Sandy Kelly: In My Own Words

Sandy Kelly is one of Ireland’s most successful singers. Her awards and achievements include representing Ireland in the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with The Duskeys, winning the European Gold Star Award for country music in 1985 and representing Ireland at the CMA International Fan Fair in Nashville in 1985 and 1989. Her personal career highlights are recording ‘Woodcarver’ with Johnny Cash, which achieved gold record status, and receiving a gold record for her version of the Willie Nelson song ‘Crazy’ in 1989. Sandy has recorded and toured with a host of legendary US country artists, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Glen Campbell, Tammy Wynette, George Hamilton IV and Chet Atkins.Through her prime-time TV series, Sandy, on RTÉ, she got to meet and duet with many of her musical heroes, from Irish stars like Ronnie Drew, Big Tom, Dolores Keane and Philomena Begley to international names such as Charley Pride, Emmylou Harris, Demis Roussos and Leo Sayer. She’ll tell you herself that she has, on more than one occasion, felt the presence of Patsy Cline’s ghost, most memorably on a West End stage while singing ‘Crazy’.

• Foreword by Shay Hennessy 7Introduction 131. The Showman’s Daughter 162. My Magical Childhood on the Show 303. Dusky Dan & Maggie Brennan 434. Goodbye to the Show 525. Life in Ballintogher 606. My Sister Barbara – The Early Years 697. Wales 768. The Fairways & Mike Kelly 919. Something’s Lost, but Something’s Gained 10910. My Daughter Barbara – Sometimes Miracles Hide 118 11. Gone Country 13412. The Power of a Prayer 15213. ‘Woodcarver’ 16214. My Journey with Johnny & June 17215. Sandy – the TV Series 18716. Branson – Cash Country 19617. Patsy 21718. My Sister Barbara – the Later Years 23819. Leaving it all Behind 253Acknowledgments 265Index 265

an absolutely fantastic read