Meet Kerry Fearon

Kerry Fearon has joined the Downtown Country team and you can catch her weekdays from 10pm presenting Homegrown the best of Irish country music! We took the opportunity to ask her a few questions!======================================================================================================================================================================================================

1. What got you into country music?

I was brought up by parents who were keen country music fans and only minutes from Susan McCann's homeplace it's no wonder I was interested. As children we went to see Dominic Kirwan and Paddy McElherron (RIP) and the wild country show band who would visit us quite often when in Ireland and playing close by. I love the country music scene and I travel the country to see the bands. I also got the chance to speak as gaeilge on the TV show Opry an Iúir there in October on Michael English’s episode in October and for Johnny Brady there in June(aired on TG4 last night!). This was an enjoyable opportunity and it was great for me as it was in our own town hall in Newry.

For those of you who don’t know me all that well I’d like to tell you why I’m doing this. As a fully qualified Business Studies teacher I had no intention of doing what I’ve done this year! I’m quite quiet and shy and had never sung in public! My father was well known in our area for being a great singer but in June 2012 he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. By September/ October 2012 he could no longer talk. He had to write everything down. This killed us to watch. He would want to sing along to music and couldn’t. It was heart breaking. Sadly he passed away in February 2013 and I said to myself after that, that I shouldn’t waste my voice anymore. I just about got the guts to get some terrible backing tracks and I recorded with these in the Abbey Grammar school where I used to teach. This was a huge step for me and I shelved them until December when I bravely sent some to my friend Eunice who surprisingly thought I was good! The well- known singer uploaded the tracks to Sound cloud which was shared on Facebook Christmas week! I couldn’t believe the positive reaction ‘God ain’t gonna get ya’ and ‘Telescope’ got!

The week of Daddy’s anniversary in February past I began my slot on Newry Community radio and I also got the phone call asking would I do support at the Waterfront for Dominic Kirwan and Mary Duff which I jumped at the chance to do for two nights at the end of March! This was the beginning of my whirlwind year. I’m really grateful for getting that opportunity. Since then I recorded ‘What would Dolly do?’ my debut single with the super talented Wayne Golden, which has been getting plenty of airplay right across the country and I am so grateful to every DJ that has played it. It in fact made the Hot 7 chart on Downtown Country and stayed there for a good 5 weeks! I have had many opportunities to sing including a guest spot with Michael English, singing before Susan McCann in the Carrickdale, Lunchtime with the ladies as part of the Monaghan Country music festival with Gloria, singing at dances with my good friend Gareth Pritchard and at Dominic’s weekend in Omagh as well as various concerts organised by Sean Wallace and more! I was even given the opportunity by Phil Mack to introduce some of the artists on to the stage at his show in the Armagh City Hotel back in June. I really can’t believe the opportunities that have come my way and I am so grateful for all of them, I just can’t believe them! Getting to interview the stars at the Irish TV CMA’s for Downtown Country was another amazing experience which I thoroughly enjoyed! I had actually given up on doing a video for WWDD but I met Aidan Farrelly from Bad Apple Films by pure accident and I’m so glad I did! The video has been shown now on five different TV shows.

2. Do you prefer Irish or American country music?

I have to say I love both. I have always preferred American country to listen to and now for recording etc. but for me the Irish country music scene isn’t just music; it’s my whole social life as nothing beats going dancing to these bands and it is essentially, a way of life!

3. What is the country music scene like in Ireland at the minute; has it developed much over the past 5 years?

The country music scene is absolutely booming here right now! From the perspective of someone who goes dancing to the live bands it’s pretty much like an addiction! You’re always planning the next thing. You’re always checking what bands are where and planning ahead and filling up the diary! Dancers will travel up to an hour and a half to and home from any venue if it’s a band / singer that they follow. If it’s any further there are always deals in the hotels that dances are held in. I’ve been all over the country, as far as Wexford, Cork, Waterford etc. to see bands especially Michael English and I even went to Scotland to see him! The road trips are brilliant though! I’m going to see Dominic Kirwan in Scotland at the end of this month!

For me though, like a lot of others, Nathan Carter definitely made Irish country cool again. He deserves a lot of credit and has attracted younger age groups to the whole scene. I went to see him a few years back and that was the start of my crazy dancing life but I wouldn’t change it for anything. You meet people from all over the country and you could see them at any venue in the country! You’re guaranteed to know someone at any of the dances! It’s a whole community. Derek Ryan is also attracting the younger audiences and he is really doing well right now too. So many artists are now coming out of the woodwork too! There’s so much talent out there. As well as the dances, (which could be any night of the week really) there are concerts on and dancing weekends and festivals all over the country! There seems to be something on somewhere every night of the week! There really is so much happening! As for the dancing, jiving lessons have really taken off the past few years too.

4. Who are your favourite country music acts in Ireland / America at the minute?

In Ireland probably Michael English, Nathan Carter, Dominic Kirwan, Jordan Mogey , John McNicholl.

In America my favourites are Ashley Monroe. My latest single is a cover of Ashley Monroe’s ‘Winning Streak’ taken from her current album ‘The Blade’. I also love Little Big Town and actually way too many to name!

5. Kerry is also a contestant for this year's

Filming starts for Glór Tíre on November 9th in Galway so I have to be there for 3 nights that week and I have to sing 4 songs including a duet with my mentor, the fabulous John McNicholl! I haven’t fully decided on songs yet so I’m starting to panic a little!! The TV show will then be broadcast in January and that’s when it will be open for voting to get on to the live shows which will take place in March / April so I’ll be needing your votes to get that far!! It should be a great experience and it will give me some exposure as I’m still trying to get my name out there. I’m nervous but I’m very excited and I’m looking forward to meeting new people as well as getting to work more with John! It’s going to be a hectic few weeks!

You can support Kerry on Glór Tíre and keep up to date with her progress on the show !

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