Ronan has released six solo albums, four of which went straight to number one. He is listed in the Guinness Book Of Records for being the only artist ever to have 30 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK chart, having beaten the like of Elvis and The Beatles.
With two sell out world tours under his belt, an Ivor Novello and BMI songwriting awards, an autobiography, a role as an ambassador for Christian Aid and sales in excess of 22 million albums across the globe, Ronan’s lengthy and triumphant career shows no signs of slowing down just yet.
Following the success of his international number one album ‘Songs For My Mother’ released earlier this year, Ronan has recorded another special set of songs entitled ‘Winter Songs’ for this Christmas. Teaming up again with ‘Songs For My Mother’ producer Steve Lipson (past credits include Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Pet Shop Boys) Ronan has pulled together a set of 11 songs that evoke special memories of winter and Christmas for him.
In February, along with Gary Barlow and friends, he triumphed in climbing Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, which raised an outstanding £3.5million for the charity. March saw the release of ‘Songs For My Mother’ in April Ronan ran the London Marathon and then May saw him hit the road for another successful two month arena tour with Boyzone. September also saw Ronan take to the stage for ‘Rockwell’ a concert in aid of the Nordorf-Robbins charity along with the likes of Tom Jones, Razorlight and Robert Plant.
May saw Ronan back on the road with Boyzone for the ‘Better Tour’. After six Number 1 singles, four Number 1 albums and with record sales approaching an outstanding 20 million, the Boyzone success story continues to roll on with material already having been recorded for the forthcoming album, due out early 2010.
So just when he really should have been taking a well earned break, Ronan headed back in the studio to start work on ‘Winter Songs’.
“2009 has been a brilliant year and when I was asked to follow up ‘Songs For My Mother’ with a collection of winter songs I jumped at the opportunity”, enthused Ronan. “For me some of these songs conjure up some of my favorite Christmas memories.”
Ronan hosted his annual ‘Emeralds and Ivy Ball’ in November, which has become a major fundraising event for Cancer Research UK, who Ronan joined forces with after launching The Marie Keating Foundation with his family after losing his mother to breast cancer 10 years ago. A dedicated fundraiser for this cause, Ronan was presented with a special achievement award by Cancer Research UK at the House of Lords in June of last year to recognise the impressive £1.78million that he has raised for the charity to date.
2010 will see Ronan take to the road on his first solo tour since 2004. The tour will take in 16 dates and will include concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, Liverpool Empire and the Manchester Apollo. Ronan will play songs from his latest albums as well as his career-spanning hits.
