If someone had told me that Offaly resident John Hogan is well known and popular on Walsh Island, that would be totally understandable, but it borders on disbelief when you find out that John is top of the league over on St Lucia.
Last December, John paid a nostalgic visit back to the lovely island close to Barbados and Martinique.
The memories came flooding back from 2001 when he made his first visit to Saint Lucia in the aftermath of a most-unlikely success.
“I went to Nashville in the late 1990s and recorded an album with some of the top session musicians.
"One of the songs was Stepping Stone, one of my own songs. Somehow it found its way to a station on the island of St Lucia.
“Within weeks it took off and spent over a year on the local charts.
"The strange thing about the song is that it never got traction at all here in Ireland. I can hardly ever recall hearing it on the radio in those times,” reflects John.
Massive in the Caribbean
John remembers the day he got a call from a gentleman asking him to come out to St Lucia.
“He said ‘your song is massive out here in the Caribbean. It is bigger than Bob Marley’s songs. The island of St Lucia has adopted it. Every child is singing it.’ I was taken aback by it all.
“The end result was that plans were put in place for me to travel to New York to meet representatives from St Lucia.
"We were treated royally from the moment we met them. They had a flight lined up for us and the next day we flew down to St Lucia.
“I’ll never forget the sight as we were coming into the small airport in the south part of the island. The perimeter fence was lined with people. I thought there must be some dignitary or famous person on the plane that they were waiting to welcome.
“When I got off the plane, there were cameras everywhere and suddenly it began to dawn that they were here to welcome me.
"Divine Lord, it was incredible. The people were screaming and cheering and it was the most fascinating experience I have ever had in my life.
“We were whisked away and later met the prime minister. There were around 400 children doing a dance to Stepping Stone.
"It was something to behold and such a spiritual moment for me. There was a beautiful simplicity to them that touched my soul. They may not have had much in material terms, but they had everything in the ways that matter.”
Freedom of St Lucia
Thousands attended his shows and he was cheered on everywhere he went on that trip. Back in 2010 John made a return visit to the island, where he was awarded the Freedom of St Lucia at a ceremony in Castries, the capital town on the island. St Lucia has a population of around 160,000 people.
Island native, Janika Randolph, says John’s song, Stepping Stone, is now part of the musical history of the island.
“Every St Lucian and other Caribbean people know this song. Our mothers would wake us up on Sunday morning with this song and many more country songs. I have come to love this song now.”
John Hogan.
On his recent visit in December, John relived many of those warm memories from his previous trips to St Lucia.
“I did another open-air concert and it was amazing to see and hear them singing along to my songs again.
"The television and radio crews were out in style and I feel so much at ease when I am among the people of this island. Their warmth and hospitality is amazing and is reflected in their smiling faces and happy hearts,” says John.
These days John is content with himself and where he is at on life’s journey. He is not sorry to leave behind the days of packing the wagon and the long drives, not knowing what to expect at the end of the journey.
“There comes a time in life when you really do have to access your priorities. You have to make the necessary choices that suit you.
“These times I choose the shows and gigs I feel comfortable doing, and many of them are guest spots on concert shows.
“When you shed the pressure, you are far more relaxed and get a whole new enjoyment from performing and giving your best. You tend to rediscover the joys of connecting with the songs all over again.
“I am working on a new album of self-penned songs, which I hope to release by the end of the year. I am exploring new ideas and perhaps a new direction with this album.”