Ronnie Norton

Ronnie Norton opened the doors of “Ronnie Norton Photography”, his very own studio in 1974, opposite the watering hole for many of Dublin’s creative & innovative people; O’Dwyers pub on Lower Mount Street. This fortuitous pairing led to lifelong friendships and business relationships that are still driving the photographic entity that became Ireland’s premier digital imaging studio as Norton Photography and Retouching on Dublin’s Pearse Street.

Based in the Universal Folk Centre on Dublin's Parnell Sq he watched the developing talents of Donal Lunny, Paul Brady, Mick Moloney, The Johnstons, Tir Na NOg, The Heffernan SIsters, Brendan Grace and every major folk star that visited Dublin and made the Folk Boom of that era.

Ronnie started with photography for some album covers for EMI, then back stage and front of house at every concert he could blag his way into. Trips to Nashville led to photographing Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings and encounters with Crystal Gayle, Dolly Parton and all his superheroes in the music world. During this time a friendship was welded with U2’s graphic designer Steve Averill and the iconic Fanzine and later Europe's top Roots Americana website Lonesome Highway was created. Interviews with Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and tour programmes for Kris Kristofferson were all part of the daily routine for Steve and Ronnie back then.

A chance encounter with Lee Williams of CMRNashville Europe's number one Country station led to starting a sixteen year stint with the station with Lonesome Highway and more recently Bluegrass and Beyond, and European Bluegrass Roundup radio shows.

Resident photographer duties at several major Country Festivals and regular yearly residencies at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival, the Omagh Bluegrass Festival and The Bunratty Midwinter Festival were all fodder for the insatiable appetite of Lonesome Highway listeners and readers.