Curtis Stigers at the Watergate in Kilkenny for one night only

For the past 30 years, the singer, songwriter, saxophonist and guitarist has been making records that confound those who try to categorise his music or put him in a box.

Curtis Stigers will perform at the Watergate Theatre in Kilkenny on Thursday (April 4). The legendary performer has had several top ten hits as a blue-eyed soul singer and he’s written and sung an Emmy nominated TV theme song. He has also recorded a track for one of the biggest-selling pop albums of all time and he’s released nine award-winning jazz albums.

Stigers has also played for presidents and princes and he’s appeared in two Seth MacFarlane movies about a foul-mouthed cuddly bear called Ted. He’s recorded 13 studio albums and a live album singing Sinatra songs with the world-famous Danish Radio Big Band. He’s toured with symphony orchestras, written songs with Carole King and duetted with Al Green, Shawn Colvin and Tom Jones. Stigers’s new album This Life is the answer to that question. It’s a celebration of three decades of musical exploration, evolution and growth.

“We created most of these arrangements onstage, during soundchecks and concerts. My songs have changed and grown as they’ve gotten older, just like I have,” he said.