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Mountain music has provided a rich source of inspiration for country artists over many decades. The old folk songs and fiddle tunes that cross the Atlantic from the “Old World” put down deep roots in the mountain ranges of the southern states of America, especially in the vast region known as Appalachia.
Margo O’Donnell’s early life was spent by sea and mountains in west Donegal. Dolly Parton says she owes all her values in life to her upbringing in the Smoky Mountains along the Tennessee and North Carolina border where the old songs were passed down the generations.
As Margo celebrates her 55th year in country music, it is little wonder that Dolly Parton has filmed a special video message wishing all the best to the “Girl from Donegal”.
The admiration is mutual. “I have had the great honour of recording with Dolly in Nashville and she is truly one of the most natural and positive people in the entire business. She bubbles with enthusiasm and will always be the world’s best-loved female country star,” says Margo.
Margo is undertaking six concert shows to celebrate her 55 years on the circuit and the opening one in the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny some weeks ago was a sell-out.
The next two concerts are in The Clayton Hotel in Galway on Wednesday night, 12 June and the Tullamore Court Hotel on Wednesday 17 July while the other three are in the INEC in Killarney on 17 August, Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny on 10 September and Treacy’s West County, Ennis on 1 October.
Childhood memories helped fashion her career in music. She was born Margaret Catherine O’Donnell on 6 February 1951, the second-eldest of five children – John Bosco, Margaret (Margo), Kathleen, James and Daniel – to parents Julia and Francis O'Donnell.
“At a young age while still at school my brother John and I spent our school holidays picking potatoes in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, Scotland, like many young people did from Donegal, Mayo and Kerry and other rural counties in Ireland. I always sang as a young girl in our church choir and concerts in our local halls.
“I recorded my first single, Bonny Irish Boy/Dear God, in 1968 with The Keynotes. The week of its release my dad passed away suddenly. We recorded our second single, Road by the River and Eyes of a Child the following year in 1969 and it was a huge success.”
The journey of life took a new direction when Margo left The Keynotes to front The Country Folk, a band that also featured Frank McCaffrey and the late Kieran Murphy.
“It may be hard for some to understand now but it was a wonderful era. That journey has taken me to America on numerous times as well as all around England and Scotland and other countries. It also gave me the chance to make lifelong friends.
“Life is full of ups and downs and believe me l have had my share of both but I am still here after 55 years.”
In 2014, Margo was among 300 guests invited to a garden party at Áras an Uachtaráin to celebrate the contribution of showband, country and pop artists over the years. She was delighted to meet up with President Michael D Higgins.
“Michael D was involved in the political life of Galway when I lived there. I performed two for him and his wife Sabina, Paint Me A Picture of Ireland and The Ballad of James Connolly. He did us all proud and the country proud by the way he honoured our great friend Big Tom by calling to the family home for a private visit and by unveiling the monument in Castleblayney last September.”
Joining Margo for her celebration concert in The Clayton Hotel, Galway on Wednesday 12 June will be Declan Nerney, Trudi Lalor, Max T Barnes, Marc Roberts, Johnny Carroll and Kealan Arbuckle. Her guests on the show in Tullamore Court Hotel on 17 July are Shawn Cuddy, Trudi Lalor, Ciarán Rosney, TR Dallas and Max T Barnes.
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