Life & Style

Ten Minutes with...Sandy Kelly

OVER the course of her career country singer Sandy Kelly has achieved global acclaim.

Starting her career at age three — with the family roadshow — she has represented Ireland in the Eurovision and earned multiple gold records to date.

Her hit duets with legends like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson and her Patsy Cline tributes have placed her among the great country singers.

She is on tour in Ireland next month, with Eurovision runner-up Marc Roberts, who is renowned for his tribute to John Denver.

Ms Kelly will be touring Britain later in the year.

Sandy Kelly's latest tour kicks off in Ireland next month (Pic: Colin Gillen)

This week she took some time out to talk to the Irish Post...

What are you up to?

At the moment I’m very busy promoting and rehearsing for my upcoming tour of Ireland. There’s always a lot of work to do before a tour even starts.

Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine?

Every time I hear Johnny Cash sing Hurt it sends a shiver down my spine. The honesty and rawness of his vocals on this recording is remarkable, he laid bare his soul and that takes courage.

Which musician or singer has most influenced you?

I’m sorry to be repetitive but I’d have to say that Johnny Cash has influenced me the most. Recording and working with him taught me so much about performing and humility. He was also incredibly funny often playing jokes on his family and other members of the band.

You’ve played with a huge number of country legends: Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tammy Wynette and many more. Who would you say was the one person who most impressed you?

All of the people mentioned above impressed me in one way or another but Waylon Jennings was an incredible artist and person, I worked with him a few times the first was when I did an Irish tour with him back in 1988. He then went back to Nashville and told Johnny Cash about me which changed my whole life.

What’s on your smartphone playlist at the minute?

Niall McCabe’s new album. Niall is from Clare Island and is one of the most exciting singer songwriters at the moment.

Could tell us about the influence that being born into grandfather Dan’s Variety Roadshow gave you?

I was born into my grandfather’s travelling variety show. I was surrounded by creativity, music, comedy, drama and magic. I absorbed it all growing up and learned something new every day to perfect my craft which has served me well during my career and I still love to learn new things today.

What are your Irish roots?

On my mother's side all come from Sligo and on my father’s side all from Belfast.

What is your favourite place in Ireland?

Sligo where I’m from and live, and has always been my favourite place in Ireland. I live in Strandhill, and when I’m home I can look out at the beautiful Atlantic every day.

What would you say has been your proudest moment on stage?

Definitely my proudest moment on stage was when I got the chance to do a concert with my late sister Barbara and my band for the Irish Peacekeeping Forces in Lebanon. I was so very proud of our Irish Soldiers, they do an absolutely amazing job.

Do you have a favourite venue?

My all time favourite has to be The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. It’s the mother church of country music and when you stand on the circle of wood centre stage you’re standing where all of the great legends stood through the years it’s an unbelievable feeling.

Which living person do you most admire?

I really admire Miriam Margolyes for many reasons — not least that she is brutally honest and doesn’t suffer fools. I love that. She is a wonderful actress very adventurous , very caring of others, and she really makes me laugh.

Which trait in others do you most admire?

I really admire humility in people I think it’s one of the best qualities anyone can have.

What would be your motto?

I try to be thankful and positive every day.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

My late record producer and mentor in Nashville Harold Bradley when recording my first album there told me that talent alone wasn’t enough. What I needed to be was persistent and I also needed to be ready when my big break came. He was right about that: a few years later Johnny Cash came knocking at my door and RTÉ gave me my own TV series and I was ready.

What’s best thing about where you live?

The best thing about where I live is the ocean.

What’s the greatest lesson life has taught you?

The greatest lesson life has taught me is to never take anyone or anything for granted. Your life can change in a split second so try to cherish the people in your life and what you have.

What do you believe in?

I’m not a very religious person but I do believe in prayer. It helps me when I need help getting through difficult times prayer helps me cope. I also pray at the side of the stage before I go out in front of an audience that helps settle my nerves.