Biography

Reviews/Quotes/Onwards and Upwards/Niall Toner/Pinecastle Records


WILLIAM SMITH MONROE is the finest Monroe tribute song I've ever heard. Niall Toner and his superb Onwards and Upwards prove beyond a doubt that European Singer-Songwriters can produce authentic, honest, creditable Country Music with great integrity.

Alan Cackett/Maverick Magazine.

This is a charming and impressive Roots Album from one of our major Songwriting and Performing talents, full of fine songs and great, great Music. Four and a half stars out of five !

Greg McAteer/Hot Press Magazine.

Niall Toner is the real deal, producing a fine original Album that showcases his full range. His duet with Wendy Buckner on 'TOMORROW' compares well with Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and he delivers a terrific, classic original Country song on his MILLION DOLLAR BILL. An Album full of gems.

Art Menius/Bluegrass Unlimited

Niall Toner has been awarded the European Bluegrass Music Personality Of The Year, 2012, for his achievements in the Music Business, and his success with Onwards and Upwards in the US and around the World.

Martino Coppo/European Bluegrass Music Association.


SWEET BUNCLODY GIRL is a song rich in Irish Folk Heritage, and has ‘crowd-pleaser’ written all over it. The best track for me on this fine Album is REMEMBER ME, a well-written, delightful, and thought-provoking song.
Four Stars out of Five. Chris Smith/Country Music People

I admire the way Niall’s deep affinity for American Country Music blends seamlessly with his Irish sensibilities. It makes him a uniquely appealing artist. Onwards and Upwards is a brilliant Album.

Peter Wernick/Doctor Banjo.


Onwards and Upwards is the brand new Album from Niall Toner, and was officially released by Pinecastle Records in the USA on October 30, 2012, at an eventin Nsshville during IBMA. The European release was in February 2013.

Niall recorded eleven new songs and tunes at Loud Studios in Nashville with Keith Sewell in the Producer's chair.Keith has worked with Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, The Dixie Chicks and Lyle Lovett,and he recruited a stellar line up of musicians including Rob Ickes on Dobro, Viktor Krauss on Bass, Ashby Frank on Mandoln while Keith played Guitar, Fiddle, Mandolin and Piano. Niall played Mandolin, and sang all the Vocals. Jake Burns engineered the session, and Fiaz Farrelly and Laura Hale took the photos and designed the images and the logo for the Album.

There's Bluegrass,Americana, Roots, a Modern Murder Ballad,a new traditional-style Instrumental, a little Jazz, and an Irish Song of Emigration, as well as tributes to the great Earl Scruggs and the father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe.



Niall Toner hails originally from Harold's Cross in Dublin, Ireland’s Capital City, and re-located to Myshall, County Carlow, in 2001, where he got together with Clem O’Brien and Dick Gladney, and formed the NTB.[ NIALL TONER BAND] Niall is widely regarded as one of Ireland's leading experts on Bluegrass and American Country Music. He brings his knowledge of music to a wide audience through his performances with his Band, and on his Radio Show, Roots Freeway, on RTE Radio One, which features a wide range of music, from Bluegrass and Old Timey to Blues and Cajun, with contemporary singer-songwriters,Traditional Irish music, and live studio guests.

Niall has also been nominated for several PPI Radio Awards. www.rootsfreeway.ie www.rte.ie/radio

Niall has written extensively on the subject, and his articles have been published in Hot Press, Irish Music Magazine, In Dublin Magazine, Country Music Plus, Bluegrass Unlimited and Maverick Magazine.

Niall was a founder member of The Lee Valley String Band in Cork, The Sackville String Band in Dublin, and Hank Halfhead and The Rambling Turkeys.

He sings, plays Guitar and Mandolin, and has been writing songs since he was a youngster.Niall’s compositions have been recorded by Bill Wyman,of the Rolling Stones, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Albert Lee, Special Consensus, Barry and Holly Tashian, Paddy Cole, Eoin O'Riabaig, Ray Dolan, The Fleadh Cowboys, Keith Sewell, Red Wine, and many others. Niall has also enjoyed huge success with the inclusion of his composition, Nuns Island Reel, in the biggest-selling video game in history, Grand Theft Auto IV. One of his songs, Lonely Souls and Broken Hearts, was recently chose by T-Bone Burnette to be included on the soundtrack of the ABC TV Drama, Nashville. Niall was also recently chose as BLUEGRASS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR, by the EBMA, a sister organization of the IBMA. Niall has achieved major success through the release of his CDs on Air Play Direct, and holds the distinction of being at the Number One Spot in the Bluegrass/Folk all time Chart, and the Number Six slot in the Top Fifty APD all genres chart.

In 2003, Niall's contribution to Country Music was honored by the CMA in Nashville, in the form of a nomination for a Global Artist Award, and his three previous all-original CDs with NTB, There's A Better Way, Mood Swing, and NTB3 have been widely acclaimed for their originality and the quality of their songs and instrumentals.

Although Niall has recorded his new Album, Onwards and Upwards, with Musicians in Nashville, he continues to work and tour in Europe with Clem O'Brien and Dick Gladney as the Niall Toner Band.

This is a contemporary string band sound made by guys who love and respect the great traditions of Bluegrass, Traditional Country and Americana roots music.

All Niall's Music is available for Radio Download from APD, and is also available from iTunes,amazon.com Pinecastle Records and the NTB website

www.nialltonerband.com