| It was obvious from an early age where
Eleanor McEvoy's interests lay. The career of one of Ireland's most
popular songwriters started at age four when she began piano lessons. Eleanor's
passion for classical music began at age eight when she took up the violin.
Upon finishing school she attended the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin
where Eleanor studied music by day and worked in pit orchestras by
night.
She graduated from Trinity with an honours
degree and was accepted to the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Eleanor
worked with the Symphony Orchestra for four years before she finally took
the plunge and left the classical world behind her to concentrate on her
real passion - songwriting.
Eleanor McEvoy achieved star status in
Ireland in 1992 when her own song "Only A Woman's Heart" inspired the title
for, and appeared on, the "A Woman's Heart" anthology album. It has since
gone on to become the best selling album in Irish history. "A Woman's Heart"
stayed in the Top 10 for over a year and still remains in the Irish charts
to this day.
Eleanor was awarded the Irish Recorded
Music Association Award for Best New Artist in 1992 and the Irish National
Entertainment Award for Best New Artist in 1993.
Hot Press, Irelands premier music magazine,
named her Best Solo Performer in 1992 and Best Songwriter in
1993.
A year later saw the worldwide release
of her self-titled debut on Geffen Records,
"Eleanor McEvoy". International radio hits
followed with the release of the two main singles "Apologise" and a re-recorded
version of "A Woman's Heart". Eleanor toured the USA, Europe and the Far
East in support of the album, building up a loyal fanbase and racking up
international sales. Hot Press, again lauded Eleanor, placing the album amongst
the top debuts of that year.
In 1995 Eleanor, together with her band,
performed for 80,000 people gathered in Dublin to see US President, Bill
Clinton.
1996 was a busy year for Eleanor starting
with the release of her second album on Columbia Records, "What's Following
Me?" "Precious Little", the first single, was a top ten radio hit in the
US. Eleanor again toured internationally in support of the second album playing
to sold out venues in the USA and Europe. |
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"A Glass Unkissed" from the same album
was featured in ABC Television's "Clueless" and "Whisper A Prayer To The
Moon" was featured in the Pierce Brosnan film, "The Nephew", which was released
August 1998.
Eleanor's involvement with film continued
with her performance of "The Seabird" for the soundtrack of "Some Mother's
Son" written by "Riverdance" composer Bill Whelan.
Eleanor released her third album
"Snapshots" in 1999. Eleanor explains
the title for the album: "A snapshot is more honest than a portrait. With
a portrait your subject is posing - dressed up and in makeup. With a snapshot,
you get the picture, warts and all".
The album exposes the foibles, dysfunctions
and wry ironies of modern life. Calling herself "a songwriter, first and
foremost", McEvoy's primary goal was to make "Snapshots" her most song-orientated
effort to date.
"I started with a very clear concept and
I wanted every musical brush stroke, every nuance, every arrangement and
every vocal expression to be focused on the meaning and life of the song",
she explains. Toward that goal, McEvoy hooked up with producer Rupert
Hine (who has previously worked with Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner
and Duncan Sheik) and recorded the album in Rupert's home studio
in his chateau in France and then in Metropolis Studios in
London.
"A great record is like a good friend,"
she concludes. "It's like somebody you can talk to, who understands you when
you're down. Maybe that 'friend' is Loudon Wainwright III, Edith
Piaf or R.E.M. But it's someone who can heal the hurt, and that's
what's really important." With this in mind, it's no wonder that Eleanor
has so many loyal and dedicated fans around the globe. Her songs communicate
honestly and eloquently to many people on subjects, which are common to us
all.
This organic attitude to music has won
her many fans and as a song writer, Eleanor has had songs covered by artists
as diverse as Emmylou Harris, Sonja Kristina, Mary Black
and Phil Coulter.
Eleanor
McEvoy Feature
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