Biography

From Belfast, N. Ireland, Stephen Maguire now splits his time between the emerald isle and the Canadian prairies. Involved in music from a young age, Stephen grew up listening to his parents’ record collection. His father Patrick Maguire, who played in show bands and rock & roll bands in the 60s (including with Van Morrison!) would play cassettes of The Mamas & the Papas, The Beach Boys and Irish traditional music.

Stephen performed his first solo concert in 1998 with the Northern Irish band Cahuna at Belfast’s famous Ulster Hall. In 2001, he auditioned for The Talent, a search for performers throughout Northern Ireland. This led to Stephen signing with the successful boyband Unity. The band made numerous radio, television and event appearances. Among the band’s highlights: supporting chart-topping band Westlife on their “Unbreakable” tour. Throughout Unity’s time together, they performed for over a quarter of a million people.

Since leaving the band, Stephen has been in much demand as a solo artist, relishing the opportunity to write, play and produce his own material. Audiences enjoy getting a taste of Stephen's home Ireland and the many artists he's toured with, from Van Morrison to Charley Pride to Bonnie Tyler. He has been seen performing at corporate, charity, university and sporting events in both N. Ireland and Canada. Stephen has also worked as a songwriting tutor for The Fanta Academy of Performing Arts in Belfast. He has recorded with Terry Sharp (The Adventurers), Nicky Scott (Van Morrison's former musical director and bass player) and Mark Dougherty (former musical director of Riverdance).

A memorable sporting gig was appearing in the pre-game entertainment at Belfast Giants games, which resulted in Stephen meeting his now-wife, a Saskatchewan-native, who was interning with the professional hockey team.

In 2008 Stephen released an acoustic album in Canada followed by a three-month tour of the prairies. Playing at festivals and venues throughout the summer and fall, Stephen's song "I'm Yours Tonight" was selected by SaskMusic for the iSong Card distributed at the Canadian Country Music Awards. 2008 also took Stephen to EuroDisney in Paris, where he received major interest from UK and Canadian agents and casting directors. Stephen’s most recent highlight was being invited to perform at Legends Corner in downtown Nashville and having his own show in Music City, at Belmont University’s Curb Café.

Stephen released his new single True in February 2009 followed by a tour of the prairies. He was delighted to have been asked to support five-time Grammy award winner B.J. Thomas on his Saskatchewan dates, both as a solo act and with The Stephen Maguire Project. He has now been invited to perform at the 2010 Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, opening for Grammy award winner Nanci Griffith.

Stephen is getting ready to release his highly anticipated album 'Irish Soul' recorded at the Gemini-nominated Cosmic Pad Studios in Saskatoon and produced by Ross Nykiforuk. And watch for Stephen in the summer of 2010, as he will be appearing in the feature film, shot in the Broadway district of Saskatoon!