How would you describe your sound?

Easy listening. Depending on the song or gig my sound can either be a little jazzy, with a hint of Broadway, or it can be a mix of folk and Country ballads.

What genre/genres do you consider your music to be?

Folk, traditional, country, jazz, world, celtic, musical theatre.

How long have you been performing?

I’ve been playing traditional music on the whistle since I was six years old and singing professionally since I was 17.

Where do you perform?

I perform at the Lough Erne Golf Resort and at various events throughout the year such as weddings, Christmas events, wedding showcases, corporate events, art exhibitions and concerts.

What is your favourite song to play and why?

At the minute one of my favourite songs to sing is ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ by Diana Ross because it’s a really beautiful song.

What has been your biggest gig to date?

I toured the world performing in over 40 countries between 2002 and 2016 with various Irish music and dance productions, and some of the biggest concerts included The Kremlin Palace Theatre in Moscow, The Acropolis in Athens, The Palais De Congrès in Paris, The National Theatre in Taipei and at the Ancient Pyramids in Cairo.

Who are your major influences?

Mary Black, Eva Cassidy, Cara Dillon, Loreena McKennitt, Alison Kraus, Emmy-Lou Harris, Dolly Parton and all the great divas like Celine, Whitney, and Mariah to name but a few!

Do you write your own songs? What inspires your songwriting?

I wouldn’t consider myself a song writer, more so an interpreter of songs, but I have composed some instrumentals and these melodies just pop in to my head. One of these instrumentals featured on my last album ‘Skylark’ and another one will be on my next Celtic music album that I’m currently working on in the studio.

What would be your dream gig?

A packed house at the Ardhowen Theatre!

Best moment as a musician so far?

One best moment would be being told that my audition for the first show I toured with had been successful and that I would be heading to Thailand and Malaysia a couple of weeks later.

What is the most unusual venue you have played?

I played anumber of gigs in a mine in Germany that had been turned into a concert venue. Each day we were given hard hats, boarded the underground train and off we went deep into the old mineral mine which was still run by many of the retired miners. A great experience!

What is your ‘go-to’ encore song?

It depends on the gig and on the audience - if it’s a folk/trad gig then I’d probably finish with a set of tunes on the whistle. Otherwise, I might finish with Dolly Parton’s version of ‘I Will Always Love You’ or Diana Ross’s ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me.’

What’s the best thing about performing?

Performing has afforded me the opportunity to travel the world at a young age, meet lots of people and make life long friends. I still get offered tours but I’m very happy to be performing at home now.

Do you always perform solo or do you also play with a band?

At the moment I play solo or as a duo.

What does 2020 hold for you?

More time in the studio to work on my next album, more weddings, and maybe one or two new musical projects if I get the time.

Any last words?

Thank you to The Impartial for featuring me this week! And to all the local venues that book me for their events including Hambly & Hambly at Dunbar House, The Manor House, Lusty Beg Island and Lough Erne Golf Resort!