Photography by James O'Malley

(Photos & CDs available on request; Interviews can be arranged.)
Contact: Michael Kornfeld    631-678-8627     mskornfeld@yahoo.com

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James O'Malley's fifth solo album, Ivyland, has received strong critical praise within the folk community, particularly for its storytelling and musical craftsmanship. 

South Shore Press +1

--------------------------------The album reached #20 on the folk radio charts in February 2026, as compiled by DJ Richard Gillmann. 

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Critical Reviews and Reception

• Artisanal Folk Pioneer: Critics, including Ralph DiGennaro of Paste Magazine, have described O'Malley as an "indisputable pioneer" of "modern artisanal folk music," noting the album's beautifully crafted record and "silken gossamer" arrangements.

• Storytelling Excellence: Reviewers highlight O'Malley’s "mellifluous tenor voice" and his ability to draw listeners into narratives through intricate finger-style guitar playing.

• Emotional Range: The 12-song collection is noted for its "vivid lyrical imagery" and emotional depth, exploring themes of family, relationships, memory, loss, and hope.

• Production Quality: Reviews mention the "superb" production quality and "clarity of sound" that captures listeners from the start.

• Comparison to Icons: His songwriting has been compared to legendary storytellers like Harry Chapin and John Prine, with some listeners calling the album a "gem"

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LI-Based Singer Songwriter James O’Malley’s “Ivyland” is a Top Album on Folk Radio

James O’Malley, a Center Moriches-based singer-songwriter, recently released his sixth solo studio album. Entitled Ivyland and featuring 12 original songs, it was among the most-played albums on folk radio in January, charting at #33 according to charts compiled by Folk Alliance International based on radio playlists submitted to FOLKDJ-L, an electronic discussion group for DJs and others interested in folk-based music on the radio. 

O’Malley has been impressing New York metro area audiences for a number of years with his mellifluous tenor voice and gentle yet intricate finger-style guitar playing that draws listeners into his narratives. A consummate songwriter, he pens relatable songs that combine warm and memorable melodies with vivid lyrical imagery, and cover a range of emotions -- from humorous to introspective -- as they explore family, relations, human nature, and the contemplation of life’s choices.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, O’Malley’s interest in music was sparked by Elvis Presley, while “The Beatles sealed the deal,” he says. “ “After that I was like a sponge that sopped up music from all genres that caught my ear  … from Oscar Brown Jr. to Leonard Cohen to The Incredible String Band. Within that framework, I began to write poetry, songs and, with a little help from Sister Margaret Mary, I learned a few chords on the guitar.” A few years later, O’Malley answered an ad from noted folk artist Erik Darling, who taught him the basics of fingerpicking on the guitar. In addition to The Beatles, O’Malley cites Tim Hardin, Bert Jansch, Bob Dylan, Mickey Newbury, and Donovan among his musical influences.

While in his 20s, O’Malley was part of an acoustic group called The Braid that played the college coffeehouse circuit during the 1970s and was signed to a major label. “However, our claim to fame ran its course. As bills mounted and families were growing, we resolved to disband and put music to rest.  O’Malley and his late wife, Patricia, moved to Brentwood in 1988, before buying a 19th century, three story Victorian ‘cottage’ in Center Moriches that was “in great need of love, restoration and repair,” O’Malley recalls.  “Slowly, we turned that tired, old house into our new dream home.”

O’Malley wrote dozens of songs in that home with his wife, Patricia, sitting within ear shot of every musical idea, every foul note, all the practice and repetition a songwriter routinely plies to the trade.  “She was the muse, the inspiration and critic of the tunes I came up with during those years,” he said of his wife to whom he was married for 52 years prior to her passing in February 2022 following a courageous battle with cancer. He celebrates her life on “Did You Ever Hear Her Sing Hallelujah,” the opening track on his new album. 

Beginning in the 1990s, O’Malley took the songs that he’d written to open mic nights throughout Long Island. As other songwriters and concert presenters took notice, that lead to performance opportunities with the Folk Music Society of Huntington, Our Times Coffeehouse in Garden City, Grounds and Sounds Cafe in Stony Brook, Amagansett’s Stephen Talkhouse, various libraries, folk festivals, and house concert series.  As time marched on, he wrote more songs and recorded a few solo albums  -- I’m Ready (2001), If Only In My Dreams (2005), Tales To Tell (2010), The Writer Remains (2015), and Ivyland (recorded in 2025 and released this year).

