At the age of nine, English started studying the piano formally at the Hennessy School of Music in Carlow. In 1990, he appeared on Gay Byrne's The Late Late Show television programme at age 11. He continued his musical studies the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin and launched an Irish country music career. Henry McMahon of The Mainliners offered him one of his own compositions, "The Nearest to Perfect" that became a hit for English in 1999. Signing a contract with Ritz Records, English won Best International Entertainer at the Irish National Entertainers Awards ceremony in both 2004 and 2005.AllMusic.com: Michael English biography He went on to record a number of albums, and a number of single hits with Dolphin / Roscas Recordings.
