Karl McHugh
Vice-President of the West Coast Songwriters Association, Songwriter
Karl McHugh’s pop/folk songwriting is a fusion of his upbringing in Donegal, Ireland and his current home in the San Francisco Bay Area. The retro-style folk music falls somewhere between the purview of Paul Simon and CCR, evoking a house party singalong vibe: fun, warm, inclusive, and good for a laugh!
Playing music since he could hold an instrument, Karl continued his music journey by attending Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland where he received a Masters degree in Music and Media Technologies. Upon finishing this course, Karl produced music for several nationwide ad campaigns in his home country, directed by Oscar-shortlisted Nick Kelly. He has graced prestigious stages such as the Irish National Concert Hall with the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra and Davies Symphony Hall with the San Francisco Girls Chorus. His Easy Life EP features deeply personal songs inspired by his struggle with US immigration, including the track “No One Told Me About You,” which documents his journey from Ireland to America and was featured on USA Network’s hit series Temptation Island. Additionally, his single “Keep Dreamin’,” part of his Patreon Song Series, earned the prestigious Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting award by The Great American Songwriting Contest. Karl’s music continues to garner acclaim, appearing on several national TV shows and ad campaigns in both the United States and Ireland. Most recently, he composed the music for The Pennsylvanian, a play by Jennifer Roberts.
Karl moved to the Bay Area in 2015 and began teaching music with the non-profit Music for Minors. During this time he became an active volunteer for the West Coast Songwriters association. Currently, he holds a managerial position with Music for Minors and is the Vice-President of the West Coast Songwriters Association.
Before undertaking his solo project, Karl was a founding member of the Irish-American folk/rock group, “McHugh & Devine.” The band toured and released “The Movie Blues EP” in 2015 and the album “Emerald Hills” in 2016, and picked up several songwriting awards from Bay Area and international organizations.