder-meets-Elton John.”

7. We might as well be strangers (Keane) “Keane are probably my favourite band of this year. This song is brilliant and I think it should be a single. The singer has a fantastic voice and the melodies are just addictive.”

8. Last thing on my mind (Ronan Keating and LeAnn Rimes) “I was very proud to be involved in writing this song and it’s probably one of the best songs I’ve written. It was a breath of fresh air to work with LeAnn and she’s a true professional.”

9. Fields of gold (Sting) “Sting is someone I’ve looked up to through my whole career and this is by far his finest record. I have it in my car and on    my iPod.”

10. Don’t give up (Peter Gabriel) “This is the greatest duet of all time. If I ever do another duet, this is the one I’ll cover.”

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Send your reviews of 10 Years of Hits to the BBC - Click here

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Virgian Megastores review of 10 Years of Hits - Click here

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Ronan Keating at CIA

Arts 4 Cardiff

This December sees Ronan Keating back on the road with his Greatest Hits Tour ready to play to over 100,000 fans throughout the UK.

To tie in with Ronan's new album 'Ronan Keating - 10 Years Of Hits' Ronan will be taking to the stage to showcase classic tracks such as Life Is A Rollercoaster, When You Say Nothing At All, The Long Goodbye and the new single I Hope You Dance.

Ronan's live shows always prove to be quite an occasion - he is very well practiced at taking to the stage, this being his fourth UK arena tour in as many years, which is a massive achievement.

Ronan is really looking forward to seeing all his fans again and has vowed to make this tour as special as ever and really give them a great performance to thank them for 10 years of support.

Ronan Keating plays at Cardiff International Arena on Wednesday 15 December 2004.

24 hr Ticket Hotline: 0870 735 5000

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I like Music review of I Hope You Dance and 10 Years of Hits - Click here

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Top of the Pops photos from Ronan's performance on October 8th 2004

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New Magazine review of 10 Years of Hits - Click here

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A family affair - Click here

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Hot Stuff: Eddie Rowley’s must-haves for this week - 10 Years of Hits abum review - Click here

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Disclaimer updated - Click here

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New cancer awareness 'Pink Page added, click on 'Pink Page' on our site menu (left) to view it.

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'I owe it all to Yvonne' - Click here

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Sunday Irish Independent - 10th October 2004

Former Westlife co-manager Ronan Keating is equally deserving of plaudits. He sang an impromptu version of Tomorrow Never Comes on a table at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich last Saturday night.

The occasion: his cousin Trevor Collier's stag do. Later one of the party was dragged out by security for throwing beer, and a mass brawl erupted briefly. Like Ronan's long-awaited new LP, Ten Years of Hits, luckily Ronan was a huge hit with the bouncers. (Trevor's wedding to Sally Anne McBride is on February 3 in Howth.)

On Tuesday night Ronan flew his wife Yvonne to Cannes for the launch of Shell Town, a major cartoon series he has invested in, and which is being marketed worldwide by his brother Gary's event management company.

In the pilot, Ronan does the voice of character Splat while Kerry McFadden plays Cracker (wouldn't Courtney Love be a more obvious choice to play a Cracker?), Splat's best friend.

Ronan's best friends George Michael and boyfriend Kenny will be in London at the Cafe de Paris on Tuesday night for the unveiling of Keating's new album. Geri Halliwell, Girls Aloud and Jordan have also RSVPed.

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The man who has had a hit in every year of the last decade, performed the classic 'Baby can I hold you'. Yes Ronan Keating you most certainly can!!

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Lincs FM Competition

Later this month Lincs FM will launch a competition offering the chance to win tickets to see Ronan perform live in Nottingham on 23rd December.

A pair of tickets will be the star prize but exactly what you will have to do to win them is still being finalised.

Watch out for a Listener Club Newsflash giving you advance notice of this fantastic Christmas Present opportunity.

Click here

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NDR2 Unplugged press conference and performance - Hamburg 8th October 2004

Ronan Keating live with ndr2.de!

Translated from German

Ronan Keating live with NDR 2: On the graduation route for his tour and his new album the Irish superstar stopped off on 8 October with the NDR.

