This was compiled and submitted as part of the process for the induction into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame
Kevin McCarthy Music Highlights – Time Line
1970 – Begins singing before talking!
1972 – Begins entertaining – broom as guitar and fist a microphone – tells others to “get off his stage!”. (OK, I added these first 2 later!.. :o)
1985 – Lead Singer – Kevin’s First Rock Band – “Outlet” played parties & talent show in Lancaster to over 1000 people
1986 – 1988 – Lead Singer – “Hollywood” played parties & talent show in Lancaster to over 1000 people.
1989 – Co-Founds the group “McCarthyizm” – with brother Joe – (see band bio for complete info) and in 10 years quickly becomes one of the biggest bands in Western New York – heading the biggest events in WNY – Performing for Thursday at the Square as headliner and opener, Kiss the Summer Hello and Kissmas Bash Concerts, major cities like Toronto, Cleveland, Pittsburg, Boston, and NYC…and sharing the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls, 10,000 Maniacs, the Crash Test Dummies, the Smithereens, the Proclaimers, Lowest of the Low and many others!
1993 – Releases “Pretty Naked” – first band LP.
1995 – Releases “Vesuvio” second band LP
1995 – Voted “Top Original Rock Group” – Buffalo Music Awards
1996 – Voted “Top Original Pop Group” – Buffalo Music Awards
1998 – Releases “Eterniday” – third band LP
1998 – Kevin launches website – www.kevinsmccarthy.com – now with over 5000 show pictures – highlights friends and fans of the show over the years!
1999 – Begins performing as a Solo Artist as full-time career – Singer, songwriter, guitarist.
1999 – 2010 – Mr. Goodbar every Thursday over 11 years – one of the biggest and best Thursdays in WNY & longest running weekly show during that stretch – also performs there every Friday Happy Hour for 7 years. Begins booking all the bands at Mr. Goodbar – (still does as of 2015).
2000 – Voted “Top Solo Artist” – Buffalo Music Awards
2001 – Voted “Top Solo Artist” – Buffalo Music Awards
2002 – 2005 – Chosen for the Labatt Outfitter Tour – 4 consecutive years. Plays numerous shows and states with tour throughout the Midwest and Northeast U.S.
2002 – Performs at Chicago’s new Convention Center as part of Outfitter Tour
2002 – Kevin performs with his idol growing up – hockey legend Gilbert Perreault
2002 – MTV films at Kevin’s show at Mr. Goodbar – MTV’s Fraternity Life
2003 – TV Show – AM Buffalo – for First Night – plays original song written for his daughter Shea.
2003 – Begins 8 years of playing Wines in the Wild – huge annual sold-out fundraiser for the Buffalo Zoo
2004 – Opens for rock legend Dave Mason at Seven Springs in West Virgina – one of the highlights of the Outfitter Tour
2004 – Performs on the Royal Caribbean for Wedding Cruise in The Bahamas
2006 – Releases 10 song all-original CD – “High On You” – CD art work by Grammy-Award Winning CD artist Brian Grunert – the CD art work is a tribute to Buffalo, NY!
2008 – Performs at solo at Thursday at the Square, Buffalo, NY
2009 – Inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame
2009– Joins Young Audiences of WNY – concert performances and programs a with health & character education message
2009 – Kevin launches Youth & Family Show website – www.kevinmccarthyshows.com
2012 – Opens for rock legend Rick Springfield at University at Buffalo Stadium
2012 – One of the largest HMOs in the country sponsors Kevin’s youth shows, Independent Health
2013 – Entertains thousands of students and staff, Kevin expands on his youth shows to include a state-of-the-art computerized show with huge video screen and light show.
2013 – Kevin plays sold out show with Rusted Root
2014 – Performs in numerous states throughout the country- Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, & New York
2015 – Celebrated 30 years of performing live music either with band or solo… and 16 years as full-time, professional musician!
2015 – Celebrate 16 years of booking the bands at Mr. Goodbar
2015 – Signs on with Young Audiences of Rochester and the Genesee Valley
2015 – Begins his “I Can Reach My Goals & Dreams!” program for his youth shows. He now has 14 youth programs!
2016 – Expands youth show into Western PA, and has now inspired over 50,000 kids through his shows to follow their dreams!
2018 – He played in Ireland for the first time for a 5 show tour!
