Frances Black (born 25 June 1960) is an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
singer and politician. She came to prominence in the late 1980s when she began to play with her family's band,
the Black Family
The Black Family is a professional wrestling face / tecnico stable that has been working in AAA since 2000. Originally a heel / rudo stable, The Black Family currently consists of original member Dark Cuervo as well as the later additions of D ...
, performing a mix of
traditional
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
and contemporary
Irish music
Irish music is music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.
The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th and into the 21st century, despite globalis ...
.
Black was elected to Seanad Éireann as an independent senator in 2016 for the
Industrial and Commercial Panel
The Industrial and Commercial Panel ( ga, An Rolla Tionscail Agus Tráchtála) is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Ind ...
.
Background
Black was born in Charlemont Street,
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
in 1960 into a musical family. She was educated at
St Louis High School, Rathmines. Her father Kevin was a keen
fiddle player
The following lists of violinists are available:
* List of classical violinists, notable violinists from the baroque era onwards
* List of contemporary classical violinists, notable contemporary classical violinists
* List of violinist/compose ...
and
mandolinist
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
, a plasterer by trade and a native of
Rathlin Island
Rathlin Island ( ga, Reachlainn, ; Local Irish dialect: ''Reachraidh'', ; Scots: ''Racherie'') is an island and civil parish off the coast of County Antrim (of which it is part) in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's northernmost point. ...
,
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
. Her mother Patty (from Dublin) used to sing in local dancehalls. She is the youngest of five children, having three brothers Shay, Michael and Martin, and one sister,
Mary Black
Mary Black (born 23 May 1955) is an Irish folk singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both traditional folk and modern material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland.
Background
Mary Black was born into a m ...
, who is also a well-known singer.
Musical career
Pre-solo
Black's musical career began at 17, when she began singing with her siblings, in her family group, known as
the Black Family
The Black Family is a professional wrestling face / tecnico stable that has been working in AAA since 2000. Originally a heel / rudo stable, The Black Family currently consists of original member Dark Cuervo as well as the later additions of D ...
. She gained confidence in her singing abilities and enhanced her performing skills through joining the band Arcady in 1988 (with former
De Dannan
De Dannan (originally ''Dé Danann'') is an Irish folk music group. It was formed 1975 by Frankie Gavin ( fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott ( banjo) as a result of sessions in Hughe ...
member Johnny McDonagh, Brendan Larrissey, Patsy Broderick,
Seán Keane, Cathal Hayden,
Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon (born 8 June 1968) is an Irish musician, best known for her work with the button accordion and for her fiddle technique. She also plays the tin whistle and melodeon. Her 1991 debut album, ''Sharon Shannon,'' was the best-selling ...
, and Paul Doyle). The group toured in Europe,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and the United States. They recorded their debut album, ''After the Ball'', containing a mixture of traditional tunes and vocals/songs. The single for the album's title track, the song "After the Ball", which featured Black on lead vocals, performed well in the Irish charts and also made an impact on the American folk market. Due to her young family, the gruelling touring schedule was too much for Black, so she decided to leave the group. Her last tour with the group was in the US in August 1992.
Black teamed up with the
Newry
Newry (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Clanrye river in counties Armagh and Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011.
Newry was founded in 1144 alongside a Cistercian monastery, althoug ...
singer
Kieran Goss
Kieran Goss is a contemporary singer-songwriter.
Biography
Kieran Goss was born and raised in Mayobridge, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Goss recorded his first album, ''Brand New Star'', in 1989. It contained the songs "Brand New Star" and ...
, and the pair recorded the album ''Frances Black and Kieran Goss'' in 1992. One of the songs on the album, "Wall of Tears", was featured on the compilation album ''
A Woman's Heart''. The album went on to become the biggest-selling Irish album ever, and this, along with the subsequent tour, advanced Black's career in the music industry. Other artists on ''A Woman's Heart'' included
Eleanor McEvoy
Eleanor McEvoy (born 22 January 1967) is an Irish singer-songwriter. She composed the song "Only a Woman's Heart", title track of '' A Woman's Heart'', the best-selling Irish album in Irish history.
