Teenage Irish musician Muireann Bradley has recently signed to Decca / Verve Label Group and will be re-releasing her album “I Kept These Old Blues” together with a bonus track on 28th February 2025. Now remixed and remastered by Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Kevin Reeves, “I Kept These Old Blues” demonstrates the kind of assuredness and skill to be expected of a musician five times her age, on blues standards such as Blind Blake’s ‘Police Dog Blues’ as well as Rev Gary Davis’s ‘Candyman’.
Each track was recorded live in the studio and represents one entire take of her singing and playing guitar simultaneously, with most of the final masters being either first or second takes. Not only does this highlight her immense skill, it also reflects the authentic recording styles of the era these classics were originally recorded. The first pressing sold out everywhere and is already regarded as a collectible – truly remarkable given Bradley was just 15 years old when she recorded it.
Hailing from the small town of Ballybofey in Co Donegal, Bradley’s unique style blends traditional blues stylings with personal and mature interpretations of classic songs from the genre, originally recorded in the 1920s right up to the 70s. She has captivated audiences, establishing her as one of Ireland’s brightest emerging stars. You can pre-order ”I Kept These Old Blues” here.
Bradley has shared her new single ‘When The Levee Breaks’, a country blues song by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy originally released in 1929. She performed the track on RTE’s “The Late Late Show” wowing her fellow guests, Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott (watch the performance and interview here).
“When The Levee Breaks is probably my favourite tune to perform live” says Bradley. “Memphis Minnie is one of my biggest heroes and I love her guitar picking on that record. The arrangement I play is a tribute to the playing of another one of my heroes, the great Philadelphia pre-war blues revivalist and teacher Ari Eisinger, who has been undoubtedly one of the strongest influences on my playing.”
