First Stateside Visit in Two Years Spotlights
New CD Stories From the Steeples
Mary Black, widely regarded as Ireland’s premier female vocalist, will open a whirlwind coast-to-coast tour of the U.S. with a concert at the City Winery in New York City on November 6. The 10-city tour, which includes dates in Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago and San Francisco, is the internationally popular star’s first visit to the U.S. in two years. Black will be performing material from her newest album, STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES, her first studio recording in six years, as well as many of the great songs that she has made popular throughout her career. Joining her on all dates will be special guest RóisÃn O, a gifted young singer/ songwriter who is one of the rising stars on Dublin’s vibrant pop music scene.
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Mary Black has been at the forefront of Irish music for more than 25 years. It’s been said of Mary Black that she rarely gets a bad review: STORIES FROM THE STEEPLES is no exception to that statement. Released in the U.S. in February by Seattle-based independent Blix Street Records. Mojo Magazine gave the CD a 4-star rating and, in a recent issue, Ireland’s Hot Press said, “Mary Black instinctively makes a song her own, and her voice here is more expressively fragile than before. The musicianship is impeccable, making Stories From The Steeples a very worthy addition to an already impressive catalogue.” According to allmusic.com, “Stories From The Steeples is a welcome return for one of contemporary folk music’s finest voices and most original stylists; it is also a stand-out album in Black’s solo catalog.” Other accolades include this excerpt from Polari Magazine: “Rarely these days do I find a new album that can bring me to tears; it was shocking then to find myself so deeply moved by Mary Black’s stunning new album Stories From The Steeples. It’s not just another album from Mary Black, but a roller-coaster of the finest folk music from around the world, unique and sung with a subtlety that only Mary can.”
In her long and successful career, Black has recorded dozens of albums. Her breakthrough NO FRONTIERS in 1989, featuring the haunting track “Columbus,” brought her rich, clear voice and gift for storytelling to the attention of U.S. audiences for the first time. With her ear for emerging songwriters, Black has never hesitated to introduce a new talent, share a spotlight or credit as the impressive roster of singers, musicians and songwriters that populate her impressive catalog of recordings. Proof of that too is the billing accorded newcomer RóisÃn O on the upcoming US tour.
Special guest RóisÃn O has been busily earning credits as a singer and songwriter since she left school not too many years ago. She’s supported dates with The Coronas, Imelda May, Brad Paisley and Robert Cray, recorded with Paul Brady and Mary Black, and performed at numerous festivals, including Ireland’s popular indie-rock Indiependence. Her song “Drifting” was chosen for the latest Woman’s Heart Now compilation. Come autumn 2012, the stand-out acoustic rock sound of RóisÃn O and her band, Alan Tully (guitars, vocals), Brian Murphy (bass, vocals) and Ruth O’Mahony Brady (keys, vocals), will be featured on the group’s debut CD, The Secret Life of Blue.
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Mary Black’s U.S. tour dates are as follows:
November 6-City Winery, New York City;
8-Stone Mountain Arts Centre, Brownfield, ME;
9-Strand Theatre, Rockland, ME;
10-Berklee Performance Centre, Boston;
11-Fitzgerald Theatre, St. Paul, MN;
13-The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI;
14-Miami University, Middletown, OH;
15-City Winery, Chicago;
18-Freight and Salvage, Berkeley, CA;
20-Fox Theatre, Tucson
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