Early life and beginnings
McEvoy's life as ...
,
Sharon Shannon
Sharon Shannon (born 8 June 1968) is an Irish musician, best known for her work with the button accordion and for her fiddle technique. She also plays the tin whistle and melodeon. Her 1991 debut album, ''Sharon Shannon,'' was the best-selling ...
,
Maura O'Connell
Maura O'Connell (born 16 September 1958) is an Irish singer and actress. She is known for her contemporary interpretations of Irish folk songs, strongly influenced by American country music.
Background
O'Connell was born in Ennis, the main t ...
,
Dolores Keane
Dolores Keane (born 26 September 1953) is an Irish folk singer and occasional actress. She was a founding member of the group De Dannan and has since embarked on a solo career.
Background
Keane was born in a small village called Sylane (near ...
, and her sister
Mary Black
Mary Black (born 23 May 1955) is an Irish folk singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both traditional folk and modern material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland.
Background
Mary Black was born into a m ...
, who had achieved international success by then.
Solo career
![Frances Black](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Frances_Black.jpg)
Black received rave reviews while on tour in Australia and New Zealand in March 1993 with 20 other Irish artists, in a
Guinness
Guinness () is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful alcohol brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available in ove ...
celebration of Irish music. This resulted in a record deal from the Irish label Dara Records. She released her first solo album in 1994, ''Talk to Me''. It became an instant hit, selling over 100,000 copies and spending eight weeks at number one in her native Ireland. The album contained four
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award fo ...
songs (which were unrecorded by Nanci at the time of the release), one
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...
song and
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's "Intuition". However, it was her cover of the
Christie Hennessy
Christie Hennessy (born Edward Christopher Ross; 19 November 1945 – 11 December 2007) was an Irish folk singer-songwriter. Although Hennessy was unable to read or write due to severe dyslexia, he still wrote his own songs such as "Roll Back ...
song, "All the Lies That You Told Me", that received the most attention and it signalled the arrival of Black as a major new talent. ''Talk to Me'' was released in the UK and United States also, where she toured in 1994.
In March 1995, Black's second solo also, ''The Sky Road'', was released in Ireland, UK and United States. She was the recipient of the 'Best Album by a Female' award, by the
IRMA. Due to her rising popularity in America, she embarked on her second solo tour there in 1995. Among Ms. Black's most successful singles are re-recordings of
Acker Bilk
Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk, (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was a British clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistc ...
's "Stranger on the Shore" in 1996 and in 1997, the
Yvonne Elliman
Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...
-popularized tune "Love Me, Please". 1997 saw the release of Black's album ''The Smile on Your Face''. It contained songs written by numerous Irish, English and American songwriters. The follow-up album was 1998's ''Don't Get Me Wrong'', which was released in the UK under
Sony Records
Sony Records was a record label founded by R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner in 1963. It was not affiliated with Sony Group Corporation.
Ike Turner produced singles by members of the Kings of Rhythm and the Ikettes on Sony Records. Records on the label ...
and was her fourth solo effort. It once again cemented Ms. Black's reputation as an international performer, becoming as revered as her older sister Mary.
2001 brought the release of a compilation, ''The Best of Frances Black'', on Dara-Dolphin Records. The album included 16 tracks from her recordings with Arcady and The Black Family, as well as her solo recordings. Her two most recent albums ''How High the Moon'' (2003) and ''This Love Will Carry'' (2006) have also sold well in Ireland and Black toured the United States in support of the recordings. Her latest compilation, ''The Essential Frances Black'' (2008), went platinum and contained 40 of her most popular songs.
Political career
Black was elected to
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house).
