Images Of Ireland
Iris DeMent
The one exception to the Irish theme of this site is this page. It's dedicated to American singer/songwriter Iris DeMent. It's several years now but it was at exactly six thirty in the morning that Iris and her music crept, uninvited into my heart and made a home for themselves.
I was asleep, my alarm radio came on and I must of heard the tail end of a song. I woke up feeling that I had heard something very special but I couldn't remember what it was. The song sort of hung about, just out of reach in my head all that day. The more I tried to think about it the more elusive it became. I eventually gave up and forgot all about it. |
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A few evening later I was flicking through the satellite channels and Counrty Music TV Europe came on. Again I just caught the last few seconds of a song but I immediately knew it was the same person who's song I had heard that morning. I now had a name, Iris DeMent. I didn't know anything about Iris but it was coming up to Christmas and I told my wife that from Santa I'd like an Iris DeMent tape, if there was such a thing. |
| Christmas morning came and I got the album "My Life". Later on when I had some spare time I went up and lay on top of the bed to have a listen. I didn't know what to expect, up until this point I had only really heard a wee bit of a song. The songs and her voice were beautiful. By the time the fourth song, "Childhood Memories" was over I had a tear in my eye and had become addicted to Iris's unique voice and highly emotional songs. |  |
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Iris has been here four times. Once before I knew of her when she appeared at "The Limelight". The first time I saw Iris was at "The Elmwood Hall" in Jan. 1997. I dragged my wife Gail along for company. I was very excited about finally seeing her her in the flesh. Iris walked alone out onto the front of the stage opened her mouth and what came out was magic. I had a ball. |
| Iris came back to the same venue in
Feb. 1998 . She had a very bad flu but still delivered
the goods. After the show I got this photo signed. (I had
taken it the previous year) Iris noticed from the photo that she was still wearing the same shoes from the year before. Iris has brought out three Albums and they are excellent. "Infamous Angel", "My Life" and her most recent is "The Way I Should" My favourite is "My Life" I saw her again at the Waterfront with John Prine another favourite of mine and her voice soared on wings of gold. |
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(All the above photos by Owen Brennan)
Iris
DeMent writes songs that come straight from her heart to yours.
She has the most unique voice I ever heard.
Her song "Our Town" was played a lot here on radio after
the Omagh bomb.
To find out more about Iris go to her Official Web Site at http://www.irisdement.com or visit http://irisdement.net for further background information.
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