2. music
  3. 166880-2248

Are you still ignoring Iris Dement?

The last live show I attended, shortly before the Pandemic closed everything down, was multi-Grammy nominee Iris Dement, at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon, a wonderful-sounding deco-style converted movie theater. It was my third time seeing Iris (the other two being at The Troubadour in West L.A.), and as before she was astonishing. Iris on stage alone, playing her grand piano and acoustic guitar, and singing like no one else on Earth. Sounds like hyperbole? Consider the following:

- Merle Haggard on Iris: "The best singer I’ve ever heard." Let that sink in for a moment. Merle recorded her incredible song "No Time To Cry" (found on her second album, My Life), but her original is imo far superior.

- Rolling Stone on her debut album, Infamous Angel: "An essential album of the 1990’s."

- The Guardian: "One of the finest singer-songwriters in America."

- The Boston Globe on her 2012 album, Sing The Delta: "A work of rare, unvarnished grace and power."

- David Byrne & Natalie Merchant performed Iris’ wonderful "Let The Mystery Be" as a duet on MTV Unplugged. Brave of Byrne, as he’s not much of a singer ;-) .

Iris of course caught the ear of many of her contemporaries, including John Prine (he and Iris recorded and toured together off-and-on), Emmylou Harris and Joan Osborne (seen and heard singing harmony with Iris in one of Dement’s many YouTube videos), and Steve Earle, all admirers of hers. She also attracts the best musicians, including the master dobro player Jerry Douglas.

And yet, Iris remains under the radar for most people, including, I have no doubt, many (perhaps most) here. Why? Sorry Iris, I can’t let the mystery be. ;-)

Iris is about the resume touring, so if you're interested check her website to see if she's coming to your area. For ya'll in Seattle, she'll be in town in September, I believe it is. @tomic601, you listening?! If she's not coming through Portland this time, I may just drive up to Seattle to again see and hear her. For those who choose to attend a show of her's, prepare to have your life changed. ;-)




128x128bdp24
relayer101's avatar
relayer101
606 posts
 
And speaking of Maria McKee and duets. Her duet with Steve Earle on Nothing But A Child on the Copperhead Road album is absolutely fantastic. My favorite song on the album and I’m a huge Steve Earle fan. Saw him in a small venue right after he was released from prison with just him and another guy who’s name I don’t remember on acoustic guitars. Great show.
Love Maria’s Lone Justice album also.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,445 posts
 
Ya'll are my kinda people! Well, except for @clearthinker and @ebm ;-) .
stuartk
2,359 posts
 
She's indeed a "great singer" in terms of conveying emotion there are other Country-ish singers who have far superior technique AND the ability to pierce you through the heart... 

Personally, I find her tunes a bit on the maudlin side. . . and I'm most definitely not someone who avoids "sad songs".   

I guess this puts me in the "ignoring" camp. . . 
stuartk
2,359 posts
 
Meant to type:

She's indeed a "great singer" in terms of conveying emotion BUT there are other Country-ish singers who have far superior technique AND the ability to pierce you through the heart...

idigmusic64
56 posts
 
I have enjoyed her music for years and finally saw on the " Sing The Delta " Tour at The Ironhorse in Northhampton. It was a great show and I love the album and her piano playing, she really has a nice style and is heavy on the keys. She also had  John Graboff, from The Cardinals , playing pedal steel in her touring  band.

I  wore my Cold Roses t-short that night and John appreciated that one. I met Iris after the show and she was very down to  Earth.
More to discover