Tony Loughman (RTE 1980)

''Standing In The Shadows So The Star Can Shine''

Interview With Tony Loughman & Robert Irwin

Tony Loughman was at one time the doyen of the country music promoters in Ireland and further afield. One of the true movers and shakers of the band scene in the 70's
80's and 90's. Tony was one of the guiding lights behind the Irish Country music success which followed the showbands, indeed very few acts in this particular generation could claim to be untouched by him.

Tony, a prolific footballer was never known to shirk a challenge on the field of play and the same can be said in his business dealings where he met adversity head on and it must be said he usually came out on top. A tough negotiator he came from a generation where deals were sealed with a handshake and having shook on the deal a mans word was his bond.

The carnivals that sprang up in every parish were his springboard to fame as he booked for most of them which gave him great clout when it came to dealing with the Dublin based syndicates who previously had called the shots but had to bend the knee when offered so many block bookings.

Having got the better of them once he decided to take them on at their own game when realising he was being supped off for advertising and recording, immediately launched his own magazine Top Rank which knocked the top selling Dublin magazine spotlight off its pedestal and eventually, after starting up a recording company in Castleblayney, all the artists managed by Top Rank had their own recording and publicity and printing business on their own doorstep which proves how far sighted a business man he was.

By this time most of the top recording stars including, Big Tom, Philomena Begley, Susan McCann, John Glenn, Hugo Duncan, Brian Coll, Paddy Coles Big 8, Roly Daniels and many more were managed from Blayney.

Having conquered Ireland Tony set his sights on Nashville and it wasnt long before artists such as Porter Wagnor, Dolly Parton, Charlie Pride, Johnny Cash, Tom T Hall, Hank locklin, TexRitter were on first name terms and many of the local artists fulfiled a lifetime ambition when they recorded with the cream of the country music capitals musicians in the famous fireside recording studios.

Tony found a way to combine his two great loves when he formed The Top Rank All Stars ladies and gents football teams which played most Monday nights and the same artists usually put on a musical performance afterwards which a local charity courtesy of Top Rank benefited from.

Category:

Music

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• Interview
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• Tony
• Loughman
• 1980
• Top
• Rank
• Entertainment
• yt:quality=high
• Castleblayney
• irish
• country
• music
• monaghan
• manager
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• 2003
• gaa

[castlebar67]

was he ever in the emerald bar i wonder was ran by eddy kelly and . . i wonder if there still living , my god was'nt donncha different looking fresh, cool looking away back then.

[r1onan]

ah i love this daddy

[possumhayes]

great man worked wit him for 3 yrs heard lots of storys but found him 100 per cent all the time. one of a kind spent many late nites chattin in the hope castle monaghan. sadly missed man by a lot of people

[muintir]

Great guy to do business with!!!

[irishshay]

Tony was a great man and a character

[geena6]

Nice to listen to & thanku for the info.

Geena.

[AeganMontgomery]

Very interesting to see those who helped make so much fun for others to enjoy. When I use to sing I would have loved a mentor like him.

Thanks for sharing,

Aegan 5*s and fav

[smithcavan]

Good interview, Nice to hear stories from the good old days. Thanks for sharing

[18spd51]

Very interesting info, 5*****s!!!!!!!!

God Bless,

Jeff

[jtls8]

Thank you for posting!