Singer-guitarist Dan Connolly at Nectar Lounge

Dan Connolly

Add a Celtic twist to a mix of Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson and John Mayer, and you've got Issaquah artist Dan Connolly. "I liken music to a gift," said Connolly, who performs at the Nectar Lounge tonight. "It's just in my blood."

Growing up as the son of first generation Irish immigrants, Connolly was surrounded with music, like Celtic songs and Irish drinking songs, as well as Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and the Beatles. He started playing guitar at 14 and would practice when he was grounded ("I got in trouble a lot"). But music was not a full-time gig for Connolly until a year and a half ago. For 10 years, Connolly was a deep-sea diver for the Navy, salvaging sunken gear — from ejected seats to nuclear weapons — across the waters in the world. Aboard aircrafts, he played for those on board.

From the Navy, he moved onto working for a computer marketing software company. One day the singer-songwriter was playing for fun at a party, and his longtime friend, now manager, Howie Barokas suggested that he try it professionally.

Connolly created a song called "The Compassion Song" and put it on YouTube. It caught the attention of the coordinators of Seeds of Compassion, who brought the Dalai Lama to Seattle last year. They invited Connolly to perform at several events during His Holiness' visit. Next up for Connolly is another album, to add to his current one, called "Running Under Water."

He plays at 9 tonight with the Herbivores and Gabriel Mintz at Nectar Lounge, 412 N. 36th St., Seattle; $6 (21 and up; 206-632-2020 or www.ticketweb.com).

Marian Liu,

Seattle Times staff reporter