Darren Maloney

Darren Maloney was regarded by critics and peers alike as one of the most outstanding musicians to emerge in Irish music.

“Darren’s abilities as an Irish tenor banjoist are truly remarkable,”
says Dr. Mick Moloney, Global Distinguished Professor resident at NYU.

Darren toured the world and was sought after as a recording artist for many years.

In 2004 Darren recorded a solo album, not a spur-of-the-moment decision but one that had been planned for some time. That album “Who?” has received world-wide acclaim and marked Darren as a future star.

“The evidence is clear, unquestionable and resounding – this really is one of the best albums of the year and sets a benchmark for not just future banjo albums, but future independent releases”, wrote Geoff Wallis for Roots Magazine.

In May 2006 Darren was selected for a world-class string workshop at Carnegie Hall led by stellar tutors, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Mike Marshall and Jerry Douglas — each worshipped in their various fields of acoustic music. The tutors hand-picked the participants from 150 entries sent from 32 countries. The workshop culminated in a performance on the most famous of musical stages — Carnegie Hall.

In 2005 Darren became the first Irish banjo player to be endorsed by the prestigious Deering Banjo Company, based in California. He joined musicians such as Béla Fleck, Rod Stewart and Garth Brooks as an ambassador for their instruments.

“Finding consummate musicians to represent our banjos is not always an easy task. Darren Maloney falls into a level of musicianship that has a limited membership. His technical expertise is beyond compare”, says Carolina Bridges, Marketing Manager at Deering Banjos.