Gráinne Duffy - Grainne Duffy (Live) (2015)

Grainne Loucia Duffy, professionally known as Grainne Duffy, is a guitarist, singer and songwriter from Ireland. Her specific genres include Soul, Blues and Americana enriched with some country and pop elements. Duffy is known for her exceptional voice inspired by the wellsprings of Memphis but it also reflects the rich undercurrents of her Irish Celtic roots. One of her trademarks is her poetically crafted lyrics and her enigmatic stage presence. 2008 saw Duffy play 3 days at the Acoustic stage at the world renowned Glastonbury Festival 2008. In 2009 she was approached by BBC to record a version of the Oleta Adams song ‘Get Here’ for a TV promotion campaign. It was recorded at the prestigious George Martin’s Air Studios in London. In March 2018, Spotify listed Duffy as in the Top 50 Women Honouring Blues.

Its not every day that you discover a rare, honest talent such as Grainne Duffys, whose musical passion is attested by anybody whos seen and heard her live on stage. Grainne Duffy is a unique artist and has proved precisely that with her first live album. Like a lot of Irish people, the 29-year-old from Castleblayney in County Monaghan has music running through her veins, as her two previous albums "Out Of The Dark (2007) and Test Of Time (2011) prove. Live, the guitarist and vocalist flourishes, radiating energy, lifeblood and lots of emotion. Despite hailing from the Emerald Isle, Grainne doesnt play Celtic folk songs but first-rate American roots rock. Blues, rock, soul and country are the basis of the Irish artists musical melange, and her songs frequently bring to mind tracks by the great Bonnie Raitt, while others are reminiscent of Beth Hart, Lucinda Williams and Melissa Etheridge. 15 songs have been recorded for this live album, all of them originals with the exception of the final Id Rather Go Blind. At times she shuffles in her authentic style, at others she rocks ahead in a no-nonsense manner as on Bad To Worse before going into the totally relaxed Time Is Not Enough, which kicks off with a country touch and ends in a furioso finale before leading over with her foot on the accelerator to the absolute highlight of the album. Waiting For You, the last but one track, is a ballad which gives its listeners goosebumps the way only Bonnie Ritt and Lucinda Williams do. Ms Duffy proves her exceptional vocal qualities on the ultimate blues classic, Id Rather Go Blind which naturally raises the benchmark even higher.