The 12 songs on Ivyland include the aforementioned opening track, “Penny In My Pocket” (a reminder that self-reflection or self-redemption can move us a bit further along the road of life); “Rosie in the Roses” (a fantasy tale of a woman who shows her love for growing roses by singing to them. They respond by not being thorns.); “Jamaica Bay” (a co-write with former bandmates Joe Porcelli and Anthony Galante inspired by the beautiful of the shores off the shores of Brooklyn and Queens); “Laughter and Love” (remember the good times of family, childhood friends, first and lasting love); “My One and Only One” (an atmospheric love song); “Nobody Loves You Like Me” (a song full of lyrical imagery and metaphor with blues influences such as Little Feat, Ry Cooder and Jeff Beck); “Belle of the Ball” (to the square dance, with a jumble of call phrases that lead the dancers through their moves); “Cross That Bridge” (a narrator looks forward to better days and the hope that at the end he’ll rejoin the one who he’s loved and lost); “When The Morning Comes” (a take on O’Malley’s own struggles with insomnia –“I got plenty of dreams to dream, but I can’t sleep a wink.”); “Holding Onto Hope” (a co-write with Joe Porcelli imagining the return of a love that may never return, while clinging to the hope that someday it could); and  “Finally Free” (Although framed in the fabric of a love gone wrong, this is a call to rejoice for finally being free of whatever held us down.).

Although now devoting more time to music, O’Malley earned his living for many years as a rigging supervisor for Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton and is thankful for the opportunity to have worked there. ”I loved it, and I loved the men who worked for me. BNL was wonderful to me,” he said. Besides moving or lifting extremely heavy things like machinery and supervising others who did so, music also played a role while he worked there since he performed a number of concerts on site.  He also noted that John Platt, host of “Sunday Supper” on WFUV in New York, named his song about riggers as one of his Top Ten Songs of 2016. “The Writer Remains” opens: “I am a rigger … I work with music and words.”

Knowing that his songs have “touched the hearts of so many who have become true fans and friends” is a great source of satisfaction and pride to him.  He noted that that a number of his songs reflect relationships and acquaintances with whom he’s interacted in everyday situations. “Our environment is a mirror to the creative,” he said. “Through that lens, I’ve been fortunate to have written tunes that folks relate to, as well as the honor of being featured on a number of Long Island and New York metro area radio and TV shows, while my songs also have been covered by other artists and heard across the world.”

When not performing solo, O’Malley can often be seen with Candice Baranello, a founding member of Mountain Maidens, a traditional folk trio. The two met at a house concert in the late 1990s. “She was with her late husband, Rob Baranello, a talented writer and producer,” he recalled. “We didn’t know it then, but more than 20 years later, after each of us suffered the tragic loss of our spouses, we found each other again and now are together in love and music.  We perform as Take 2, and once again, I can say that I have a muse … once again, I am a lucky man.”

Here’s a link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOGTCQ1i5v8) to enjoy a short medley featuring snippets of songs from Ivyland, which may be purchased via various online retailers.  More information on O’Malley may be found online at www.jamesomalley.com, where you can also listen to songs and see where he’ll be performing. 

 

 

 

​"Two hours after he hit the stage he was playing his third encore and we would have welcomed a few more! James shares same storyteller gene that Harry Chapin and John Prine carry. The measure of their success can be taken from a skill at composing a song that can soften the cynical heart and then follow it with one so whimsical it leaves you wondering how the two songs could have come from the same mind. Watching listeners take in a song and drift off a bit ("Hey, he's writing that about me!") is the final component to a hit."--

"sailshaboom"

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"There is real eloquence here...a gifted songwriter poised at the threshold of a loftier position in the ranks of American singer-songwriters."  Ralph DiGennaro (Music Matters Review)

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Living in Center Moriches, NY, and born in Brooklyn, NY, his influences go from Pete Seeger to Laura Nyro...from Bob Dylan to Chuck Pyle, Tim Hardin to Mickey Newbury. His guitar influences are Bert Jansch, Gordon LIghtfoot, Mississippi John Hurt, Donovan, Paul Simon, Big Bill Broonsy....

James has performed alongside and 'on the bill' with The Mountain Maidens, Iain Matthews, Pat Wictor, Janis Ian, Little Toby Walker, Cheryl Praksher, Chuck Pyle, The Kennedys, Richard Shindell, Cheryl Wheeler, Louise Taylor, Jack Williams, Pete Kennedy, and in years gone by, Tim Hardin, Harry Chapin, Jack Hardy, David Bromberg and Ry Cooder
 

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James, has, throughout the years, graced the legendary stages of Landmark On Main Street, Folk City, Carnegie Recital Hall, PostCrypt Cafe, Huntington Folk Festival, Stephen Talkhouse, Vail-Levitt Hall, Cafe Wha?, The Bitter End, The Speakeasy, as well as, Outpost In The Burbs, The Cutting Room, Our Times Coffee House, Hard Luck Cafe, The Brokerage, The Brookhaven Center, Grounds and Sounds Coffee House, The Eclectic Cafe, The Spirit Cafe and numerous house concerts and radio stations throughout the area.

