IF THERE were ever any doubts in the past about the credibility of Irish country artists in the international arena, Sandy Kelly’s latest album, Kelly’s Heroes, will certainly help to redress the situation. For on this ambitious project, she duets with some of the biggest names on the American country music scene.

Living legends like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Chet Atkins and newcomers like Hal Ketchum and Gary Morris, join Sandy on some old and new songs, and the result is a unique collaboration, matching the most popular female country artist in Ireland with some of the best in the world.

The undoubted highlight of Kelly’s Heroes is a duet with the late Patsy Cline on the classic ‘Walking After Midnight’. This was achieved by using the original tape of Patsy’s voice and re-mixing it to blend in with Sandy’s performance. While it could have proved controversial and sensitive, it had the blessing of the late singer’s husband Charlie Dick, who said of Sandy: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I would probably rate her an 11.” Praise indeed!

BEST INTERPRETER

The album was recorded near Nashville, Tennessee under the guiding eye of producer Harold Bradely, who in the past has played guitar with Patsy Cline as well as on numerous Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison hits.

Though she’s been in the music business for over three decades it’s in the last five years that Sandy’s career has really taken off and made her the household name that she is today. With a string of awards, TV appearances and sell-out tours, her rich, sweet voice has become instantly recognisable. Kelly’s Heroes will undoubtedly establish her as a major star on the international scene as well as consolidating her already high profile in Ireland.

Sandy Kelly has been performing literally all her life, her first professional appearance being at the age of three as a magician’s assistant on her family’s travelling show! She took up singing and turned professional in her teens, appearing all over the North of England before returning to Ireland to join the successful Fairways Showband as their lead singer.

At the end of the 70’s Sandy teamed up with her sister Barbara and two cousins to form The Duskeys singing group who eventually went on to represent Ireland in the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest. Following that, she spent some time on the cabaret and dance circuit before returning to her first love – country music.

She met with almost immediate success and was awarded the ‘Gold Star Award’ in the 1985 Country Music Masters, a superb achievement as she was competing against 12 other countries. Sandy was subsequently invited to represent Ireland at the Country Music Association International Show in Nashville, Tennessee in 1985 and 1989. This led to a new record contract with K-Tel Records and a management deal with Kieran Cavanagh Productions.

It was a cover of a Patsy Cline song, ‘Crazy’ which linked Sandy’s name with that of the late country singer. It soon became obvious that she was one of the best interpreters of Patsy Cline songs and she starred in her own tribute to the legendary country singer, which ran for a sell-out two weeks in Dublin.

UNDISPUTED QUEEN

Sandy Kelly’s meeting with Johnny Cash was one of those stories of which showbiz legends are made. Cash had heard Sandy on the radio while touring Ireland in 1989 and asked her to appear as a guest artist on one of his shows. He was even more impressed with her live performance and invited her to come to Nashville to record with him.

In Nashville she made her presence felt quickly. She recorded with Johnny Cash under the production of Harold Bradley, who had played guitar on many of Elvis Presley’s hits. She also fulfilled a life-long ambition by appearing on the Grand Old Opry and she appeared on a top-rating network TV country show with a coast-to-coast audience of 45 million viewers.

Accompanying her to Nashville was an Irish film crew who put together a documentary on Sandy’s life and career to date. It was called The Showman’s Daughter and was screened on RTE 1 in 1990. She toured the British Isles with Johnny Cash in ’90 and ’91 and earlier this year Sandy landed her own 13 part TV series on RTE television. Broadcast every Sunday night it drew a massive viewing audience and consolidated Sandy Kelly’s position as the most popular female country vocalist in Ireland.

Without question she is now the undisputed Queen of Country Music in Ireland.

TRACK BY TRACK

The thirteen songs on Kelly’s Heroes include some well known country classics as well as some new songs but they are all performed by Sandy and her friends with passion and intensity. This is the star-studded line-up . . .

‘Against The Wind’ is a Bob Seger song from his 1980 album of the same name. Sandy is joined here by the great Willie Nelson – his unmistakeably fragile, cracked voice sounding as good as ever.

