Eleanor McEvoy and Freddie White for Pillar House gigs

Singer-songwriter Eleanor McEvoy will play the Pillar House Folk Club in Ballinasloe this Friday night, April 17, while Cork troubadour Freddie White will play the 80-seater venue on Friday, May 15.

Eleanor McEvoy is one of the country’s best known singers and multi-instrumentalists, whose latest album, Stuff, was released last year, telling stories of unrequited love, lust and eloquent farewells. It was praised for its rich mix of caustic observation laced with wit and wry self-deprecation, delivered in Eleanor’s rich, lilting voice.

Formerly a session musician, Eleanor played for a long period with The National Symphony Orchestra and also worked with The Mary Black Band. It was then she decided she should cash in her savings and develop her own career.  That got a kick-start when Eleanor wrote the song that would give a name and title track to the all-woman compilation album, A Woman’s Heart, Ireland’s best selling album. In concert Eleanor sings her own compositions and interprets the work of other songwriters, while playing a variety of instruments to create a memorable experience. Tickets are €20 each.

The Folk Club’s May gig is with Freddie White, a man long associated with music of the highest quality.  He has been part of the fabric of Ireland’s live music scene since the 1970s, interpreting songs by his favourite writers, such as Randy Newman, Tom Waits, John Hiatt and Guy Clark, as well as performing his own classy compositions.

Born in Cobh to a musical family, by age 13 Freddie was playing in school bands and turned professional four years later.  He then moved to London where he busked in the Underground, developing his voice and guitar style.

In the early 1970s, together with Philip King and Sonny Condell, he was a founding member of Scullion, before going solo with The Freddie White Band, which subsequently toured with Eric Clapton.

His debut album, Live on Tour, brought him to national attention, while his second album released in 1981 was one of the best-selling Irish albums of that year.  In 1985 Long Distance Runner was released, featuring his hit single Frozen Heart. Since then he moved to America and, later, Australia, and has continued to release albums and tour. Freddie’s most recent album was co-produced by Freddie and Declan Sinnott who played the Pillar House Folk Club last November.

Tickets have already begun to sell well for Freddie’s concert at the Pillar House on May 15. They also cost €20 per person. All tickets are available by phone on 090 96 43939 / 087 9046140 and you can check out www.thepillarhouse.ie for further details on those and future gigs. Concerts begin at 9pm.