Bluegrass darling brings original songs to Longford

Press release:

LONGFORD, September 2006 – Ruth Dillon, a Clonmel-born singer-songwriter, will perform her original folk and bluegrass songs at Eamon Farrell's Town and Country Pub on Earl Street on Friday 15 September and Saturday 16 September, 10 p.m. Ruth will sing and 'flatpick' her acoustic guitar and is joined by two world-class bluegrass musicians, Ivor Ottley (UK) on fiddle and Longford resident Tom Hanway (USA) on banjo.

Ms Dillon, who is the darling of the Americana and folk music scene in Galway, served an impressive apprenticeship with the Dolores Keane band for five years, with whom she travelled the world. Since then, she has released two solo CDs of all-original songs, Silent thief and Woken. She also performs with Ivor Ottley in Wildwood, and the two recently made guest appearances in August with Hanway's Tennessee Hob at the Dunmore East International Bluegrass Festival, Ireland's biggest free bluegrass festival.

Ottley, Hanway, and Dillon will perform original and traditional bluegrass material, ranging from hard-driving bluegrass instrumentals to softer ballads, Americana, and gospel songs. All three musicians sing and the powerful combination of hoedown fiddle, banjo, and guitar is guaranteed to lift folks off their seats.

Tom Hanway (USA/Ireland) is one of the hottest 5-string banjo players on the planet and has performed on the stage with Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass, and with many bluegrass and Americana legends, including Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, Bill Keith, and Tony Trischka. Tom Hanway co-designed the worldwide-selling SwallowTail Banjo, manufactured by Stelling in Afton, Virginia, USA. (Actor Steve Martin purchased a SwallowTail in 2006.) Tom is the author of Mel Bay's Complete book of Irish & Celtic 5-string banjo, and in 2005 held the prized banjo chair in the #1 European Bluegrass Band, voted by his musical peers in EBMA.

The combination of Ottley, Hanway, and Dillon will delight with their original songs, luscious harmonies, and hard-driving bluegrass picking.

Contact: Tom Hanway, 043-46340 or 087 610 1712