Since ever she can remember Kerry Fearon has been a country girl at heart. Born and raised in south Armagh, she was surrounded by country music from an early age with the songs of the legendary Irish country singers echoing around the family home.

Her pathway to the performing and recording scene happened at a time of crisis in the family when her father Frank was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease in 2012. Frank was a noted musician and singer in his home region.

“It was such a tough time on all of us. Music was such a part of his life. We were there with him every step of the way. Some months after being diagnosed he could no longer speak and that was very sad as he loved life, chatting to everyone, and singing a few songs. He died in February 2013.

“It was soon afterwards that I decided to do something with my voice and the first time I sang in public was at a show in the Waterfront in Belfast in March 2014 supporting Dominic Kirwan and Mary Duff,” says Kerry.

Life-changing events

A whole lot has happened for Kerry since then. These times she is incredibly busy as she balances her life between the teaching profession and a career in country music. A qualified business studies teacher, Kerry has also taught science and Irish and she graduated with a certificate in theology and lifelong education from Mater Dei Institute Dublin in November 2014.

Last week, she completed a two-year course in Irish language studies at the University of Ulster and will be conferred with a Diploma at the end of the month. She is currently serving as a special needs teacher in Rathore School in Newry.

A finalist in the Glór Tire series in 2016, Kerry made her recording debut with the catchy single, What Would Dolly Do? She presents the Home-Grown Hour on Downtown Country (the digital station launched in April 2015) every night from 10pm to 11pm.

She also finds time to record and host her own weekly one-hour show, Kerry’s Gold Country, on the Keep It Country channel on Sky 376. “I love presenting the show and choosing the material each week. It really helps keep you in tune with so much of the country scene on both sides of the Atlantic. You also get to meet many people on the circuit and there’s a great buzz to it,” reflects Kerry who has just returned from England where she was the opening act on the Kelly Willis (Texas) tour.

Debut

This week sees the release of her debut album and she is thrilled with the early response to Honky Tonk Girl, a ten track collection of songs leaning strongly to the traditional roots of country music. It includes a superb duet with Jordan Mogey on the Red River Valley.

Alan Cackett, the highly regarded country music journalist and broadcaster and former editor of Maverick magazine, is very supportive of Kerry’s emergence on the scene. “Her great passion is country music, mainly the more traditional sounds with pedal steel guitar and fiddles and lyrics that pack an emotional punch as they explore the kind of relationship issues we all face in our lives.

The songs on this album are the essence of what country music should be and Kerry Fearon is simply a masterful interpreter of these classic country themes

“She possesses a great voice oozing warmth and intimacy that makes you believe the lyrics of each and every song that she sings. The songs on this album are the essence of what country music should be and Kerry Fearon is simply a masterful interpreter of these classic country themes.”

Honky Tonk Girl was produced by Clive Culbertson at No Sweat Studios in Coleraine and among the musicians featured on the album are Wayne Golden, Joe McNamee, Damien McGeehan and Clive Culbertson.

The country music journey of Kerry Fearon will take a new twist next month when she heads over to Hamilton, Ontario, where she has been invited to take part in the round table discussion panels at the Canadian Country Music week in Hamilton.

“I am hugely excited about going to Canada and being part of what should be an amazing week. The CCMAs will also take place that week in the hotel where we are staying and they are being hosted by Shania Twain. I can hardly wait for the trip to Canada,” says Kerry.

The Kerry Fearon page on Facebook has regular updates on her busy life on the country music scene.