Mary Coughlan

Perth Theatre, April 9

She’s recognised by many as the greatest singer ever to come out of Ireland. And with a recent RTE Radio chart-topping single Let It Be Me and a new album Live and Kicking under her belt, Mary Coughlan is still rightly seen as the equivalent of Irish vocal royalty, both timeless and hugely respected, in a career spanning more than 30 years.

Whether into folk, blues or jazz, no one can fail to be moved by the emotional depth, expression and power in her voice, forged from an extraordinary life, including overcoming alcohol and drug addiction caused by childhood abuse.

Mary had a tough start in life, which she has never been shy of documenting in the past: drugs and alcohol were a mainstay in her early years, living rough in London following a period in a mental institution.

Scraping a living, she waited on tables and swept streets before heading back home in the early 1970s, where she rekindled her love of music and in particular, her adoration of the likes of Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, Dusty Springfield, Frank Sinatra and Van Morrison.

She met Dutch musician Erik Visser and through their collaborations over the next decade, Mary shot to overnight fame in 1985 through her debut album Tired and Emotional, which was a big hit in Ireland.

TV and radio grabbed her and promoters across Ireland and the UK wanted a piece of the action.

Suddenly, from pub and club singer, Mary Coughlan’s, soulful, seductive jazz and blues vocals transformed her into a European force with America the next on her hit list.

Fifteen further solo albums, most recently the self-written Scars on the Calendar with Erik Visser, followed by Live and Kicking, recorded live at Vicar Street in Dublin, have ensured her popularity on both sides of the Atlantic, while she has filled concert halls in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Scandinavia and the UK, gathering a legion of devoted fans worldwide.

During those successful years though, it’s been a rollercoaster ride of massive highs and terrible lows, creating deep emotional scars alongside incredible musical achievements.

And as someone who wears her heart on her sleeve, admitting she finds it easier to love than to accept being loved, it’s no surprise she has the ability to connect so emotionally and empathically with both the song and her audience.

Mary Coughlan is the real thing, her songs come from the depths of her heart and soul and she is the epitome of the tragic, troubled artistic genius who, thankfully, has successfully negotiated that rollercoaster ride to redemption and her rightful place among some of the all-time greats.

www.horsecross.co.uk

Mary will be taking to the stage in Perth on Monday.