‘Half A Mind’ is written and sung with George Hamilton V. His father is of course, George Hamilton IV who starred in a long running TV series which brought country music to the masses, years before it became popular with a wider listening audience. He is very much his own man playing the brand of country music known to younger audiences as ‘Punkabilly’.

‘Walking After Midnight’ needs no introduction for country fans. One of Patsy Cline’s biggest and greatest hits it was also her first successful single when it was released in 1957. It has been recently covered by k d Lang among many others. Sandy Kelly performs a duet with Patsy herself on this version, thanks to the magic of modern technology.

‘By The Time The Leaves Turn To Brown’ is performed here with Hal Ketchum, who recently scored a massive country hit in the U.S. with Mick Hanly’s ‘Past The Point Of Rescue’. This song was also written by Irish songwriters, Brendan Graham and Charlie McGettigan.

‘Woodcarver’ features a close friend of Sandy’s, the legendary Johnny Cash who has played a large part in her acceptance by the Nashville fraternity. Cash is no stranger to collaborations with Irish musicians and has recently performed on U2’s Zooropa album.

‘As We Danced’ is sung with the Rhinestone Cowboy himself Glen Campbell, who had a string of hits in the late sixties and early seventies many of them penned by Jimmy Webb, a recent visitor to Ireland.

‘I Love You Only’ features Sandy dueting with country star Gary Morris, a Texas singer who’s had over a dozen No. 1’s to his credit and who had the original hit with ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’, before Bette Midler took it to the top of the charts.

‘I Will Whisper Your Name’ is written and performed here with Sandy by Randy Van Warmer. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, you may remember his hit of 15 years ago, ‘Just When I Needed You Most’. Since then Randy has embraced country music both as a singer and songwriter and this appearance with Sandy may help re-establish him with audiences on this side of the Atlantic.

‘Old Flames’ brings together Sandy and Tommy Cash, brother of the “man in black”. Though not as well known as Johnny, he is a highly respected figure in country music circles and he tours incessantly. Sandy had toured with Tommy in 1991 and the partnership proved very successful.

‘Jambalaya’ is one of Hank Williams’ best known songs and was a big hit for the Carpenters in the seventies. On this song Sandy is joined by Hank’s ‘long lost’ daughter, Jett Williams. Remarkably it has only been in her adult years that Jett has discovered that she was in fact the daughter of Hank Williams and she has now successfully pursued her rights to share in the fortune created by her father’s legacy.

‘Crazy’ again matches Sandy up with Willie Nelson. The song, a sensual country ballad was written by Willie and is a classic of its kind. It was a hit for Patsy Cline and has also been covered by many others including Linda Ronstadt.

‘The Way Old Friends Do’ is a song duet with George Hamilton IV, who is known as country music’s ‘Ambassador’ for his part in taking country music to the four corners of the earth. George Hamilton has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1959.

‘Love Can Build A Bridge’ unites all the participants of Kelly’s Heroes for a grande finale on this song made famous by The Judds. A special guest on this one is the legendary guitarist, Chet Atkins who recently collaborated with Mark Knopfler and who played on numerous Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves hits in the past.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT SANDY KELLY

“It was a pleasure to sing with my favourite female artist. She has been Ireland’s greatest ambassador. It was an honour to be included on her album.” – Johnny Cash.

“Sandy Kelly is, in my opinion, one of the top 15 female artists in the world.” – Willie Nelson.

“Sandy’s voice is sweet, rich and full of conviction. It was a joy to sing with her.” – Hal Ketchum.

“This lady sings straight from the heart. One of the best you’ll ever hear. And I’m proud to have her as a friend.” – Charlie Dick (husband of the late Patsy Cline).

“Sandy Kelly is superb. It was an honour to participate in this historic project and a special pleasure to spend time with Sandy.” – Jett Williams (daughter of Hank Williams Snr.)

“Producing this album with Sandy and her duet partners was the greatest musical experience of my career. As we recorded each song with our friends, there was a wonderful feeling of something special happening.” – Harold Bradley (producer of Kelly’s Heroes)