In August 1992 the first ‘A Woman’s Hear’t album was released and no one could have anticipated its astounding success, the careers it helped to re-affirm and the solo careers it launched. The title track was the outstanding radio hit of that year. This phenomenally successful album featured a select congregation – Dolores Keane, Mary Black, Eleanor McEvoy, Maura O’Connell and Frances Black in the company of sole instrumentalist Sharon Shannon, accordion maestro beyond compare. The album was in the charts for over a year, was no. 1 for more than 3 months and went on to become the biggest selling indigenous Irish album of all time.
A Woman’s Heart 2 followed 2 years later in 1994 and included the original line-up together with Mary Coughlan, Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill, Sinead O’Connor and Sinead Lohan. A Woman’s Heart 2 went on to become another Irish best-seller in its own right.
A Woman’s Heart – “A Decade On” heralded another time another place and another century. Released in 2002 this album reflected those changing times in its landscape and its line-up. For the first time, A Woman’s Heart embraced international female artists including Eva Cassidy, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss and EmmyLou Harris. The series once again introduced new successful female talent to the Irish scene including The Corrs, Cara Dillon and Juliet Turner.
2010 saw the release of A Woman’s Heart “Then and Now”, a double album which included the original Woman’s Heart album from 1992 together with bonus tracks from all the original line-up. The “Now” CD highlighted an eclectic mix from a newer generation of Irish female singers; Imelda May, Lisa Hannigan, Wallis Bird, Gemma Hayes, Cathy Davey, Julie Feeney, Heathers, Luan Parle, Roisin O and Miss Paula Flynn and Michelle Ann Kelly. A Woman’s Heart 20th Anniversary Collection.
Now 20 years on and the popularity of A Woman’s Heart still holds wide-spread appeal. This new 20th Anniversary collection features some of the greatest hits and more from the original line-up plus Gemma Hayes with the legendary Liam Clancy, Lumiere with the enigmatic Damien Dempsey and introducing the exceptional young artist Noriana Kennedy. Other highlights include Mary Blacks’ duet with Imelda May “Mountains to the Sea” – which was released as a single earlier in the year – and “The Secret of Living”, a new composition written by Eleanor McEvoy and performed by Eleanor, Sharon Shannon, Mary Coughlan, Gemma Hayes and Hermione Hennessy.
