Tragic O'Hara

Tragic O’Hara is a myth, or so he would lead you to believe. After years or performing in seedy underground basement venues around Scotland, the singer-songwriter made a name for himself, not his own, with the lucky few who bore witness to his impassioned performances by the towering presence always flocking back. The comparisons with the greats came, with the likes of Tom Waits and Mark Lanegan mentioned most frequently, but O’Hara’s material had its own unique quality.

With two albums released in the form of ‘Above the Below’ and ‘Keep On Keeping On’, O’Hara disappeared. Some say he sold his soul to the ghost of Robert Johnson, some say he sold his guitars, settled down and started a family, but the myth lived on. A brief reappearance in 2018 saw the release of new material in the form ‘Honour Amongst Thieves’ and a one-off blistering live performance, before radio silence resumed.

O’Hara’s works can now be witnessed physically, with his passion for art spreading around Scotland and further afield. He has been sighted assisting these communities passing down his expertise in the art of graffiti in these areas through creative workshops, particularly with young people and his art has also been commissioned by various different organisations.

In 2020, without warning, O’Hara’s back catalogue appeared on streaming sites for the first time. Further proof of an enigmatic artist in the truest form of the word, unwilling to compromise on anything but his own terms.