| Maura O'Connell |
Irish/Folk
In an artistic odyssey that has led her from County Clare, Ireland to Nashville, Tennessee, Maura O'Connel performs with soul, humor and grace, bringing modern meaning to traditional songs. The Grammy - nominated singer first came to prominence as part of the Celtic group DeDannan and has continued to make her name in Nashville's folk circuit. Uniting the influence of her Nashville base with her Dublin roots, Maura O'Connell now returns home with a renewed focus on the music she grew up with.
Maura O'Connell initially made her name singing with the Irish super-group DeDannan from 1980-82. Known for her innovative interpretations, she soon became frustrated by the confines of Celtic tradition. The American band New Grass Revival lured her to Nashville where in 1987, she bagan a new phase of artistic experimentation. She ensconced herself in progressive country and contemporary folk circles, quickly becoming a preeminent singer of modern acoustic music. Soon, she was the vocalist of choice among musicians who were redefining instrumental music: Jerry Douglas, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, Russ Barenberg, Bela Fleck, and others who were forging the Jazz-inflected style that became known as "New Acoustic Music."
Marking a return to the music she grew up with, Maura O'Connell recorded Wandering Home released on Hannibal / Rykodisc Records. Released in June 1997, the recording is a collection of traditional Irish songs, contemporary compositions and sung and spoken versions of the poetry of W.B. Yeats and Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney.
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