Ennis brings traditional Celtic sound to River Run Centre

November 3, 2014

Guelph, ON November 3, 2014 – Sisters Maureen and Karen Ennis were raised by the sea in Newfoundland, and steeped in the region’s Celtic musical traditions. They learned to sing around the time most people learn to walk. On Friday, November 14, the pair will bring their sweet, effervescent harmonies to Guelph’s River Run Centre. The concert, presented as part of the Borealis Music Series, begins at 8 p.m. in the Co-operators Hall.

Formerly known as The Ennis Sisters, the duo, fronted by sisters Maureen (lead vocals, guitar, songwriter) and Karen (vocals, tin whistles, bodhran, guitar and mandolin), now records and tours simply as Ennis. They describe their style as a blending of a unique contemporary voice with traditional Celtic, Newfoundland and roots influences. Ennis is a respected force in the Canadian music landscape, having won multiple Music NL and East Coast Music Awards, as well as a JUNO. The duo boasts a total of seven albums, including three Gold Records.

In the great Newfoundland tradition, Karen and Maureen are not only celebrated as accomplished musicians, but also beguiling raconteurs. Their set list is woven together with powerful, interesting stories, drawing audiences in even closer to their already accessible original songs and uniquely interpreted tunes and ballads.

They have shared the stage and recorded with many high profile acts, including Chieftains, Jann Arden, Mary Black, Altan, Danu, Tommy Makem and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Ennis has been featured at several respected music events, including the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Stan Rogers Folk Festival, the Strawberry Music Festival (California), Merlefest (North Carolina), The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Irish festivals and the Woodford Folk Festival in Australia. They have also played Canada Day events on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and Trafalgar Square in London, England, and performed live in Europe and the Middle East.

Ennis’ latest recording is titled The Fortunate Ones. Produced by Maureen, the 11-song set features an original ballad from the internationally acclaimed Ron Hynes. Great Big Sea’s, Alan Doyle produced a rousing pub-style song that he co-wrote with Oscar winner, Russell Crowe. The record also features a song by the iconic, Bob Dylan, as well as a couple of traditional tunes.

“I am so proud of all the music we’ve made, both as the Ennis Sisters and now as Ennis”, says Maureen. “Music has always been such a big part of our lives. As long as we’re able to maintain the passion that we have for playing live, we’ll continue to produce the kind of music that people expect from us at our shows. We feel like this CD is as close as we’ve come to capturing the live performance experience and we couldn’t be happier about that.”

Tickets are $27 for adults and $25 for students and seniors. $5 eyeGO tickets are available for high school students with valid ID. $20 uGO tickets are available to university and college students with valid ID. Tickets are available at the River Run Box Office at 519-763-3000, or online at riverrun.ca/ennis

FOR INFORMATION

Ella Pauls | Manager of Cultural Development
Culture & Tourism| Community & Social Services
City of Guelph

519-822-1260 extension 2589
[email protected]

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