Joe Dolan was one of Ireland’s greatest ever entertainers. He was our Elvis Presley. Our first pop star.

Joe performed on BBC’s Top Of The Pops, toured the world as an international star, played in Las Vegas and had a string of hits that included The Answer To Everything, Make Me An Island, Lady In Blue and Good Looking Woman.

One man who stood alongside him for almost 50 years as a performer was his older brother, Ben Dolan.

Here, in a two-part My Country Life podcast as we reach the 15th anniversary of Joe’s death, Ben shares his personal family memories of growing up with Joe in their native Mullingar and recalls their early adventures as musicians.

My Country Life, with Eddie Rowley, is podcast series that takes you backstage and into the real lives of Irish country music's kings and queens. Each episode in this series features a well-known star opening the doors to their past and taking us on their personal journey into the spotlight. Along the way, they reveal their highs and lows, happiness and heartaches and their struggle to find success. Meet legends like Daniel O'Donnell and Jimmy Buckley, as well as young stars like Nathan Carter and Cliona Hagan as they recall the great music and great stories on their road to stardom.

My Country Life, with Eddie Rowley, is podcast series that takes you backstage and into the real lives of Irish country music's kings and queens. Each episode in this series features a well-known star opening the doors to their past and taking us on their personal journey into the spotlight. Along the way, they reveal their highs and lows, happiness and heartaches and their struggle to find success. Meet legends like Daniel O'Donnell and Jimmy Buckley, as well as young stars like Nathan Carter and Cliona Hagan as they recall the great music and great stories on their road to stardom.

My Country Life

My Country Life, with Eddie Rowley, is a podcast series that takes you backstage and into the real lives of Irish country music's kings and queens. Each episode in this series features a well-known star opening the doors to their past and taking us on their personal journey into the spotlight. Along the way, they reveal their highs and lows, happiness and heartaches and their struggle to find success. Meet legends like Daniel O'Donnell and Jimmy Buckley, as well as young stars like Nathan Carter and Cliona Hagan as they recall the great music and great stories on their road to stardom.

My Country Life, with Eddie Rowley, is a podcast series that takes you backstage and into the real lives of Irish country music's kings and queens. Each episode in this series features a well-known star opening the doors to their past and taking us on their personal journey into the spotlight. Along the way, they reveal their highs and lows, happiness and heartaches and their struggle to find success. Meet legends like Daniel O'Donnell and Jimmy Buckley, as well as young stars like Nathan Carter and Cliona Hagan as they recall the great music and great stories on their road to stardom.

Episode 18: There's no show like a Joe show - the story of Joe Dolan (Part 1)

Irish country music legend Sandy Kelly (nee Duskey) has a remarkable story to tell.

Born in Sligo into a family of travelling entertainers, she appeared in variety roadshows all over Ireland from the time she was a baby.
Sandy joined a pop band in her teens and later went on to represent Ireland in the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with The Duskeys.

It was her recording of the Patsy Cline hit, Crazy, that changed her life after American country icon Johnny Cash heard it on the radio while he was on tour in Ireland. They went on to record together and Johnny opened doors for Sandy in America.

However, along with the highs of her life and career, Sandy has also experienced many dark days, including the deaths of loved ones, the breakdown of relationships, financial and family struggles… and the nasty side of showbusiness, as she now reveals.

Episode 23: Sandy Kelly

SUSAN McCann is Ireland’s First Lady of Country, and in part two of her life story here on the Sunday World podcast My Country Life, the legendary singer recalls performing on the same Florida festival with Garth Brooks, while he was then on his journey to becoming a country music superstar.

Susan talks about her meeting with Garth at that event in 1991, and tells how he was trying to achieve the same chart success in the UK as our own Daniel O’Donnell.

“Garth Brooks was in the changing room right next to us,” Susan recalls. “And we chatted…he wasn’t even known in Ireland at the time. He knew Daniel O’Donnell.

He had released a record in England and had been over to do a promotion on his album.

“He said, ‘Do you know that guy, Daniel O’Donnell?’ Sure I knew Daniel very well.
He used to call to the house when he was starting up. So I said, ‘Of course I know him.’

“Daniel had three albums in the UK charts at the time. ‘I can’t even get one,’ Garth said, ‘that man has three!’ He laughed about it.”

Now listen here to Susan telling many more behind-the-scenes stories from her career in country music, her life amid the The Troubles in Northern Ireland…and why her favourite title today is Grandma…

Episode 22: Susan McCann - From South Armagh to Nashville's Grand Ole Opry (Part 2)

SHE’S Ireland’s First Lady of Country and Susan McCann has had a remarkable life in music, performing everywhere from the marquee in her native Forkhill, South Armagh, to Nashville’s famous Grand Ole Opry.

As Susan tells it, she came from humble beginnings growing up among a family of 11 in a two-bed house with no electricity or running water.

Starting off as the singer in her local céili band, at one point money was so tight for the future star she says she couldn’t afford the ticket price to see Philomena Begley performing.

However, in 1977 Susan shot to fame in Ireland when she had a smash hit with a song called Big Tom Is Still The King.

“If it wasn’t for Big Tom I might never have made it,” Susan says today.

In Nashville, Susan was embraced by Porter Wagoner, the singer and TV presenter who gave Dolly Parton her big break, and who inspired her song, I Will Always Love You.

She recorded several albums in Nashville with musicians who’d played on some of her favourite American country music records, including Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.

Here, in My Country Life, Susan talks about her childhood, her rise to stardom and meeting the love of her life.

Episode 18: There's no show like a Joe show - the story of Joe Dolan (Part 1)

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