He is also renowned for having The Beatles open for him at a concert in 1962 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre, and being regarded as one of the first headlining Elvis impersonators.
As the lead singer with the Capitol Showband, he rivalled the Royal Showband's Brendan Bowyer as Ireland's most popular showband vocalist.
Brendan Bowyer, Tom Dunphy and the Royal Showband from Waterford toured professionally around 1958, and became a crowd-drawing success.
O'Brien is the niece of Brendan Bowyer of The Royal Showband and the great-greatgrandaughter of Albert Bowyer of the Bowyer/Westwood Opera Company of Blackpool, England.
Brendan Behan | Brendan Fraser | Brendan Perry | Brendan Byrne | Brendan O'Carroll | Brendan Benson | Brendan Coyle | Brendan Bowyer | William Bowyer | Brendan Joyce | David Brendan Hopes | Clint Bowyer | Brendan Steele | Brendan Shine | Brendan Shanahan | Brendan O'Leary | Brendan Nelson | Brendan Keyes | Brendan I. Koerner | Brendan Grace | Brendan Gleeson | Brendan Dolan | Brendan Beiser | Brendan | Sir George Bowyer, 5th Baronet | Kevin Bowyer | George Bowyer, 1st Baron Denham | Brendan Taylor | Brendan Taman | Brendan Sexton III |