It was a large Show: Punctually at 13 o'clock entered the pleasant Irish the stage in the radio house to the Rothenbaumchaussee. A obviously well gelaunter Ronan Keating answered first on the press conference the questions of the medium representatives. First it concerned a hospitalization some time ago to a collapse: "I worked simply too much in the last year - and afterwards we often relaxed in that bar. I was for the first time in the hospital - that was a bad experience. But now I am to 120% again back! I go now in former times to bed and will less drink - is difficult as Irish even if for me."

Other questions turned around its house in Dublin ("soon its own studio is there finished - then I can be more frequently times house man") that he would learn gladly still parachuting and still contact with buddy of "Boyzone" has. In addition it spoke about its commitment against cancer ("one would have before 10 - 20 years had, my nut/mother would still live the today's knowledge over cancer."). You find the complete NDR 2 exclusive interview with Ronan Keating soon here!

Then the high point: For a short change break Ronan Keating, accompanied from three volume members, reached live and unplugged to
the guitar - naturally he played "Life Is A Rollercoaster" and its new single "I Hope You Dance". All pieces become on of its new CD "10 Years OF hit? (starting from 11 October in the trade) its. Pictures of the appearance find you soon here.

And all this on-line Livestream for all Ronan fans here at www.ndr2.de where you can read this exclusive interview again.

Click here to see the photos

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Music Week Magazine 8th October 2004

Ronan Keating: 10 years of excellence

Ronan Keating has made the transition from Boyzone to a successful solo artist and, in the process, won an Ivor Novello award, performed alongside his heroes Pavarotti and Sir Elton and penned a US country number one. Selling more than 33m records over the past 10 years is a feat few achieve, writes Hamish Champ.

For some of the industry's older hands, 10 years in the business may seem like little more than the blink of an eye. After all, it used to take that length of time for some bands merely to claw their way into the public's consciousness.

But for the frontman of a boy band, who exploded onto the scene with hit after hit, and has since gone on to do the same with his solo career, a decade of success is no mean feat. Such is the lot of Ronan Keating.

The combined record sales of the boy from the wrong side of the Liffey River in Dublin - albums and singles, Boyzone and solo material -
amount to 33m worldwide. His solo hit and number one single, Life Is A Rollercoaster, sold more than 400,000 copies in one week in 2000, no small achievement at a time when single sales were heading south at a rate of knots.

Career highlights for Keating over the past 10 years have included Boyzone's Smash Hits' Awards, group and solo appearances on Top Of The Pops - an early dream for the wannabe pop icon - singing alongside Pavarotti at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and performing Your Song with Elton John at Madison Square Gardens in New York. And then there was the Ivor Novello Award for Picture Of You and the BMI gong for The Long Goodbye.

Now a family man with two children, Keating has entered a new phase of his solo career, because despite his previous success during five years as a solo artist, to some observers Keating is only now truly coming into his own as a creative force. He has developed into a successful songwriter as well as a singer, penning The Long Goodbye, a number one country hit in the US for Brooks & Dunn, while his US exposure continues with his duet with LeAnn Rimes, Last Thing On My Mind. He is always on the lookout for new styles and fresh approaches to his work.

Indeed, his international appeal continues unabated. Keating has retained the support of markets that had previously lapped up Boyzone's material, including Germany, Scandinavia, Australasia and the Far East, while his commitment to such overseas markets is illustrated by a heavy international promotion schedule that will be undertaken to lift the forthcoming Polydor-issued 10 Years Of Hits retrospective which features, among other material from his solo career and hits with Boyzone, a re-recording of Father & Son with Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens.

In the beginning

It is all a very long way from the teenage kid from Dublin who, in the early Nineties, auditioned for an Irish version of Take That being put together by then-manager Louis Walsh.

The new group found considerable success in their homeland, and a string of promotional appearances were followed by a sold-out nationwide tour. Once Ireland had been conquered, the group's - and Walsh's - eyes turned to the nearest big market: the UK.

Sam Wright, then head of Polydor UK's TV promo department - and now in charge of SeeSaw PR, which oversees Keating's solo TV appearances - first met Ronan and the other lads from Boyzone when they were just another group to work on. "I met them in Deal's restaurant in Hammersmith Broadway before Love Me For A Reason came out, exactly 10 years ago."

