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Johnny Logan Feature (1976-present)

Sean Sherrard was born in 1954 in a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, the son of singer Charlie Sherrard. When Charlie changed his stage name to Patrick O'Hagan, Sean became Sean O'Hagan and returned to Ireland in the late 1950s at the age of three. Brother of Mick O'Hagan, Sean started his career as an an apprentice electrician. 

The first mention we found of Sean's career was in the Western People when, in July 1976, Sean won the Harp Lager Singing Pubs Trophy at the Crossmolina Nephin Festival Singing Pubs competition.

A few months later we found more news about the soon-to-be Eurovision superstar, in a copy of Starlight magazine dated September 30, 1976. The article announced Sean would be starring as Adam opposite Annie Kavanagh as Eve in Alan Dee's new musical "Adam and Eve." The article mentioned that Sean had previously been singing with his brother Mick in the Rob Strong band, something we did not know. Coincidentally, in October, 1976, future Sheeba star, Marian Fossett joined the case as the new Eve.  

He earned high praise around the country for his role and after starring in the production of "Adam and Eve" alongside another future Eurovision contestant and International star, Colm Wilkinson (who played the Devil), Sean stepped into the role of Joseph, following in the footsteps of of Tony Kenny, who also did the role in the early 70's.

In December he starred in Noel Pearson's "Cinderella's Christmas Dream" alongside Alma Carroll, Eileen Reid, and his brother Mick O'Hagan.  

In February, 1977, Sean and his brother Mick, formed the O'Hagan Brothers Band and played their first gig in the National Ballroom in Dublin on Friday, February 11th, 1977. The band also included musicians Joe Monk (keyboards), Sam Nevin (guitar), Carl Geraghty (sax), Frank Daly (bass) and Danny O'Keefe (drums). By May, advertisements were promoting the band as Sean O'Hagan and Rainbow, but we're not 100% sure this was the same band. They were playing mostly cabaret gigs around Dublin. Around this time, he was being managed by Jim Hand. 

By August of 1977, it appears Sean was no longer in a band as he was regularly appearing as a guest at many of the major Dublin cabaret spots. In February 1978 we were first introduced to Johnny Logan, Sean's new stage name. In an article in the Sunday Independent he explained that he had changed his name because he had "been advised that Johnny Logan would catch on quicker on the continent."  In the same article (see below) it was reported that Johnny had started singing age 13 with a Drogheda based showband, The Dawn.

For a time in early 1978, Johnny suffered a little from some confusion about his career as reports listed him as Johnny Logan and sometimes Sean O'Hagan and he was still doing Dublin cabaret as well as trying to make it on the English scene as a pop singer. By May, he had settled back into the cabaret scene in Dublin now under his new stage name. His major push (under the watchful eye of Jim Hand started with his first record, No, I Don't Want to Fall In Love produced by hit maker Robert Danova, who had also been working with Joe Dolan.

In late 1978 Johnny entered the Cavan Song Contest with his song, Funny How You Knew, but failed to win. In December 1978, it was announced Johnny would be singing his song Angie in the National Contest of 1979. He would finish a respectable third behind Cathal Dunne's song Happy Man.

In mid-1979, he would, like many stage and cabaret singers of the day, try his hand in the ballrooms, and with his new name and his first single under his belt, he hit the road with his own Johnny Logan Band. He was now being managed by Louis Walsh. He continued to plug away at the ballroom circuit and started to create a bit of a stir, although he never reached the top tier of the showband elite. He was awarded "Best New Singer" by readers of the Connaught Telegraph newspaper in 1980, but his ballroom days were already numbered.

Johnny's life changed forever when he was selected to sing Shay Healy's What's Another Year as Ireland's entry in the 1980 Eurovision song contest. The win, Ireland's first since Dana in 1970, set him on a course for International stardom. Johnny would also set a few records along the way. Following his Euro win, he toured Europe and the World, making it especially big in Germany.

