THE KING MCHUGHS

Frank McHugh was born the youngest of eight siblings into a house full of music. His mother an adept close harmony singer and his father a skilled first bass and renowned fiddler, enjoyed the company of many musicians on a weekly basis in session at the family home. Scottish and Irish traditional music were the mainstay of these gatherings, which were attended at different times by a huge number of players from all over the UK, Ireland and further afield.

​

Whilst nearly all the siblings became adept on at least one instrument during these early years, Frank was much more interested in pop and rock music and from a very early age wished nothing more than to possess an electric guitar.

​

By the time he left school he was already playing in pubs and clubs and writing songs which could be slipped into the set lists from time to time.

​

Over the years, the original material became more important than making money, and he has now fronted a number of bands with varying degrees of success, which performed exclusively original material.

​

His early exposure to traditional music made more of an impression on young Frank than he had realised and over the years he has spent more and more time involving himself on the session circuit and is occasionally sought out as an accompanist by a number of performers.

​

Frank`s style of accompaniment (driven as it is by his self-taught pop and jazz sensibility), is regarded as unique by some and near sacrilegious by others. He also knows his way around a keyboard, a drum kit and just about anything with strings as long as it does not require the use of a bow and has spent time singing in various choirs, ceilidh bands and providing music for traditional dancers, both for exhibitions and competitions.

​

In 2017 he reconnected to his old school friend Gary King and together they formed The King McHughs, focussing initially on writing original material as well as developing a new style and a body of work covering a wide range of traditional songs.  This would lead to the release of their first Album (Interpretations of a lost Dream) in 2021.

​

 

Instruments:
Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Piano