They were quite grown up "for such young boys", says Wright. "Ronan was 17 then. When you're told that you're going to meet five 17- and 18- year-olds who you're going to be working with, you do have a bit of an internal groan, but they were really keen. They were having a hit in Ireland at that time - they'd been to London probably twice then and they were just charming. Ronan was the silent type and, at that point, Boyzone were just a group you were meeting who had a record coming out."

But the blonde one had something different about him. What made him stand out was that he was not so much a "rabbit caught in the headlights" as the others, Wright says. "He would always turn up first and, when the others were really knackered or losing the plot, he would still find it in him to come out with the right thing or stay that extra hour longer," she adds.

Putting in the extra time has always been Keating's approach, observers say. Ask anyone about Ronan and they will commend his work ethic. Indeed, it almost becomes a mantra. For the cynical it might appear a publicity ploy, but the basis of his professionalism appears to be the simple fact that he recognises that treating the media and the public well brings its rewards in time.

Admitting to a degree of bias, Keating's manager, Mark Plunkett, says such an attitude counts for a lot. "He's never been afraid of hard work. We come across a lot of artists when we travel and I don't think anyone has as good a reputation as Ronan. When it comes to every performance, every TV appearance, every interview, he treats people with the respect he wants to get back from them."

Getting the image and the message across is crucial and here too observers note that Keating is up to the mark. "He wants to be successful and he's prepared to put the work in and to make it happen," says Stuart Bell, head of press at The Outside Organisation. "From a PR's point of view, he's a good client because he listens to what you have to say. He's open to ideas and willing to listen and take risks. There are many sides to his personality; he's literate, he's into music, he likes cars, motorbikes, he likes sports. So there are lots of avenues down which we can go with him. Something like former Jack magazine with a driving feature, for example, through to doing something for Marie Claire, which is more his audience. With Ronan there are lots of different angles to work with."

With Boyzone the scope was clearly enormous, says then-A&R man and now Polydor UK joint managing director Colin Barlow. "After that we really just built them into a worldwide phenomena. Ronan's appeal during the Boyzone years was a unique style on the part of their ever-increasing frontman, according to Barlow. "In Ronan they had an iconic pop star who you could build and groom. He had a more organic, earthy voice which gave the thing more appeal. Certainly when he did ballads there was an earnestness to it, there was something about his voice that made it sound believable, less manufactured than some of the other records that were made in the boy band era." The real turning point, says Barlow, was Baby Can I Hold You Tonight. "That was a record that people other than pure pop fans could like. You heard on that where Ronan could go. And it was also the first time they worked with Steve Lipson."

Building on the voice

Steve Mac, long-time Boyzone and Ronan Keating producer, also believes the secret of the singer's success has been the way his voice sounds, both live and on record. "One of the reasons I'll keep going back and working with him is he has something that seems quite rare nowadays, which is character. His is a unique voice. I work with a lot of singers and the majority of them come in and do an impression of Ronan Keating, which says a lot. Some of the biggest voices, Sting, Bryan Adams, whoever, they don't necessarily sing every song in tune but they don't have to; their voices have a unique sound to them and nobody else sounds like it. As soon as Ronan starts singing you know who the vocalist is."

When it came to performing, Keating also sang live from day one. Well, almost. As Mark Plunkett explains, the job of tour managing a boy band was a new experience for him. "I played in a band called The Little Angels, who were signed to Polydor, and we'd do gigs with a load of gear and equipment, play, come off and get the money. I'd been offered the job of tour managing Boyzone and at the first gig I did with them, in a club in Reading, someone put a DAT in my hand and said just press play'. Then they mimed along to a couple of songs and we got paid pounds 10,000. I couldn't believe it.

"But from very early on I turned the mics on and it was very obvious to me that Ronan could sing," Plunkett adds. "I pushed him to sing live from the start, and at a time when there were a lot of boy bands and a lot of negativity surrounding boy bands, rightly or wrongly, people realised from a very early stage that Ronan could indeed sing. Every single TV show he did and every single live show he did, he sang live. That showed that he had something and stood him in good stead when he was doing stuff like Top Of The Pops."

