He grew up in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, (where his father lived while performing with showbands), and Blessington, Co. Wicklow.
Strong does not tour with the official tribute act to The Commitments, although he did perform with the original cast for the 20th anniversary concert in the O2 Arena in Dublin in March 2011.
In 2003, Strong formed The Bone Yard Boys with Bent Larsen Petersen, a partnership that endures to the present day.
The Commitments got back together in March 2011 for a reunion tour to mark the 20th anniversary of the movie, with four shows in Ireland ending in the O2 Arena in Dublin to critical acclaim.
In 2014 Strong performed concerts in Australia, Germany, France (on 5 July 2014 at Cabannes, for the 10th edition of the "Nuit du Blues") and Denmark.