Music
12 Jul 11

Time finally tells for Valerie Armstrong

She’s been waiting a lifetime but Mary Coughlan’s former backing singer Valerie Armstrong has finally realised a long-held ambition. She has released the first single from her new album Time Has Told Me which is due out in September.

The single is an acoustic cover of Massive Attack’s hit 'Teardrop'. Some of Ireland’s top musical talents collaborated on the album including producer Larry Hogan and former Hothouse Flowers member Liam O’Maonlaí.
The album also includes a Nick Drake cover and a collection of traditional tunes from her early singing career.
It is a return of sorts for Valerie, as she had parked her musical career to raise her children after marrying and moving to Co Wicklow in 1981.
Her talent was apparent from an early age. She started singing and playing the harp aged 12, going on to win the All-Ireland Feis Ceol in 1972.
By the age of 15, Valerie had joined Jury’s Irish Cabaret as part of the Sion Hill Harpists before joining the renowned musicians at Bunratty Castle.
Over the next few years she worked as a session singer with numerous artists including Bill Whelan of Riverdance and performed backing vocals for artists such as Mary Coughlan and Rita Connolly.