Plunkett continues, "Because he's been singing live for 10 years now, he's a great singer. He and I are still amazed by the number of people who don't sing live. And whatever you think of Ronan's music, he's got a great, great voice."

Going solo: a natural move

All the while Keating was the one who stood out and would be the band member most likely to have a solo career. It didn't happen amid a great fanfare or after a period of intense deliberation about which way it should go.

Boyzone, after all, have never officially split, although Keating has flatly ruled out any chance of his getting involved in any reunion of the band.

"He was asked to go and record When You Say Nothing At All for the Notting Hill film soundtrack," recalls Sam Wright. "It was the first thing he'd properly done on his own. We were at a Royal Variety performance in 1998 or 1999, and Boyzone had done some cheesy Frank Sinatra medley and, when they were in the dressing room, we played them a first mix of When You Say Nothing At All that had just come in." The reaction said it all. "You just knew that things were going to change after that. It was like, he's off on his own. It was a class above what we'd heard before. And it was quite natural, really. He didn't go into two years of a drug stupor and come out a different person. The Ronan from Boyzone went on to become Ronan Keating, because he always had been."

For some it was clear that Keating's early solo material was aimed at a different audience altogether from the following Boyzone had found success with. Smash Hits editor Lisa Smosarski says, "He was going for late-20s women, which was quite a conscious shift and one which I think he had to make really. That shift went hand-in-hand with him getting married, so his personal life was mirrored in a lot of those decisions. He made a very conscious shift from boy to man, which is no bad thing. People who come out of boy bands and still try to be a boy don't tend to cut it. Ronan obviously thought about the music he wanted to do and had a different attitude when he came to do it."

It wasn't a happy time though. During the last years of Boyzone, Keating's mother Marie died of breast cancer, a tragic event which saw the singer not only throw himself even harder into his work, but also set up the Marie Keating Foundation, a cancer charity. Things brightened up when he married his girlfriend Yvonne and soon became a father. All this and he was still only 21. "At the end of Boyzone, Ronan as a human being was in a different place," says Sam Wright. "His growing into a man came quicker than it did for the others."

All of which might lead one to consider that going out on his own at that time would be even more stressful, but Colin Barlow believes Keating bridged the gap between group member and soloist with ease. "If you look at the history of boy bands and members who go on to become solo artists, it's never an easy transition to make, but I always believed Ronan had a strong identity of his own anyway. And as long as we ended up putting him with people who brought that identity out, I thought we'd be fine."

Barlow adds, "Baby Can I Hold You Tonight also proved that he could carry a record on his own. He's been comfortable doing the group thing and the solo career. Look back to Father & Son; his vocals make that record. The signature of Ronan was that he'd worked in a band, set up and dueted with Stephen and so on, but the vital thing was always his interpretation of songs."

He also knows his way around a recording studio, says Steve Mac. "I don't get in the way of what he does. He's been doing it for 10 years now and he knows his voice better than anyone else. You let him get in there and do it and if something doesn't feel quite right you move it a bit, but not much. He's very quick in the studio, which is another sign, for me, of a great artist. He does it in three, four, five takes. If he hasn't captured it in those takes, then the song's not right for him."

While he can cut it in a recording studio, where technology can mask many sins, there is no hiding place on a stage in front of thousands of people. Here too, Keating just gets on with the job. "I saw him in Boyzone when he was looking at going solo and his agent had just died, sadly, of cancer at that time," says Solo managing director John Gidding, Keating's live agent. "I met him and he reminded me of Paul Young in the Eighties. He had the will to work. He was really up for it, plus he was ambitious and polite. He always said please' and thank you'. He was very kind and came across as a good bloke, just like Paul."

Such politeness and attitude are highly valued in the live business. Gidding says, "When you're an agent for somebody, it doesn't matter how hard you work, if the artist doesn't want to do it you are completely and utterly wasting your time. So it was obvious that Ronan wanted to be a successful individual who was prepared to do the hard work that goes with it."