 

A native of Brooklyn, NY, James has toured colleges and coffee houses throughout the country.

His influences include Tim Hardin, Chuck Pyle, Donovan, Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Mickey Newbury, Mississippi John Hurt, Randy Newman, Big Bill Broonzy, Bert Jansch, Gordon Lightfoot...and he learned his fingerpicking basics from legendary folk guitarist, Eric Darling.

 

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He lives in a 19th century Victorian on the eastern end of Long Island.

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   "James O’Malley is a hugely talented lyricist and musician who writes knowingly of life’s foibles, triumphs and defeats. He delivers his songs in a subtle, whispering tenor that completely draws the listener into the story he is telling. Considered by many to be the consummate songwriter, O’Malley writes songs that take the listener on an emotional journey exploring family, relationships, human nature and the contemplation of life's choices. Critics praise the New York area artist’s warm melodies, story-telling abilities and his way of charming audiences. O'Malley's songs are universal, often written with a subtle humor." The Huntington Folk Music Society

 

2015 Music Matters Review --- "He is an accomplished finger-style guitarist whose singing will remind you of a genial Paul Simon and his engaging stage presence makes him a must see performer. The album is produced by Pete Kennedy, who lets the vocals and guitar tell his stories with just a light touch of instrumental support. This is O’Malley’s best work yet. Here is an artist who knows how to take sweetness seriously. O’Malley’s melodies catch your attention from the first listen "

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Studio Recordings ---

IVYLAND (2025) Produced by James O'Malley and Joe Porcelli

The Writer Remains (2015) Produced by Pete Kennedy

Tales To Tell (2009) Prouced by Joe Porcelli and James O'Malley

If Only In my Dreams (2004) Produced by James O'Malley

I'm Ready (2001) Produced by James O'Malley

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Quotes and Quips----"With his memorable melodies, vivid lyrical imagery, and heartfelt delivery, James O'Malley carries listeners through a musical voyage of life experiences that they not only can't help but relate to, but indeed, willingly surrender to. Over the course of an hour or so, James' music elicits the same lumps in our throats, and smiles on our faces, that we've all experienced over many years. We remember the setbacks and the triumphs, the wisdom and the simplicity, the innocence and the longing -- but most of all, we remember our love and our passion. And it just doesn't get any better than that." ~ Todd Evans

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"James O'Malley casts his singer-songwriter net wider than your average songsmith" Sing Out!

 

Pete Seeger wrote... "Thanks for the song, James!"

 

O'Malley's "Song For Pete Seeger" reaches #5 on Folk DJ top songs for May '09
- Richard Gillman, Folk DJ List (Jun 03, 2009)

 

"Thank you for presenting such a terrific performance for the Tenafly Library Friends. Our audience truly enjoyed your music as you could tell from their applause and warm reception."...Talia Leschner

 

“James O'Malley's performance proved again, why I believe seeing him live should be on everyone's bucket list.”...Walter Noller

 

"I'm a sucker for a good story song and this album has that in spades. The quality of production is superb with a clarity of sound that captured me from the start. Great vocals backed by superior instrumentation and all in all a wonderful 12 track package."
- Steve Clark (Host: Acoustic Planet Erin Radio -- CHES 101.5 FM),

 

"I can’t tell you how much the show meant to me. The songs are beautiful. They always affect me. You are a major highlight of my musical life." Jack Finkenberg (Eclectic Cafe)

 

James O'Malley was listed among "The Top Artists of 2009 and his latest CD, "Tales To Tell" among The Top Albums of 2009”.... FolkDJ Playlists

 

"O'Malley occupies a position rare to any genre of the musical arts and embodies the term so fully that no other will quite do."
- Mark S. Tucker, Folk Acoustic Music Exchange (Apr 16, 2009)

 

"His artistry goes beyond the songs, having seen James perform many times, I am beginning to appreciate how each song is a loving relationship for him, like a child, he never seems to tire of bringing each one to life for the audience. We are always mesmerized. Thank you. "
- Laura Jones, Jones Review

 

2006 finalist in the Plowshares Song Contest!

 

"There is real eloquence here.......a gifted songwriter poised at the threshold of a loftier position in the ranks of American singer-songwriters."    Ralph Ron DiGennaro for Music Matters Review 

 

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His work has been featured on scores of radio stations nationwide and around the world.

Affiliated with BMI and a member of the Folk Alliance of North America

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