Enya pays tribute to Jimmy Faulkner on new album

The track was the last one recorded for the highly anticipated record And Winter Came, which is scheduled for release on November 7, in Ireland and November 10 in the UK.

The song was completed just in time for a special launch party held in London last night and attended by representatives of Warners from all over the world, as well as selected media, inlcuding key press, radio and television.

"We had eleven tracks done," producer Nicky Ryan revealed. "But we just wanted to do something for Jimmy. He was one of the unsung heroes, a really unassuming guy and a great guitar player. There's a lot of them out there, and so it was something we felt strongly about. So it became the final track."

Played separately, as it had not yet been slotted into the album's running order, it is a real departure for Enya, featuring a sweet guitar solo by Dublin blues musician Pat Farrell. "His playing is great. He's another one of those unsung heroes," Nicky added.

While it will be seen as the first time a guitar has featured on an Enya record, that isn't strictly the case. "No, from memory, there was guitar on the Celts record," Enya's lyricist Roma Ryan commented. "But it is beautiful."

The event was held in the prestige confines of 2 Temple Place, which was brilliantly decorated for the occasion, in the theme of the album with snow falling and a huge white horse bringing to mind scenes from Russia in the 19th century.

Vice President of Warners, John Reid – who presented the singer with a special set of mounted records to mark the 20th anniversary of her breakthrough record Watermark – described the new album, which was played for those who attended, as "Enya's best work yet."

"We only just finished the record, so I'm really excited about it," Enya told Hot Press. "It's all so fresh, it's brilliant. I'm only really hearing things in their final running order for the first time. It's been so hectic for the past two months, but it is brilliant now to have it ready."

Enya was in sparkling form throughout what was a very warm and personal occasion, chatting with members of the Irish contingent, which included Warners boss Pat Creed, Kate Kennedy and Priscilla Kotey, as well as Kathleen Watkins and Robert Tully of Beaumex.