Keating is prepared to put everything into a live performance as well. "He gets a buzz from live work," adds Gidding. "On stage, in Belfast on the last date of his most recent UK tour, he lost his voice. Mark Plunkett was in his in-ear monitors urging him on, and the audience was willing him on. And he finished the gig. Where he got the voice to carry on I don't know, but it was one of the most amazing feats of strength I've ever seen. He didn't have to do it. And he delivered. He was dead afterwards of course, but he'd done it. I was so impressed, it was frightening."

Yet, however successful Keating is, there have been moments when he has had to almost pinch himself, such is the distance he has come over the years. "We did Parkinson with Elton John," says Sam Wright, "and we went into the rehearsal studio and I could see Ronan shifting about and even I was thinking ****, this has come a long way from the Smash Hits Awards'. Elton was clinking on the piano doing the opening of every classic he'd ever done and we were all pinching ourselves, but trying to look nonchalant about it. And afterwards I went that was a bit odd wasn't it?' and Ronan said I can't ****ing believe what has just happened; that was like a dream'. There will have been moments when he'll have stood outside himself and looked in and thought how does some boy from the ****-end of Dublin get here?'. It's nice that he's still noticing that sort of thing. When you're not noticing what's fabulous about it anymore you might as well pack it in."

He's unlikely to do that any time soon.

The future's bright...

So, singing live with his heroes, making records, writing hits for US country superstars. What does the future hold for Keating? Everyone is agreed that he can have a career for as long as he wants to carry on doing what he is doing. But behind this is the general feeling that the guy should take a break and kick his heels for a year or so.

Manager Mark Plunkett thinks he deserves some time off. "He's been working flat out for the past 10 years. He needs to have a bit of a breather and decide what kind of album he wants to make next. His first three solo albums have been of a style that show that he's great at those country crossover ballads, yet at the same time he can have a hit with Rollercoaster, which was a massive up-tempo party song. He just needs to decide where he wants to go next. We've no definite plans for next year other than to record the next album."

Colin Barlow agrees, "Maybe there needs to be a gap after the Best Of to allow him to do that, go off to craft the next stage of his career. We've always sat down with him over the years and it's really important for his longevity that he finds a different side to him and maybe challenges people a little bit. We'll take our time on the next record. There's no rush. These 10 years that we've had have been a magnificent and exciting period of his life and the next album is a really critical one."

Steve Mac thinks he can carry on regardless. "He doesn't need to change what he's doing, as long as the songs are good. I'd like to see him do more up-tempo stuff. He hit the nail on the head when he did Life Is A Rollercoaster and Loving Each Day and there's a place for that in the market. A good ballad will always win through for a certain audience and if it's sung in a heartfelt way, as I know Ronan can sing it, he can go on for as long as he wants to."

Ronan Timeline

1994

Boyzone's first single, Love Me For A Reason, goes to number one in Ireland and number two in the UK.

1995

Boyzone's first album, Said & Done, debuts at number one in the UK. Boyzone win Best Newcomer at the Smash Hits' Awards.

1996

Boyzone achieve their first number one UK single with Words.

1997

Ronan Keating presents both the Eurovision Song Contest and the MTV Europe Awards, which is held in Rotterdam. The singer wins Irish Entertainer Of The Year and an Ivor Novello songwriting award for Picture Of You, which featured in the Mr Bean movie.

1998

Keating's mother, Marie, dies of breast cancer. Together with other members of his family the singer established the Marie Keating Foundation in her memory.

Keating marries girlfriend Yvonne.

1999

Keating's first child, Jack, is born.

He helps launch boy band and fellow Irish compatriots Westlife. Boyzone release a greatest hits album, By Request. It becomes the group's fourth number one album in the UK and the country's biggest selling title of the year. Keating releases his first solo single, When You Say Nothing At All from the hit film Notting Hill. It reaches number one.

2000

Keating's second child, daughter Marie, is born. His first solo album, titled Ronan, is released and reaches number one in the UK, as does his first single, Life Is A Rollercoaster, which sells more than 500,000 copies. His first solo tour of the UK sells out in two days. Keating is invited to perform Your Song with Elton John at Madison Square Gardens.

