Iris DeMent at Kilkenny, 24 July 2008

Iris DeMent: Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny, Thurs. 24 July 8.00 p.m.
Tickets 056 7761674

Iris DeMent, arguably one of the most important signer/songwriters to have emerged in this field in the last decade-and-a-half, has been described by Merle Haggard as 'the greatest singer I have ever heard'.

In stark contrast to the vast number of bland and superficial songs churned out by the multimillion-dollar country music industry, DeMent's songs are direct, honest and deeply personal commentaries on the issues facing ordinary working people. Love, family life, death of loved ones, forgiveness and the warmth of human companionship are constant themes in DeMent's songs.

Such subjects, of course, are common to all popular music, but the emotional richness of DeMent's singing, the simple lyricism of her poetry, underpinned by the deep musical tradition of Loretta Lynn, the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Southern gospel music, transform these everyday themes into profoundly moving comments on society and the human condition in general.

DeMent's affinity with working people is not some affectation. Born on 5 January 1961 in rural Arkansas, the youngest of 14 children, DeMent has known hard times much of her life. The devoutly religious DeMent family were farmers, but economic difficulties forced them off of the land. Iris's father Patrick took up factory work in the local town of Paragould. In 1964, after a year of determined, but unsuccessful, attempts by her father and other workers to organise a union at the plant, the family moved to California.

Her initial musical training was provided by her family and the church. Upon graduating from high school she moved to Kansas City. She took up songwriting seriously when she turned 25 and sang at various open mike sessions at local clubs. In 1988 she moved to Nashville, where she secured a recording contract.

Her first album, Infamous angel, was released in 1992 and explored themes like religious skepticism, living in a small town, lamenting 'nothing good ever lasts', and forgiving human frailty. In her second album, My life, released in 1994, she continued the personal and introspective approach. My life was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category. DeMent's third album, The way I should, was released in 1996. Featuring the notable 'Wasteland of the free', it is DeMent's most political work, and covers topics like sexual abuse, religion, government policy, and Vietnam. After a hiatus during the late 1990s and early 2000s, she released her fourth album, Lifeline, in 2004.

She gained some notice singing the Merle Haggard song 'Big city' on Tulare dust: tribute to Merle Haggard, a 1994 various-artists tribute album. In 1995 her song 'Our town' was played in the closing moments of the last episode for the popular CBS TV series 'Northern exposure', gaining DeMent more fans.

DeMent has sung duets with John Prine (on 'In spite of ourselves'), Steve Earle, and Emmylou Harris, and is featured on the albums of many other performers. She has made frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor's 'Prairie Home Companion', and appeared in the 2000 film Songcatcher, playing the character Rose Gentry and singing on the soundtrack as well.

A small measure of the respect DeMent commands is indicated by the musicians from a broad range of musical streams who assisted in the production of The way I should. This included talented country harmonica player and vocalist Delbert McClinton, blues guitarist Lonnie Mack, bluegrass great Earl Scruggs, rock guitarist Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits, and others.

When listening to Iris DeMent one makes a direct connection to all that is genuine, compassionate and humane in the rich heritage of American country and traditional music, as in DeMent's 'Wasteland of the free' and its biting condemnation of a society where 'the poor are considered the enemy'. One senses that DeMent's cautious, but determined confidence in humanity, her honest devotion to the cause of working men and women, and her acute artistic sensitivity and creative skills will be even more powerfully expressed in future recordings.

Tom Stapleton
The Music Store
Roscrea
Rep of Ireland
tel. +353 (0)505 23481