Mary's fame grows and blossoms
Mary Duff with Daniel O'Donnell whom she has toured with extensively since her 'debut' in 1988.
1988 THE old adage of 'fortune favours the brave' just about sums up the glittering career to date of Lobinstown singer Mary Duff, the little lady whose rise to fame grows and blossoms with each concert.
Already Mary had appeared on stage with Daniel O'Donnell, Chrystal Gayle and Willie Nelson at the famous Wembley Music Festival after signing a deal with Ritz Records to tour with Daniel.
It all began with impressive displays in the Cavan Song contest and the Dawns Sunday World contest in 1987 and the immediate attention of manager Sean Reilly and her new record label.
She left her job in the Motor Taxation Office at Meath County Council and decided to go full time in the music business.
Her first tour to Britain was with Daniel O'Donnell.
'Daniel was a great help and he gave me excellent advice on how to present myself. He was used to big crowds and I was literally just starting off,' she stated. 'In dreaded the first night in Glasgow. I'm playing there again later in the year and hopefully will remember it this time around. There were over 1,000 people sitting there and I didn't know what to expect.'
She released her first single 'Daddy's Hands' in September 1988 and followed up with her debut album 'Love Someone Like Me'.
'Looking to the future, my aim is to be associated with good music and some day to play at the Grand Olde Oprey in Nashville.'
Her band has a strong Drogheda connection with Stephen Mine on keyboards, Alan Barton on drums and Marty McDermott on bass, all from the Boyneside town.
John Nevin from Ardee plays guitar and he has also featured with 'Zig Zag' and then touring Britain and the US with Colm Hughes. He also wrote the Ardee/Dunleer Live Aid single 'Reach Out' a number of years ago. The other group member is Aidan Cunningham from Crosskeys.
'Life can be boring if you don't take a chance or two and because I've always wanted to sing I grabbed the opportunity when it came along,' Mary added.
Music was always part of Mary's life even in her young days when at 12 she went around the pubs of the area with father, Tom, a former Meath county footballer, and sang ballads as he played the accordion.
Always willing to give advice, Mary feels the talent contest is still one of the best ways to get on in the business.
' You get plenty of experience by learning to give your best in just a couple of minutes on stage and that's where you'll be spotted,' she said.