2001

Keating has another single hit, Lovin' Each Day and his autobiography, Life Is A Rollercoaster, is published.

2002

Keating's second solo album, Destination, is released and debuts at one in Germany. A 30-country world tour follows. US country duo Brooks & Dunn, have a number one country hit in the US with Keating's song,, The Long Goodbye.

2003

Keating's third solo album, Turn It On, is released and he wins a BMI award for US airplay of The Long Goodbye. Keating walks the length of Ireland and raises more than €150,000 for the Marie Keating Foundation. Later, he performs for the Pope at the Vatican.

2004

Duets with LeAnn Rimes on US hit Last Thing On My Mind. Asda and Breast Cancer Care select Keating's single I Hope You Dance, which was released on September 27, as this year's Tickled Pink charity campaign single. Keating's Polydor-issued 10 Years Of Hits is released on October 11.

UNIVERSAL APPEAL: MAKING AN IMPACT OVERSEAS

There is always a question mark hanging over the frontman of a group who has had international success; will he be able to replicate such achievements when he strikes out on his own as a solo artist?

In Ronan Keating's case, Boyzone had made a considerable impression on several overseas markets, notably Asia, says Polydor director of international marketing Greg Sambrook. "Boyzone's third album, Where We Belong, was the big breakthrough album and did around 5m worldwide, which, when you bear in mind we didn't have America on board, is a pretty big figure. The greatest hits album, By Request, was equally huge. The combination of the Best Of set, Ronan's first solo single and its involvement in the Notting Hill movie, created that acceptance for him as a solo artist. He was kind of on a roll really, from Boyzone to Ronan the solo singer. Boyzone had such a good spread across Europe, especially Germany. Australia also got it very quickly and Asia had always had a history with the group. It wasn't as though we were going out and presenting a new artist."

The key territories for Ronan the solo artist remain much the same as they did during the Boyzone days. Germany is still one of the most important, says Keating's manager Mark Plunkett. "We do a lot of promotion all around the Continent. Asia was always very strong for Boyzone and, fortunately, that's carried on for Ronan too, despite it struggling a bit as a market at the moment. And he does well in Australia and New Zealand, where we'll be in the New Year."

Sambrook agrees that Keating is walking a familiar international path: "Ronan's second album debuted at number one in Germany, which is pretty significant. Australia is a good market, as is Holland and Scandinavia. Spain's been a tough market for us. France took to the second solo album and went gold, that's taken a while, but we got there eventually. South Africa is very good. Asia traditionally has been very good across the board."

However two markets have yet to come to the party: the US and Japan. Such resistance is familiar territory to Sambrook; Boyzone tried the US market three times and failed to crack it.

"It's hard to say why the US hasn't worked out," he says. "We've certainly had a go there. Firstly, Ronan's incredibly busy and it's quite hard to find those two or three months there, which is what you need to do. And secondly, maybe there just wasn't the niche there for the kind of artist that Ronan is. But given that his biggest hits tends to be in the country vein, it's always been a bit of a puzzler. Anyway, it's been compensated for by him having a full diary, being busy and selling records in lots of other places. But we did make an effort and we didn't really get any traction at radio. And, obviously in a market like that, if you're not getting the foothold at radio, it doesn't help."

While acknowledging that progress in the US has been slow, Mark Plunkett is encouraged by the success off the LeAnn Rimes duet, Last Thing On My Mind. "It's doing well over there and we've plans to work with Curb Rimes' label . The funny thing is, when you go there, he's got a lot of respect as a country writer because of the success he had with The Long Goodbye and things like I Hope You Dance over here, which is a country song. It will be interesting to see how he's perceived over there. He's just a good-looking 27-year-old with a great voice who's sung some great songs."

Sambrook agrees that the Rimes duet could hold the key to Keating's long term US success. "I don't think he's written off the US. We'll keep an eye on what happens with the duet and, if we're in with a shot, then Ronan will go and do the work. That was the case a while back with France; I know it's closer than America but, as soon as we started to have a hit there with Tomorrow Never Comes, Ronan was in there half a dozen times promoting the record."

