Sandy Kelly (formerly Sandy Duskey)
Photo Gallery -
Discography
- Audio samples -
Where Are They Now?
Her Story
Easy
Listenin'
Sandy Kelly (Philomena Ellis) arrived in Ireland from her native Wales in early 1974 and immediately put together a cabaret group called Sandy Duskey and Easy Listenin. She took her stage name from her family which toured the English clubs as The Duskey Family. Easy Listenin
was originally Sandy, Gerry Gallagher (Magic and the Kim Newport Band) on bass, Gerry
Feeney (Dee Leydon & The Powermen) on keyboards, and Ballisodare drummer, Sean Savage. The band toured the northwest of
Ireland and was an instant success. Before long, Sean and Gerry Feeney left the
band and were replaced by Dick Lynott (Sean Gallagher & the Quarrymen) on drums and James Blennerhassett (Mary
Black) on bass
(both would later play with the Kim Newport Band at different times). Gerry moved to guitar and Sandy's easy going personality made her a natural for the cabaret scene.
However, her powerhouse vocals soon attracted attention!
Fairways
In
the summer of 1974, Ballina manager Tom Kelly, spotted her and recognizing her talent, offered her a spot with his band,
Gary Street and the Fairways
after the departure of their female vocalist, Karen King. Immediately, Hawk
Records signed Sandy and the band to a contract and her first single
was released, Come Back Billie Jo, a country number and a
major departure for the more hard edged Fairways.
For the next two years, Gary and Sandy shared
the spotlight as Gary Street, Sandy Duskey and the Fairways.
As time passed, Sandy talent showed through garnering more fans for
herself and the band. Eventually, Gary left and emigrated to England
where he continued to perform. Sadly Gary (his real
name was Joe Conway) passed away in the UK in 2003. Towards the end of the
1970's, Tom brought Sandy's sister, Barbara, into the band, along
with her cousin from Wales, Nina
(real name Marian) and
they became the Duskey Sisters and the Fairways.
Duskey Sisters
With
the continued success under the Duskey Sisters banner, the band soon dropped the
use of the Fairways name and became know as just The Duskey Sisters,
and they took the ballroom scene by storm. Playing bass in the band was
Tom's brother, Michael Kelly and he and Sandy were soon dating and eventually married.
In 1981, the Duskeys got their first crack at Eurovision when they
sang, Where Does That Love Come From in the Irish National
Song Contest. They came in third behind another trio of females,
Sheeba.
In 1982, the band was again competing in the
National Song contest singing the Sally Keating song, Here Today,
Gone Tomorrow. The second time proved the charm and Sandy and the band won
the contest, representing Ireland in Eurovision. Click here to see a clip of their appearance.
The record went to number 12 in the Irish charts, but its success
was short lived. Joining the girls for the contest, and subsequently on tour for a short time, was Danny Duskey, another of Sandy's cousins from Wales. Although they didn't win at Eurovision, the success convinced Sandy that she had what it would take to make it internationally.
Sandy Kelly Band
A
serious road accident in 1983 put Sandy and the band off the road
and although at the time, there was no immediate plan to change the
band's direction, Sandy took the break while she recovered to make
the changes needed to move from pop to country music. . By the mid 1980's, the
ballroom scene in Ireland had been hit hard by discos and Sandy decided it was time to go back to her roots in cabaret and country music,
changing to her married name, Sandy
Kelly.
In early 1989, Sandy reluctantly recorded the Patsy Cline standard, Crazy. Reluctantly because at the time she was doing country rock and original material, and she "felt that Crazy belonged very much to Patsy Cline." The record not only went on to be Number 1 in the Irish charts, but became the country's
biggest selling record of 1989.
At that time, Johnny Cash was touring Ireland and he heard the record on the radio and called Sandy, inviting her to his show. During his performance, he invited her up on stage to sing. Johnny was so taken with Sandy's talent, he
invited her to Nashville and they recorded "Woodcarver" together which became Sandy's second gold record in Ireland. Sandy toured the US extensively for the next few years and returned to Ireland to do her own TV series three years running and also created her acclaimed one woman show based on Patsy Cline's life.
Once again, Sandy's talent was obvious and she was asked to go to London to recreate the part in the Mervyn Conn's highly successful West End show, Patsy Cline - The Musical. The show also starred Sandy's friend, George Hamilton IV whom she had met and recorded with in Nashville. The show ran for five years,
taking up all of Sandy's time. Following this, Sandy then played Tammy Wynette in another musical, Stand By Your Man, before subsequently adapting the Patsy Cline musical to create a touring version of the show, Patsy Cline, Music & Memories, with George joining Sandy once again as narrator.
For the past few years, Sandy has divided her time between touring Ireland and England with George Hamilton IV with a tribute to the
Grand Ole Opry (George has been a member for over 40 years), touring Ireland with her own
show, and frequent trips to the US where she is working on a Broadway show based on her own life story. One of Ireland's most enduring stars, Sandy continues to entertain audiences at home and abroad with her broad range of vocal styles.
Most recently, Sandy was a guest host of her own country music show on Sligo's new Ocean FM station. For an audio sample of Sandy on the air,
please click here.
Photo
Gallery
Discography (partial)
Singles:
Come Back Billie Jo (Sandy Duskey)
/ Koko's Drum (Gary Street) -
#13 Irish Charts
Hawk Records - HASP.378 - January, 1974
Love Me Just A Little Bit More / Can't You See I Love You (Sandy Duskey) -
#8 Irish Charts
Hawk Records - HASP.386 - July, 1976
Not With You / I'm Alive Again (Sandy Duskey)
Hawk Records - HASP.418 - 1978
Hey Jude (Sandy Duskey)
Hawk Records - HASP -
Let It Shine (Sandy Duskey)
Hawk Records - HASP - May 16, 1979
Don't Feel Like Dancing / Closer Closer (Duskey Sisters)
Sunset Records - SUN 002 - 1980
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow / Instrumental Version (Duskey Sisters) -
#12 Irish Charts
Crashed Records - CAR 20 - 1982
We Got Love / Don't Leave Baby (Duskeys)
Crashed Records - CAR.23 - 1982
Baby Don't Go / On My Mind (Sandy Kelly)
CBS Records - CBS 6145 - Early 1985
One Night A Week Lover / Reasons (Sandy Kelly) -
#12 Irish Charts
CBS Records - CBS 6453 - July, 1985
Crazy (Sandy Kelly) - #13 Irish Charts
K-Tel Records - KTS 018 - April, 1989
Sweet Dreams (Sandy Kelly) - #19 Irish Charts
K-Tel Records - September, 1989
Woodcarver (Sandy Kelly with Johnny Cash) - #12 Irish Charts
K-Tel Records - March, 1990
Ring of Fire (Sandy Kelly with Johnny Cash) / Wind
Beneath My Wings (Sandy Kelly) - #21 Irish Charts
K-Tel Records - KTS 057 - October, 1990
Albums:
Paradise Tonight
CBS Records - 1985
Evening With Sandy Kelly
Prism Leisure Video -
1990
Kelly's Heroes
K-TEL Records - 1993
We Will Meet Again (with George Hamilton IV)
(Zomba) 2002
Audio Clips
Coming Soon
Where Are They Now?
