Sharon Shannon
Hailing from Co. Clare, Shannon released her first solo recording in 1989. Featured on that first recording were household names such as Donal Lunny, The Waterboys frontman Mike Scott and U2's Adam Clayton amongst others.
A Late Late Show tribute to Shannon firmly established her as a household name and the release of her eponymous album, which was described by NME as a crossover record, which "was creative, deft and lovely" has gone on to be the most successful Irish trad album ever to be released.
Sharon's groundbreaking album, 'The Diamond Mountain Sessions', released in Autumn 2000 took her in a very different direction. Her own accordion and fiddle playing was as full of virtuosity as ever but this time she was accompanied by stirring vocal performances from the likes of Steve Earle, Jackson Browne, John Prine and Dessie O'Halloran. Sharon's last release was her seventh album, Libertango, which featured vocal performances from Sinead O'Connor, Kirsty McColl and Pauline Scanlon. The album included the radio hit single, "What You Make It (da, da, da, da)", featuring rapper Marvel and Lady K.