Scottish entertainer Isla Grant will undertake a 20-date Irish tour in the coming weeks, starting in the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen on 6 February. The Yellow Rose Tour, named after one of her popular songs, will see Isla engage audiences in an intimate evening, performing many of her best-known songs from over the years.
It was a song called Mother that launched her as a major attraction on the Irish circuit. Other songs such as Cottage in the Country, Mother’s Chair, The Old Accordion Man (a tribute to Jimmy Shand), Will You Walk With Me and numerous others helped establish her as a major name here in Ireland.
Her fame soon spread to Canada, Australia and New Zealand where Isla remains a top-draw attraction.
Numerous Irish singers, including Mike Denver, Margo, Mary Duff, Paddy O’Brien and others have recorded songs composed by Isla over the years. She has received five gold discs for CD sales as well as six platinum discs in Ireland. Isla speaks warmly about her songs and the inspiration that has made her one of the most prolific writers of her generation.
“I love writing songs. I draw inspiration from life and people and things happening around me.
“The longest I’ve taken to write a song was around 50 minutes. Mother’s Chair and Cottage in the Country were written in around 10-15 minutes. It has always been that way. I could not sit for hours writing a song.”
Isla has fond memories of her first visit to Ireland when she arrived in Tubbercurry in the middle of the Heritage Fair Day. She ended up getting the necessary directions from the local Garda Station.
“Everything worked out so well and we had a great welcome from the people in Tubbercurry that day. From that moment on, I felt very much at home with Irish people.”
Within days, Tom Kelly from Ballina, who also manages Brendan Grace and books concert tours for a number of others including Johnny McEvoy, Mike Denver and Sandy Kelly, had Isla on his management books. The rest is history. Isla will be joined on the upcoming tour by her husband Al who has become synonymous with the songs of Jim Reeves. Also on the Irish tour will be Glen Flynn from Tullamore who has been a regular member of Isla’s band for a number of years.
Check the Isla Grant tour dates at www.tomkellypromotions or call Tom on 096-21120, or 087-2580209.