Musical Royalty to headline Dunmore Bluegrass Festival

Mary Jean Lewis and the Low Men will perform over the three day Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival and fans can expect Mary Jean’s trademark enthusiasm, energy and excitement, synonymous with an entertainer who is just coming into her own.

However behind that fresh vitality comes decades of experience.  Her first proving ground as a teenage girl was Memphis, Tennessee.  Hardly surprising considering her uncle Jerry Lee Lewis helped make the Tennessee city the cradle of rock ‘n’ roll.

Mary Jean has found her place in the sun under the bright talents of the Low Men. A hand - picked band, all crack roots experts, the Low Men provide Mary Jean with the kind of accompaniment that brings out the best in her.

The band blends virtuosity with spontaneity, creating a tight sound that maintains the heart and the soul of the deepest veins of Mary Jean’s American musical past. The Low Men bring out the best in each other and show that the singer is a wholly distinctive artist with a voice and a sound all her own.

According to Mary Jean Lewis, “Roots music is very personal and intimate. Every player has a profound influence on the sound and the feel.  I remember my days back in Sandy Bayou where everyone would get together and take turns singing songs on the front porch. Those times are such a part of who I am and why I love this music the way I do. It wasn’t just our entertainment. It was our way of life.” 

Mick Daly, Festival Founder and Organiser, is thrilled to have a performer of Mary Jean’s calibre performing at the festival.  “Mary Jean Lewis is without a shadow of a doubt, a musical legend.  From an early age she couldn’t but be influenced by her uncle, Jerry Lee Lewis.  But she has also experienced so much musically and culturally and has lived and performed in Louisiana, Nashville, England and Scotland, drawing on the influences of these places.”

“Mary Jean draws on a wide range of country, blues and rock ‘n’ roll and her powerful voice and soulful lyrics will be a huge hit to festival goers.” Mick added.

The line-up of the 19^th Guinness International Bluegrass Festival from August 22^nd to 25^th will feature an eclectic mix of bluegrass, country, swing, blues, rhythm and rock ‘n’ roll acts from Ireland and further afield.

For more information about the 19^th Guinness International Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival in Co. Waterford you can download the bluegrass brochure from www.discoverdunmore.com.