Mary Coughlan: Life Stories

Ireland’s Mary Coughlan is arguably the greatest female singer to have emerged from Ireland in recent times, the equivalent of Irish vocal royalty. The word ‘legend’ is not one to be used lightly, but in this case is entirely appropriate. Dubbed as Ireland’s Billie Holiday, Mary is a jazz & blues singer whose life story gives weight to the truth that the best singers are the ones with the most painful lives” (The Guardian). Whether into folk, blues or jazz, no one can fail to be moved by the emotional depth, expression & power in her voice, forged from an extraordinary life.

Mary rocketed to fame in 1985 with her debut album, Tired and Emotional. Seventeen years later, with as many albums under her belt, she is known as one of Ireland’s greatest soulful jazz and blues singers of all time, a true artist who has crafted a timeless and highly regarded versatile career with devoted fans worldwide.

She has lived through childhood trauma, alcoholism and drug addition to become a musical force like no other; redeemed and transformed through the creative power of music. She embraces each song with empathy, courage interspersed with humour, emotions that reach way beyond the stage connecting with each and everyone in the audience. Her velvet voice continues to mesmerise live audiences in sold out houses throughout Europe, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

“While the comparisons have run the gamut from Holiday to Mathilde Santing to Janis Joplin, one thing is certain that Mary’s voice is her own.” The Observer (UK)

“Mary Coughlan is still casting her earthy, Irish spells, as she has been doing for 35 years. The chief ingredient in her incantations is hardly unique: emotional truth should be a basic building-block of all singing and all art. Setting Coughlan’s espousal of this candour apart are the other spells with which she adulterates it and intensifies it.” – Sydney Morning Herald

Mary Coughlan : Vocals
Brett Hirst: Double bass
Matt McMahon: Piano
James Nash: Guitar

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Lend an Ear: Living Arts Canberra

Street One | Reserved | Duration 90 Minutes
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