Sharon Shannon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sharon Shannon
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Shannon in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Born | 8 June 1968 Ruan, County Clare, Ireland |
| Genres | Celtic, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Button accordion, fiddle, tin whistle, melodeon |
| Years active | 1991–present |
Sharon Shannon is a famous Irish musician, born on June 8, 1968. She is best known for playing the button accordion and the fiddle. She also plays the tin whistle and a type of accordion called the melodeon. Her first album, released in 1991, became the best-selling traditional Irish music album ever in Ireland. Sharon's music mixes Irish folk with many other styles. She received a special award for her long career at the 2009 Meteor Awards.
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Sharon's Early Life and Music Journey
Sharon Shannon grew up in Ruan, County Clare, Ireland. When she was just eight years old, she started playing music with a local band called Disirt Tola. By the age of fourteen, she was touring the United States with them!
Sharon also loved show jumping and was very good at it. However, at sixteen, she decided to focus completely on her music. She even left her studies at University College Cork to follow her passion. In the mid-1980s, she learned the accordion from Karen Tweed and the fiddle from Frank Custy. She also helped start a band called Arcady and performed with them.
Joining The Waterboys Band
Sharon began recording her own music in 1989. She worked with a producer named John Dunford and other musicians like Adam Clayton and Mike Scott. This led to her joining the popular band, The Waterboys.
She played with The Waterboys for about eighteen months. She added her accordion and fiddle sounds to their album, Room to Roam. Her very first world tour was with this band. Sharon left the group when they started playing more rock and roll music, which was different from her style.
Sharon's First Solo Albums
Sharon's first solo album, Sharon Shannon, came out in 1991. It became the best-selling traditional Irish music album in Ireland! Her solo music became very popular, especially in Ireland.
She was featured on a famous album called A Woman's Heart. She also appeared on a popular TV show called The Late Late Show. These appearances helped her first album sell even more copies.
Her second album, Out The Gap (1994), had a unique reggae sound. In 1996, her song "Cavan Potholes" was on a special album called Common Ground: Voices of Modern Irish Music. Other famous artists like Sinéad O'Connor and Bono were also on that album.
In 1998, Sharon released her fourth album, Spellbound. This album included new songs, live performances, and some of her older hits. That same year, a famous violinist named Nigel Kennedy asked her to perform with him. They played his "Jimi Hendrix Suite" in big cities across Europe.
Her 2000 album, The Diamond Mountain Sessions, was also a huge success. Many different singers joined her on this album, and it sold over three times the amount needed to be called "platinum."
Working with Other Musicians
Sharon has worked with many other talented artists. She recorded the song "The Galway Girl" with Steve Earle. This song appeared on both Steve Earle's album Transcendental Blues and Sharon's The Diamond Mountain Sessions in 2000.
She also worked with Steve Earle on an instrumental song called "Dominic Street." Sharon has collaborated with many other musicians, including Jackson Browne, Moya Brennan, Kirsty MacColl, Christy Moore, and John Prine.
Sharon's Later Music and Tours
In 2004, Sharon released the album Libertango. It featured guest singers like Róisín Elsafty and Sinéad O'Connor. She also released Tunes in 2005, working with Frankie Gavin and other musicians.
In 2006, she released The Sharon Shannon Collection 1990–2005, celebrating 15 years of her music. Sharon even worked with Belinda Carlisle on her 2007 album, Voila.
As a solo artist, Sharon has toured all over the world, including Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, and Japan. She has performed for important leaders like Bill Clinton, Mary Robinson, and Lech Wałęsa. Sharon also plays concerts to support causes she cares about, like animal welfare.
She continues to make new music and perform with her band, The Woodchoppers. A live version of "Galway Girl" with Mundy was the most downloaded song in Ireland in 2007. It even won a Meteor Award!
In 2008, Sharon appeared in the Transatlantic Sessions, a TV show featuring folk musicians. For several years, she often performed with Shane MacGowan from The Pogues. They played songs from both their music collections.
In 2009, Sharon played "Galway Girl" live at the Meteor Music Awards again. She won another award for "Most Downloaded Track" and also received a special "Lifetime Achievement Award" for her amazing career.
Sharon's music shows many different influences, from Irish folk to reggae, cajun music, and even Portuguese music. Her song "What You Make It (da, da, da, da)" even featured hip hop music artists.
Awards and Recognition
In October 2018, NUI Galway university gave Sharon Shannon an honorary doctorate. This is a special award that recognizes her great achievements.
Sharon Shannon's Albums
- Sharon Shannon (1991)
- Out the Gap (1994)
- Each Little Thing (1997)
- Spellbound: The Best Of Sharon Shannon (1999)
- The Diamond Mountain Sessions (2000)
- Live in Galway (2002) with the Woodchoppers
- Libertango (2003)
- tunes (2005) with Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick, and Jim Murray
- The Sharon Shannon Collection 1990–2005 (2006)
- Live at Dolans CD & DVD (2007)
- Renegade (2007) with Mike McGoldrick, Dezi Donnelly, and Jim Murray
- Saints & Scoundrels (2009)
- upside down (2009) with Mike McGoldrick, Dezi Donnelly, and Jim Murray
- Flying Circus (2012) with Jim Murray and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra
- The Set List US/Canada 2014 (2014)
- In Galway CD & DVD (2015) with Alan Connor
- Live in the US and Canada 2016 (2016) with Jim Murray and Alan Connor
- Sacred Earth (2017)
- Live in Minneapolis (2019)
- The Winkles Tapes 1989 (2019)
- The Reckoning (2020)
Videos of Sharon's Performances
- Live at Dolans (2007)
- In Galway (2015) with Alan Connor
See also
In Spanish: Sharon Shannon para niños
