Siobhan Maher Kennedy
Encyclopedia
Siobhan Maher is an English
singer and songwriter
. Most notably, she was the lead vocalist of the Liverpool
-based band River City People
during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band released two albums, Say Something Good and This Is The World.
She is the daughter of Liverpool entertainer and radio personality
Billy Maher.
When River City People split, Siobhan teamed up with Debbi Peterson
, drummer and vocalist with the Bangles
to form a duo called Kindred Spirit
, who released a self-titled album in 1995. Although Debbi and Siobhan never officially split, Kindred Spirit is in effect over now. Debbi returned to the Bangles, and Siobhan released a solo album in 2002 called Immigrant Flower.
Living in Nashville
, Tennessee
having married Ray Kennedy
, producer of Steve Earle
and Malcolm Holcombe, the country/folk/Americana influence on her music is noticeable. She now styles herself Siobhan Maher Kennedy.
spin-off series Damon and Debbie
. Siobhan also made forays into television presenting, on the 1987 series of the BBC1 fashion magazine programme The Clothes Show
and, with Andy Crane
, Colin Heywood and Sue Devaney
, providing links in between programmes in But First This!, Children's BBC's morning strand of summer holiday children's shows during the summer of 1988.
She sang background vocals on Willy DeVille
's 1996 Loup Garou
album and the 1997 Joey Tempest
album Azalea Place
, and duetted with Steve Earle
on the song Poison Lovers from his 1997 album El Corazón
. Additionally she has performed backing vocals on several albums by Malcolm Holcombe, including the 2009 release For The Mission Baby.
Siobhan also sang backing vocals on Manu Katche's album It's About Time, which was recorded at Real World Studios and featured Sting, Peter Gabriel and Pino Palladino amongst other session luminaries.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. Most notably, she was the lead vocalist of the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-based band River City People
River City People
River City People were a folk rock quartet formed in Liverpool, England in 1986, by vocalist Siobhan Maher, guitarist Tim Speed, his drummer brother Paul Speed, and bassist Dave Snell. Siobhan, Tim and Dave had both been with Liverpool Band "Peep Show" until summer 1987 - at one point in both bands...
during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band released two albums, Say Something Good and This Is The World.
She is the daughter of Liverpool entertainer and radio personality
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
Billy Maher.
Musical career
In the mid-1980s, prior to joining River City People, Maher had been a vocalist with the local bands Peep Show (with future RCP bassist Dave Snell, to whom she was briefly married) and The Persuaders (with future RCP drummer and co-founder Paul Speed).When River City People split, Siobhan teamed up with Debbi Peterson
Debbi Peterson
Deborah Mary 'Debbi' Peterson is the younger sister of Vicki Peterson, and the drummer of the all-girl group, The Bangles...
, drummer and vocalist with the Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
to form a duo called Kindred Spirit
Kindred Spirit (band)
Kindred Spirit was a female duo consisting of Debbi Peterson and Siobhan Maher ....
, who released a self-titled album in 1995. Although Debbi and Siobhan never officially split, Kindred Spirit is in effect over now. Debbi returned to the Bangles, and Siobhan released a solo album in 2002 called Immigrant Flower.
Living in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
having married Ray Kennedy
Ray Kennedy (country singer)
Ray Kennedy is an American country music artist. He has recorded three studio albums: one on Columbia Records and two on Atlantic Records...
, producer of Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
and Malcolm Holcombe, the country/folk/Americana influence on her music is noticeable. She now styles herself Siobhan Maher Kennedy.
Other work
In 1987 she played the part of Lettuce in the BrooksideBrookside
Brookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
spin-off series Damon and Debbie
Damon and Debbie
Damon and Debbie was a three-part 'soap bubble' from Brookside, broadcast late on Wednesday evenings on Channel 4 in November 1987, with an omnibus edition over the Christmas period of that year. A Mersey Television production, it was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, directed by Bob Carlton, and...
. Siobhan also made forays into television presenting, on the 1987 series of the BBC1 fashion magazine programme The Clothes Show
The Clothes Show
The Clothes Show is a British television show about fashion that can currently be seen weeknights on Really. It was formerly broadcast on BBC One from 1986 to 2000.-BBC series :...
and, with Andy Crane
Andy Crane
Howard Andrew 'Andy' Crane is an English television and radio presenter, best known for presenting Children's BBC , amongst many others.-Career:...
, Colin Heywood and Sue Devaney
Sue Devaney
Sue Devaney is an English actress. She has played various roles on British television including; Debbie Webster in Coronation Street, Rita Briggs in Jonny Briggs, Liz Harker in Casualty and Jane in dinnerladies...
, providing links in between programmes in But First This!, Children's BBC's morning strand of summer holiday children's shows during the summer of 1988.
She sang background vocals on Willy DeVille
Willy DeVille
Willy DeVille was an American singer and songwriter. During his thirty-five year career, first with his band Mink DeVille and later on his own, Deville created original songs rooted in traditional American musical styles. He worked with collaborators from across the spectrum of contemporary...
's 1996 Loup Garou
Loup Garou
Loup Garou is an album released in 1995 by Willy DeVille. First released in Europe in 1995 on the EastWest label, it was released the following year in the United States on the Discovery label...
album and the 1997 Joey Tempest
Joey Tempest
Joey Tempest is the vocalist and main songwriter in the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. He has written hits like "The Final Countdown", "Rock the Night" and "Superstitious".-Early life:...
album Azalea Place
Azalea Place
Azalea Place is the second solo album by Joey Tempest, the vocalist in the Swedish hard rock band Europe. It was released on April 25, 1997....
, and duetted with Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
on the song Poison Lovers from his 1997 album El Corazón
El Corazón
El Corazón is the seventh album by roots rock underground icon Steve Earle, released in 1997 .- Track listing :All songs written by Steve Earle.#"Christmas in Washington" – 4:58#"Taneytown" – 5:13...
. Additionally she has performed backing vocals on several albums by Malcolm Holcombe, including the 2009 release For The Mission Baby.
Siobhan also sang backing vocals on Manu Katche's album It's About Time, which was recorded at Real World Studios and featured Sting, Peter Gabriel and Pino Palladino amongst other session luminaries.
River City People single(s)
- "California Dreaming" (cover of The Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the PapasThe Mamas & the Papas were a Canadian/American vocal group of the 1960s . The group recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968 with a short reunion in 1971, releasing five albums and 11 Top 40 hit singles...
, now available with the reissue of the Say Something Good album)
External links
- http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2002/03/22/why-i-m-in-blues-heaven-again-100252-11726044/ 2002 Liverpool EchoLiverpool EchoThe Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
interview with Siobhan Maher Kennedy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-51H7p_v34Q Brief clip of Siobhan Maher as presenter on BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's show, 1987 - Live clip of Siobhan Maher with The Persuaders, Liverpool 1987, accessed 2 April 2009
- California Dreaming, River City People music video, accessed 2 April 2009
- Here in My Eyes, Kindred Spirit music video, accessed 2 April 2009