Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist Gráinne Duffy will perform Sunday at the Stanhope House. (Photo by Rob Blackham)
Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist Gráinne Duffy will perform Sunday at the Stanhope House. (Photo by Al Stuart, Red Cap Portraits)
Stefani M.C. Janelli talks to Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist Gráinne Duffy before her performance in the North Jersey Blues Society Showcase Series at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Stanhope House.
Question: You’re from Ireland but have been heavily influenced by the Memphis sound, ultimately making your music more soulful, bluesy and Americana-based. How did you get inspired by these genres growing up in Ireland?
Answer: Well fortunately I grew up in a house where we had music constantly on the record player from old country like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to rock and blues from Etta James to Led Zeppelin.
My sisters and I had a band that played covers of classic songs from soul, blues, rock and country styles which really helped me develop my knowledge and love of a wide range of music. Which, in turn, ended up infusing my songwriting too.
Q: How have your Irish Celtic roots influenced your sound?
A: I didn’t grow up in a house of traditional Irish music so I don’t have an in-depth knowledge of our traditional style. But I think my Celtic roots come from just being simply Irish and hearing music like Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy and Rory Gallagher playing blues and rock in a way that has a Celtic feel, whether that’s our common sense of timing or our use of accents, whatever that is. I like the way it just has a Celtic feel without it being any one distinct thing too.
Q: You’re also known for the poetic lyricism in your music. What or who has inspired this style of songwriting for you?
A: I was very fortunate to have been in English class with a wonderful teacher, Miss McNicholas. She was a stellar teacher and really helped me understand the beauty of language and how powerfully it can be used in art.
I always loved singing and, of course, the lyric is central to that so the craft of poetry in songwriting has been very important to me. I used to love reading the liner notes of albums and even underlining terms or phrases I loved. (Bob) Dylan really taught me so much; I had one of his lyric books and I spent hours reading and analyzing his writing style.
Q: You’ve performed with guitar and musical icons like Billy Gibbons and Eric Gales. Is there a guitarist who was your favorite to jam with?
A: Well my dream would be to play with Peter Green. That’s my hero guitar-wise. (Jimi) Hendrix was just a gift to the guitar as an instrument. He really brought things to a new level.
Yet for me, I always feel blessed to play with anyone who is giving their performances with me their all. My husband, who plays guitar in my band, has been very inspirational to me with the energy he brings to every performance. I loved also having Marc Ford (formerly in the Black Crowes) produce and play on my last album. He really has a unique touch and feel and tone. I’m hoping we can play together again soon.
Q: Who would be your in your dream jam?
A: Ah way too many! Peter Green, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, Rory Gallagher, Rosetta Tharpe.
Q: You’ve performed on massive stages like Glastonbury, Woodford Folk Festival, the Harvest Time Blues Festival, and a headliner on the all-female Cornbury Festival alongside Mavis Staples and Alanis Morissette. Do you have a favorite show or festival where you’ve performed?
A: Not really as you keep trying to evolve as an artist and therefore enjoy different shows in different ways depending on where you are in your career. I think for me our shows this summer have a great fire to them. WC Handy Festival Kentucky, Open Air Festival Brezoi and Bluesapooloza at Mammoth Festival have been highlights this year so far.
Q: In addition to being a singer-songwriter and performer, you’ve also been the host of BBC Radio’s “Gráinne Duffy Rocks.” How did this program begin? What topics do you cover?
A: Well this was a six-week guest show with award-winning DJ Ralph McLean producing. Ralph, an amazing supporter of Irish artists, myself included, asked me to do a show for his production company for BBC Ulster. We did two series of six-week shows and covered lots of rock from 1960 roughly onwards. I really enjoyed it and got to play guitar line for the show like wee classic rock riffs etc. It was a very special experience.
Q: You’ve already released four studio albums and one live album. Do you have any upcoming music we can look forward to? More upcoming shows or a tour?
A: I’m always playing live so just watch www.grainneduffy.com, but I’ll be in Europe and the USA for the rest of the year on tour. And yes, I’ve new music coming very soon too which I’m very excited about! Just keep an eye on all my socials for release date info.
Q: On Sept. 29, you will be performing at the legendary Stanhope House as part of the North Jersey Blues Society Showcase Series. What tunes can we expect to hear?
A: Well I cannot wait to play for you guys in North Jersey. I’ll be playing a mix of all my albums and it will be a night of good old fashioned R ‘n’ R. Come join us!