Again, Keating's attitude plays a vital role in how his output is worked overseas. "He's not complacent at all," says Sambrook. "He doesn't take anything for granted, he's professional and he does everything with a smile on his face. Labels appreciate that around the world. Both he and the international community have worked very hard to get him to where he is today. He's just very good at doing promotion. He understands how integral to selling records being out there and doing the promo is. The people in our international affiliates know that they can go ahead and set these promotional things up in the knowledge he'll go in and deliver."

Click here to read Music Week's exclusive interview with Ronan

Thanks to ronanno.1!

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Belfast Telegraph - October 8th 2004

Ronan Keating's walking tall again

Ronan Keating is to undertake another marathon walk around Ireland to raise money for charity. The popstar intends to kick off the gruelling challenge at the Giant's Causeway next summer and make his way down the west coast of the country.

A similar venture last year raised £160,000 for the Marie Keating Foundation set up in memory of his mother who died from breast cancer.

Ronan revealed his plan to me at the launch of close friend Terry Bradley's latest art exhibition at the Market Bar in Dublin this week.

And he said he was delighted that the Belfast Telegraph was getting behind the Caron Keating Foundation (no relation) to raise money for cancer charities.

"I didn't see the Tonight programme with Gloria but I believe it was heartbreaking," he said. "I think it's great she has set up a charity in her daughter's name and I would encourage people up north to support it. At the end of the day we are all trying to raise money for a worthwhile cause".

Ronan, whose current single "I Hope You Dance" is No 2 in the charts, is a huge fan of the Belfast artist and owns several of his paintings, along with Maeve Binchey, Bono and The Corrs.

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Watch an interview with Ronan on the Anke Late Night Show on October 7tth - Click here then click on Ronan's face.

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Swiss newspaper interview - click here

Thanks to Carla!

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Leann will return the favour - Ronan - Click here

Showbiz Ireland

Not one to shy away from lending support to his friends Ronan Keating was out in force last night at the launch of Terry Bradley's Day & Night exhibition at the Market Bar...

Thanks to Claire J for gorgeous photos of Ronan at the Northampton Balloon Festival - Click here

Also, congratulations to Claire (CLE) who gave birth to little Broadie Samuel a week after the photos were taken!

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Eternally Ronan has now been online for one year, supporting and promoting Ronan. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us and contributed articles, news and photos to our site. here's to many more years of Eternally Ronan - supporting Ronan Keating eternally!

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'I've never found it hard being a dad' - Click here

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Schedules page updated - Click here

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10 Years of Hits album review - Click here

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'I hope you dance' has climbed from no.30 to no.2 in the Smash Hits chart! - Click here

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October 8th 2004 - Irish Tour confirmed this morning by Ronan on Today fm!

Ronan was in the Today fm studios to chat to DJ Ray D'Arcy, when he said an announcement will be made soon and the dates will be in late November, early December - Click here

Ray D'Arcy and Ronan Keating

Thanks to Julie!

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I Hope You Dance is No. 2 in the official UK singles chart - Congratulations Ronan!

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Ronan will be on Hit40 UK for a chat on November 17th, he will also be singing a song voted for by YOU so head over to our Support Ronan page and click on the Hit40 UK link then vote for the song you would most like Ronan to perform - Click here

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Q & A with Ronan Keating - Click here

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Ronan has this week's highest new entry in the Irish single chart at No4 with 'I Hope You Dance!  For a full listing of this weeks chart click here

Thanks to Julie!

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Ronan: 'I worry all the time' - Click here

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We began to get rather spooked by the mouth-based pre occupation of the CDUK guests when Ronan Keating strolled in and started talking about toothpicks!. "I can put one into a napkin and break it, and when I open the napkin it isn't broken - that's my party piece!", he exclaimed proudly.  We at CDUK.com were rather more concerned with what Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran) would do when he found out Ro had been going around snapping his toothpicks.  We think it's probably a good job that Ronan has a track-record (track - geddit? - ed) in athletics. "I was in the Irish team". I was the fastest man over 200m when I was 13!", Ro told us. We crossed our fingers and hoped he's aged well. In case he needed to make a quick getaway from Simon Le Bon, taking his contraband stash of dental products with him.

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