Maura O'Connell embodies many paradoxes: lead singer for
De Danann, she was not a traditional Celtic singer; resident of Nashville, she is not American; collaborator with
New Grass Revival, she is not a bluegrass performer. Nevertheless,
O'Connell has made a name for herself on two continents as a superb singer.
O'Connell was born and raised in County Clare, Ireland, where she began singing at an early age. Involvement in the folk club scene led to an invitation from Celtic traditionalists
De Danann to join their ranks. Her involvement with
De Danann resulted in the recording of
Star-Spangled Mollie, a clear indication of interest in transatlantic culture.
O'Connell then began to collaborate with members of
New Grass Revival, and in particular with
Béla Fleck, who produced several of her tracks. Together with
Fleck and others, she recorded
Just in Time and made the decision to settle in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then, she has released Helpless Heart,
Blue Is the Colour of Hope, and
Real Life Story, each album registering a move toward a pop synthesis.
Stories followed in 1995, with
Wandering Home appearing two years later. As the new millennium unfolded,
O'Connell signed with Sugar Hill in late 2000 and began working on her seventh album. Instead of working with her longtime producer
Jerry Douglas,
O'Connell had
Ray Kennedy (
Steve Earle,
Lucinda Williams) produce
Walls & Windows, which was released in 2001.
Don't I Know was issued in 2004 and the a cappella album
Naked with Friends followed in 2009. ~ Leon Jackson