Legendary Folk Singer Who Scored Four No. 1 Hits and Once Shared the Stage With the Rolling Stones Dead at 81

Irish folk singer Johnny McEvoy has died aged 81, his children Jonathan and Alice said. His career spanned more than 60 years and included four No. 1 hits, among them “Nora” and “Mursheen Durkin”, making him a prominent figure in Irish folk music.

McEvoy’s family said he died peacefully and that his funeral would be private, asking fans to remember him by playing his music. In his 2017 memoir, he recalled opening for the Rolling Stones at Dublin’s Adelphi cinema in the early 1960s, where a chaotic crowd threw ashtrays and one struck Mick Jagger near the eye. McEvoy also cited Hank Williams’ songwriting and delivery as major influences.