2019 – He played a sold out show with the High Kings at the Tralf in Buffalo.
2020 – He was hired by the Buffalo Bills of the NFL to write and record 2 originals songs for their Play60 kickoff. The video for the Play60 Song is on the front page of this website.
2021 & 2022 – Kevin plays a southern USA tour which includes stops in Virginia & North Carolina. Paddy’s, Shell Island Ocean Resort, & The Harp, in Wilmington, NC.
Solo Artist – Community Service
The Food Bank of WNY – numerous shows including Empty Bowls every year since ’06
Roswell Park – Ride for Roswell – Played both at – and fundraisers for – Roswell Park –
Chris Wanat Memorial Show – Wantapooluza – Fundraiser for Scholarship
In memory of Chris Wanat – every year 2000 to present (except ’07)
ASG & Bob Duggen – Relay for Life – Cancer Fundraiser
American Diabetes Association – numerous shows – including Walk To Cure Diabetes
American Heart Association – numerous shows
Dash for Dads – Prostate Cancer Fundraiser
Buffalo Birthday Club at the City Mission
Toys for Tots – numerous fundraisers – Winnert family & friends
Serving Up Success – Independent Health Foundation’s – fundraiser for Soccer for Success Program.
Wines in the Wild – big fundraiser for the Buffalo Zoo
Roaming Buffalos Adventure Club – fundraiser & Kick-Off Event
Irish Classical Theater Fundraiser – The Wake – numerous shows
First Night Buffalo – numerous shows
ACE Employment Restoration Society – disabled persons activity day
Baker Victory Services – numerous shows
Woodgate Irish Dance – volunteer performance for fundraisers
Jake Randall Foundation for Morquio – fundraiser
Buffalo For Africa – fundraiser
Clarence Bicentennial – numerous shows
Buffalo Irish Center – numerous events & fundraisers
& numerous other fundraisers & community events since 1998!
Community Service – Schools
Member of Young Audiences of WNY – numerous WNY school shows –
Districts – Williamsville, Clarence, Amherst, Ken-Ton, Lancaster, Frontier, Hamburg, Oliver-Richburg, Buffalo, and many more!
Performances & programs on health & character education
Orchard Park High School’s – Alcohol-Free Post Prom Party
Nardin Academy – Alcohol-Free Post-Prom Party
Sacred Heart Academy – Spirit Week Fundraiser
Alden High School – Wellness Day
Webster Thomas & Webster Schroeder of Rochester, NY – Career Days
Other high schools, Holly, West Seneca East, Lancaster & more.
Numerous shows at various WNY colleges
WNY Music Community Service
1999 – Present – Friday Night Bands – Mr. Goodbar
In 2000, Kevin approached the owner of Mr. Goodbar with an idea to have WNY bands follow his shows on Fridays. Kevin’s goal has been to offer up & coming WNY bands a great college venue as well detailed information to assist in their band’s success. Kevin helps the bands with many aspects of their shows including tips on marketing, flyers, posters, and a detailed outline of the night workerscompensationlawyer-philadelphia.com. The Friday Night Band shows have since developed into one of the top regular Fridays in WNY for live bands and they have expanded to Saturday Nights upstairs in the concert hall which Kevin books as well how to find roof repair service in san diego. He has even booked top international bands including bands including Rusted Root, Fastball and The Mahones. He books some of the top WNY bands including The Maniacs, MoChester, Aqueous, Funktional Flow, Karma Police, Lalzo Hollyfeld, Free Henry, Eric Spahr, Skin Tight, Ten Cent Howl, The Todd Eberwine Band, Party Squad, and many more!
McCarthyizm – All Original – Discography
1993 – Pretty Naked
1995 – Vesuvio
1998 – Eterniday
Kevin’s CD – “High On You”
2006 – Releases 10 song all-original CD – “High On You” – CD art work by Grammy-Award
Winning, CD artist – Brian Grunert – the CD art work is a tribute to Buffalo, NY!
Solo Artist – Misc Show Highlights
* Twice voted “Top Solo Artist” at the Buffalo Music Awards
* Member of the National Association of Mobile Entertainers
* Mr. Goodbar Every Thursday – for 11 years – one of the biggest and longest running Thursdays during that span.
* Chosen 4 consecutive years as the main performer for the Labatt Outfitter Tour which travelled to many cities and festivals across the Midwest and Northeast U.S.
