Raised in Warrnambool with Irish heritage and a will to wander, Marcia Howard is bringing together her worldly influences and home sensibilities for the National Celtic Festival in June.
\nThe reigning Port Fairy Folk Music Festival Artist of the Year and award-winning Goanna band member has drawn upon her recent travels through Europe, the UK and the US to form a show that examines her relationship to place.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re all influenced by where we are \u2013 but we\u2019re also influenced by where our ancestors have been and that comes through in our music.
\n\u201cPeople say you can hear landscape in songs, especially Irish music and I totally agree.
\n\u201cAround here, in Victoria we have the same thing but it sounds different, it\u2019s unique to this area which is so special.
\n\u201cThe songlines here, which have been here for centuries, they run very deep and that\u2019s a very beautiful thing. I\u2019m walking on the bones of my ancestors, and together we\u2019re all creating a new Dreaming. \u201cI\u2019m bringing all that DNA and landscape and sense of belonging with me.\u201d
\nHoward is also clashing cultures on her latest EP, Nashville Sessions.
\nRecorded at Beaird\u2019s Music Studio in Nashville with an ensemble of US instrumentalists, the EP features vocals from her brothers Shane and Damian Howard as well as Goanna colleague Rose Bygrave. The result is a combination of smooth country sounds from the southern United States, with the unique rawness gifted to Australia musicians.
\nTo purchase the EP, head to marciahoward.com.au.
\nHoward will perform songs from Nashville Sessions along with others at the National Celtic Festival, as well as leading a series of workshops and a theatrical production.
\nThe festival is in Portarlington from June 10-13. For more information and tickets, head to nationalcelticfestival.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Raised in Warrnambool with Irish heritage and a will to wander, Marcia Howard is bringing together her worldly influences and home sensibilities for the National Celtic Festival in June. The reigning Port Fairy Folk Music Festival Artist of the Year and award-winning Goanna band member has drawn upon her recent travels through Europe, the UK […]<\/p>\n