It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
as a Senator on her first attempt at a political campaign in 2016, as an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
candidate. She received her nomination from the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland and ran on the
Industrial and Commercial Panel
The Industrial and Commercial Panel ( ga, An Rolla Tionscail Agus Tráchtála) is one of five vocational panels which together elect 43 of the 60 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (the legislature of Ireland). The Ind ...
. She is a member of the
Civil Engagement group
The Civil Engagement group () is a technical group in Seanad Éireann (the upper house of the Oireachtas or parliament of Ireland) composed of senators with a background in civic engagement organisations.
History
The group was established in ...
in the
25th Seanad
This is a list of the members of the 25th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland. 49 Senators were elected in April 2016 when postal voting closed. The Taoiseach nominated an additional eleven members to the ...
.
She has called for alcohol not to be sold next to nappies in supermarkets.
Black tabled a
private member's bill
A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...
in January 2018 which she described as seeking "to prohibit the import and sales of goods, services and natural resources originating in illegal settlements in occupied territories".
In April 2018, NBC's Vivian Salama, on behalf of the politician
George Mitchell, personally presented the
Arab American Institute
The Arab American Institute (AAI) is a Nonprofit organization, non-profit membership organization that advocates for the interests of Arab Americans, Arab-Americans. Founded in 1985 by James Zogby, the brother of pollster John Zogby, the organiza ...
Foundation (AAIF)'s Award for Individual Achievement to Black at the 20th annual
Kahlil Gibran
Gibran Khalil Gibran ( ar, جُبْرَان خَلِيل جُبْرَان, , , or , ; January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931), usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran (pronounced ), was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist ...
Spirit of Humanity Awards in Washington. Mitchell made a special video message in praise of Black. The award was in recognition of her work as founder of RISE Foundation and her "tireless efforts on behalf of those struggling with addiction and their families". She was re-elected at the
2020 Seanad election.
Personal life
Black had her first child, Eoghan, when she was 19, and her second child Aoife, when she was 21. Her first marriage ended shortly afterwards, and she is now married to her second husband, Brian Allen. Her daughter
Aoife Scott
Aoife Scott is an Irish singer-songwriter from Dublin. She was a finalist in the Liet International song contest for minority languages in 2011.
Career
Scott's first album, released in 2016, was entitled ''Carry The Day''.
Scott has performed on ...
recorded a track on Black's album ''This Love Will Carry''. Aoife is now also a well known singer and songwriter herself in Ireland after releasing her first solo album ''Carry the Day''. Her son Eoghan is also a well known musician, songwriter and producer in the Irish music scene and is currently completing a degree in psychology in DCU.
Black returned to college as a
mature student
An adult learner or, more commonly, a mature student, is a person who is older and is involved in forms of learning. Adult learners fall in a specific criterion of being experienced, and do not always have a high school diploma. Many of the adult ...
in 2004 and qualified as an addiction counsellor, and did some counselling work at the Rutland Addiction Treatment Centre in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
.
She established a charity called the Rise Foundation in 2009 which supports family members who have a loved one with an alcohol, drug or gambling problem. Rise runs a number of 10-week family programmes around the country and a one-to-one counselling service for family members who are suffering from stress and anxiety living with a loved one with an addiction problem.
Discography
*''Frances Black and Kieran Goss'' (1992)
*''Talk to Me'' (1994)
*''The Sky Road'' (1995)
*''The Smile on Your Face'' (1996)
*''Don't Get Me Wrong'' (1998)
*''The Best of Frances Black'' (2000)
*''How High the Moon'' (2003)
*''This Love Will Carry'' (2006)
*''The Essential Frances Black'' (2008)
*''Stronger'' (2013)
References
External links
* (music)
* (politics)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, Frances
1960 births
Living people
Irish women singers
Members of the 25th Seanad
Members of the 26th Seanad
21st-century women members of Seanad Éireann
Musicians from Dublin (city)
Independent members of Seanad Éireann
Transatlantic Records artists
20th-century Irish women musicians
20th-century Irish musicians
21st-century Irish women musicians
21st-century Irish musicians
People from Portobello, Dublin