Last month Kelly Oliver was in town opening for The Tannahill Weavers in Stony Stratford, and she returns to Milton Keynes this week coming, to support The Hut People at The Stables in Wavendon.
The 'folk star in the making' always has her harmonica and guitar always within reach, and delivers self-penned deliveries inspired by her Irish heritage.
Kelly will be live at the venue on Saturday (March 21), and her critically acclaimed debut album This Land, is in the racks now.
Kelly went On Track with Total MK...
The song that first awakened your musical senses It would have been a Pogues song. 'The Body of An American' comes to mind but any of them really, I loved them all. My Dad used to play them all the time so I grew up listening to their sound, and from a young age it taught me that you could transfer energy, passion and aggression into music.
Physical or digital - how do you take your music? Physical! Even though I listen to most music on my iPod, I always buy the CD first so I have a copy of it. I don't see myself ever stopping doing that! I've never downloaded an album off iTunes, I've only ever bought CDs!
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me' When I was out travelling in Brazil, I made the decision to try and pursue a career in music, but it was about a year and a half earlier, when I was working in a local bar, that I realised that music was what I really wanted to do.
For the record, I loved my time working in that bar, but it was one day after I'd taken out the bins, and the bar was empty, and Ellie Gouding's version of Dolly Parton's 'Jolene' came on over the speakers. And then I realised!
Your best on stage memory... I could never pick just one, there have been hundreds! But a recent one would be playing my cover version of Bob Dylan's 'Boots of Spanish Leather' and seeing couples in the audience embrace while watching and listening. It was quite moving.
What made you take up the guitar (and harmonica!) I had started writing songs, and I wanted to learn an instrument so that I could accompany myself. I was listening to Green Day and Metallica and bands like that at the time, so I actually started off on an electric guitar!
It wasn't until years later that I started teaching myself the harmonica; I wanted to add another melody to my songs and was inspired by Bob Dylan, Steve Earle and Alanis Morrisette. I also needed it to be an instrument I didn't need to hold!
I've since been sponsored by Hohner and they supply my with my harmonicas, they're amazing.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written I think 'Caledonia' by Dougie Maclean. To write a song that is so respected and has resonated with so many people, as well as influencing countless artists; it's everything you aim for as a songwriter. I've covered it on my album 'This Land' and even though I am not Scottish, I can still engage with it.
It's a testament to the quality of his songwriting I think.
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance Probably 'Far From Home' - it's the title track of my debut EP and was the song was being played on the radio and being singled out in reviews when I first started on the folk scene. It was also one of the first proper songs I wrote.
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do? I'd choose June Carter I think, right when she met Johnny Cash and started performing with him. It would be so interesting to explore the moment of realising that a musician you meet is going to change your life, musically and even personally.
Are there any current musical influences that you might look to A lot of people have said I sound like Joni Mitchell and I've been compared to Joan Baez as well, though I've actually never listened to either of them!
I'd like to listen to them properly soon to see how they influence the music I write in the future.
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand? Jazz. I hate it.
Finally, plug your Stables date with Hut People I'll be at The Stables in Milton Keyens, supporting the wonderful Hut People on March 21st!
It'll be my first time playing at The Stables as well, and I've heard only great things about it. Can't wait!
