Jim Sharkey, Irish and Americana Folk

We had Jim play for our daughter's birthday party, and were extremely impressed, not only with his musical talent, but his entire demeanor and professionalism. I would highly recommend him.

Jim Sharkey is an absolutely wonderful guitarist and singer. His music is so sweet, calm, and comforting and reminds us of our travels through Ireland. He performed on our wedding day as guests were arriving and for the processional as the bridal party then I walked down the aisle. It was such a sweet addition to our day that people really enjoyed and were asking about after. Jim is the most kind man and was so very helpful throughout the planning process. I could not recommend him highly enough. You will not regret booking him for any event you have.

I have seen Jim multiple times and am always wowed by his performance. He has an amazing Irish tenor voice and is a fantastic musician and songwriter. His genuinely warm personality becomes immediately evident when he begins his performance. I would see Jim anytime he is near.

Jim’s music is captivating and reflective, drawn from a deep reserve of life experience. It is clear in the way he embodies the words of the folk songs he sings, bringing timeless lyrics to life in a relevant way. He is beyond professional and a pleasure to work with. A fantastic voice with guitar playing to match. If you enjoy Folk and Americana music and have the opportunity to hear him, don’t miss it!

In hiring entertainment, our goal was to enhance the atmosphere and mood of our event. Jim's incredible talent surpassed our greatest expectations, leaving us with a full range of emotion, from joyful tears to laughter. Jim brings the highest quality and passion to his music, his talent is truly a gift.

Jim was so entertaining and full of stories and jokes that kept our attention for 2 hours. We had waited a full year for him to come to this area so we could see his show. I have his 2 cds and enjoy them in my car every day. He is a wonderful polished song writer, and his songs are well-crafted stories that will hold your attention. If you are looking for a fun evening, go see Jim Sharkey!

Jim performed for my wedding reception that was themed as a Irish pub wedding. He was incredible and definitely added to the event. His Irish music lit up the afternoon and everyone was dancing. It made my wedding day everything I wanted it to be. Thank you Jim!

Jim is a gifted and talented singer/songwriter with an engaging personality. His songs are thoughtful and beautifully sung, his stories interesting and fun. We sang along with his covers. My folks didn't want to leave when the music was over; they wanted to hear more.

Jim arrived early, meeting and chatting with folks as they arrived. When he finished singing, he put down his guitar and wandered through the crowd, greeting each resident by name, chatting with them and thanking them for coming. Later, I heard many comments on what, in Jim's performance and songs, they enjoyed.

As a busy person, I especially appreciated the ease of working with Jim to schedule and prepare for his performance. He is responsive and cooperative.

I highly recommend Jim for private parties, weddings, retirement homes, or any venue looking for beautiful music from someone with an engaging personality who is fun and easy to work with.

Music was beautiful, he was so pleasant and our residents at our Retirement Community loved him!

Jim Sharkey performed at our monthly Family Night in an assisted living community. His range of song selection was perfect and the audience loved him! Many of my residents are already asking when he will be back! HIGHLY recommend.

Jim was truly the perfect addition to our special wedding day. We were seeking a singing guitarist to play for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour, and nobody's sound was quite right. Then we found Jim! We fell in love with his beautiful voice and palpable talent, and after listening to a few of his covers and most of his original songs, we reached out to him. Jim willingly traveled to Maine to play for our wedding at Deertrees Theatre, and even adapted one of his original songs "The Blue Stars Above" (adding new lyrics specific to our relationship!) to play as our processional. Many of our guests commented during the event and for months after how wonderful Jim was and how perfect a choice he was to play the ceremony and cocktail hour. A talented singer / guitarist and an absolutely wonderful individual, Jim is truly outstanding. We cannot recommend Jim highly enough!

Jim has played our Irish Bar numerous times . Never disappoints . A true story teller with a wonderful collection of songs . Quite a warm personable soul he is as well .

Jim was a great fit for our venue, providing great music and being able to also engage the audience, all in a very laid-back and casual atmosphere. He was also very easy to work with. We will definitely be inviting him back next year!

Jim Sharkey is not only a fine musician and a gifted songwriter - he brings his Irish wit and humor along. In between his haunting melodies, he keeps his audience spellbound with stories and jokes. Jim infuses all of his performances with the beauty and nostalgia of Ireland, but it’s his unique blend of Irish folk, Americana and personal songwriting that really make him shine. His choice of music is well thought out and completely engaging, as there is always something for every listener. Do yourself and your friends a favor and invite Jim Sharkey to perform. I promise you’ll invite him again and again...

Jim played during our cocktail hour and also performed our first dances at our September 2017 wedding. We first heard Jim play in Roanoke, VA and instantly fell in love with his voice and performance style! We asked if he’d be interested in playing at our wedding, and he made the four-hour drive to be there. He is as kind and charismatic as he is talented! We received so many compliments about having live music during the cocktail hour and for the first dances (we had a DJ for the rest of the reception), and people raved about Jim. He took the time to learn our two first dance songs (A Case of You by Joni Mitchell and Sweet Baby James by James Taylor for the dance with my dad), and sent us recordings before the wedding so we knew what to expect. His performances really made our wedding feel personal and intimate, and we absolutely loved having Jim be a part of it.