He would return to Eurovision again in 1984 as the writer of Ireland's entry Terminal 3 sung by Linda Martin of Chips. Finishing second, Johnny now was established as a songwriter as well as performer. In 1985 his entry, "Hearts," performed by his brother Michael, did not fair as well, but he remained committed. His 1986 entry, "If I can change your mind" (again performed by Linda) placed a respectable fourth.

In 1987 though, Johnny would become the first performer in history to win Eurovision twice, this time with his own composition, Hold me Now. The song was a number two hit in the U.K. and further enhanced Johnny's career on the International circuit. Following his win in 1987, Johnny was busy touring and it wasn't until 1991 that he ventured into Eurovision again, this time with brother, Michael performing "When do I get over you?" The song finished sixth, but Johnny was back the following year and recorded his third win with Linda Martin performing his self penned song, Why Me?

Following his third Eurovision success, Johnny focused on his recording and television career and during the nineties he recorded numerous hit songs in Europe and made dozens of television appearances. Although he spends most of his time in Germany these days, he remains one of Ireland's most successful performers on the International stage, something no one could have imagined as he held the trophy for Best New Singer in the Royal Ballroom in 1980 (photo below)!         

Click on thumbnails for full images

Johnny Logan Johnny Logan-1976 Johnny Logan-1976 Johnny Logan-1978 1st Record-1978
Johnny Logan-1978 Johnny Logan-1978 Johnny Logan-1980 Eurovision 1980 Johnny Logan
Johnny Logan-1980 (KS) Johnny Logan-1980 Johnny Logan-1986 Johnny Logan-1980 Johnny Logan-1987
Johnny Logan-1989 Johnny Logan-1982 Johnny Logan-1980 Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF)
Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF)
Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan (RF) Johnny Logan - 2017 Johnny Logan - 1977
       
Johnny Logan-1980 (KS) Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon Coming Soon
Record Sleeves
1980 1980 1980 1980 1980
1980 1980 1980 1982 1982
1984 1984 1985 1985 1985
1985 1986 1986 1987 1987
1988 1988 1989 1989 1990
   
1990 1994 1994 Coming Soon Coming Soon

Discography:

Singles:

No I Don't Want To Fall In Love
Release Records - RL.917 - 1978
In London / Sad Little Woman
Release Records - January, 1980
What's Another Year / One Night Stand
- #1 Irish Charts
Release Records - RL.1005 - Eurovision Winner - April, 1980
Save Me / Love Is A Small Town
Release Records - RL.1022 - July, 1980
Give A Little Bit More
- #25 Irish Charts
Epic Records - October, 1980
Oriental Eyes / Flame
- #18 Irish Charts
Epic Records - EPC A 2553 - July, 1982
Becoming Electric / Emotional Blackmail
- #22 Irish Charts
Epic Records - October, 1982
Standing In There / Hollywood
Epic Records - EPC A 3416 - 1983
Heaven / Hollywood
- #20 Irish Charts
Epic Records - EPC A 4338 - March, 1984
Ginnie Come Lately / Everytime I Dream
Epic Records - EPC A 6159 - 1985
Stab In The Back/Sara Smile
A.1 Records - LOG 1 - 1986
Hold Me Now / Living A Lie
- #1 Irish Charts
Epic Records - LOG 1 - April, 1987
I'm Not In Love/Such A Lady
- #8 Irish Charts
Epic Records - LOG 2 - July, 1987
Heartland / Stay
- #21 Irish Charts
Epic Records - EPC 65144817 - April, 1988
All I Ever Wanted / Me and My Jealous Heart
Epic Records - EPC 6549777 - 1989
Lay Down Your Heart
- #20 Irish Charts
K-Tel Records - 1990

Albums:

In London
Release-1979
What's Another Year
Release-1980
Love Songs
K-Tel - 1990

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

For complete info on Johnny, visit his website: http://www.johnnylogan.net/

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In Loving Memory of Grant Gallagher: Sept. 21, 1990 - Nov. 18, 2006