*Opened for numerous bands on tour – highlighted by opening for Dave Mason – rock legend at Seven Springs in WV as part of the Outfitter Tour – others Lynyrd Skynyrd, Coldplay etc.
* Performed solo at Thursday at the Square – Buffalo, NY – 2008
* Numerous radio & TV appearance including twice on AM Buffalo – the first show he performed
an original song he wrote for his daughter as part of First Night Buffalo
* Canisius College Java Jam – helped start & performed for Canisius Java Jam / Music Series
6 years – Performed for the first 6 Java Jams and then regularly for years after.
* Played public and private events for Buffalo sports teams – Bills, Bisons, Sabres
* Buffalo Bills International Backers – performed Bills private pre-game party for Bills fan from around the world.
* Played the Labatt Pre-Party for The Ice Bowl – Ralph Wilson Stadium – first outdoor NHL game in US.
* Songs from “High On You” are used during radio coverage of the University at Buffalo’s Football and Basketball games.
* Numerous regular bar & restaurant shows over the years in WNY area – Mr. Goodbar,
Gordons, Froghair, Red Brick Inn, Irishman, Buffalo Irish Center, O’Neill’s, Kissing Bridge,
O’Brien’s, Desiderios, Players, Gene McCarthy’s, Shannon Pub, Stillwater, The Steer,
Broadway Joe’s, Mickey Rats, Surfers, 67 West, Barrel House, The Concrete,
Big Shotz, Darcy McGee’s, Flappy’s, Z’s, Johnny’s in Rochester, Mulconry’s in Rochester,
Seneca Niagara, Casino, Batavia Downs Casino, Hofbrauhaus, New York Beer Project.
*Wrote 2 songs for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL Play60 Kickoff – including the Play60 Song! Which was perfromed live online and a video was released for the song as well.
* Numerous bar, restaurant, & festival shows out of WNY area – Rochester, Batavia, Syracuse,
Albany, Oswego, Saratoga – NY, Greenwich, CT, NYC, Burlington, VT, Seven Springs,
WV, Pittsburg, PA, Cleveland, OH, Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Flint MI, Saginow, Michigan,
numerous venues in Florida including Mulvaney’s Irish Pub in downtown Orlando, Florida.
RiRa’s Irish Pub in Southern Indiana, Scruffy Murphy’s in Columbia Georgia, The Harp in Wilmington, NC
* Major US Festivals – numerous performances – Cleveland Air Show, Cleveland Grand Prix,
Michigan 500, Traverse at Saratoga, Labatt Supreme Hockey Party, Detroit MI, World’s
Largest Deck Party in Detroit MI, Taste of Buffalo, ABATE Rally, in central PA, Opening
Pre-Party Ford’s Field Michigan, Lavonia Spree, MI, Chicago Convention Center, Chicago,
IL, Northeast Mud Volleyball Tournament – one of the largest of its kind – Cuyahoga
County, OH, Large Party in Evansville, IN & Notre Dame, IN, Norwalk Raceway, OH, The
Gingerman, Greenwich, CT, Hard Rock, Niagara Falls, NY, Erie, PA Summer Arts Festival.
*Numerous WNY Community Events – See above plus – Multiple shows at Taste of Buffalo,
Taste of Alden, Bugerfest in Hamburg, Buffalo Wingfest, Buffalo Irish Festival, Canal Fest, Winterfest
Town of Tonawanda, Brockport Summer Arts Festival, Sabres Alumni Association at
Pearl Street, Eastern Hills Mall Youth Show Series, Clarence Hallow Market, Clarence
Bicentennial, Level Regatta in Lewiston, NY, Darien Lake – before concerts & part of their
Friday Night Music Series, Canisius College Quad Party, St. John’s Travel Club, Annual
Advantage Co. party at the Park Club, Fox Valley Country Club, Buffalo Club, Buffalo
Canoe Club, Buffalo Yacht Club, Buffalo Launch Club, & numerous other clubs in WNY,
Roycroft Inn Fredonia, numerous company events for employees and families – Labatt
Blue, Buffalo Bisons, The Advantage Company, HSBC, Fisher Price, Independent Health,
ASG, Visteon, Seneca Niagara Casino, Cricket, Vanner Insurance, WGRZ Channel 2, RD
Murray, and many more! Numerous weddings, company events, school parties,
fundraisers over the years.