Steve Wickham is an Irish musician best known for his work as a violinist. Although he may not be a household name in mainstream music, his talent has been sought after by many prominent bands and artists, ensuring a considerable input into contemporary music.

Wickham was born in 1960 in Dublin, Ireland. He began playing the violin at a young age, and the classical training he received would lay the groundwork for his later accomplishments. His unique use of the violin to create distinct rock soundscapes has been seen as groundbreaking, earning him the nickname “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin.”

Although he had recorded and toured with Irish rockers, U2, having played Sunday Bloody Sunday on the War album in 1982/83 . Wickham’s music really took off in 1984 when he joined The Waterboys bringing his Celtic influence to the rock band. His exemplary violin skills breathed a fresh life into the ensemble’s music and helped shape their unique sound.

Wickham’s contribution to the band’s seminal 1985 album, “This is the Sea,” the album being particularly noted for his soaring violin on the track The Pan Within. His influence on the Waterboys ever evolving sound was more apparent on the subsequent Fisherman’s Blues and Room to Roam albums.

He has toured with various other bands, including Sinead O Connor and ‘In Tua Nua’ displaying versatility across different musical genres and regularly performs throughout Europe with Sligo based group, The NoCrows. Aside from his work in bands, Wickham has also enjoyed a solo career. His debut album, “Geronimo,” was released in 2004, showcasing his multitude of musical abilities. It was a critical success that firmly established him as a capable solo artist.

Apart from his vibrant career, Wickham is deeply committed to his family. He is happily married and the father of three children. As of 2023, Steve Wickham continues to inspire with his music, acting as a
key figure in Irish rock and influencing budding artists around the world with his unique amalgamation of rock and classical violin. Ray Coen hails from Drumiskabole, Ballisadare, County Sligo.

The first thing he remembers is singing and dancing in the family kitchen. He got his first guitar at age 11, but didn’t tune it until he was 13. Into his teens, he turned to electric guitar, playing Rock’n’Roll and Heavy Metal with his first bands Bad Taste and China Red. Eventually the Sligo traditional music scene started calling to him, and he started playing mandola, banjo and fiddle. In 2000 with Rodney Lancashire he recorded an album of traditional songs called Mactire. In 2002 he joined Deirde Byron-Smith, Anna Houston and Tommy Scanlon for the Cadenza album Attic Notes where he contributed original songs and tunes. 2009 saw his solo album Out of Sight released.

Since then he has performed all over Ireland, England, Europe and Japan playing and recording original, traditional and World music. He is currently a member of The Craic Addicts, The Atlantic Orchestra and NoCrows.