Maria Butterly

Maria Butterly, Co-Meath-born singer/songwriter, is a Celtic-tour-de-force as she arrives on stage with such confidence and star quality that one is prepared for something special. "Maria's voice is so extraordinary it can take you places you never expected to go" (Bernard Baeur, Music Connection Magazine). Born and raised in Ireland, the youngest of seven.

Her original style of music is opening the door to a Celtic Country craze, and with a raw-edged passion she lets loose. This wildly gifted Irish artist, a rising star in Irish music, captivates and enthralls her concert audiences. She has credited her early inspiration for music as coming from a result of her father's affection for Irish whisky. As a means of distraction, young Maria taught herself to play various instruments including: the guitar, viola, mandolin, whistles & piano. Her amazing voice is a gift inherited from her mother. Her lyrics are positive and upbeat, ranging from rants to love ballads to the conquering of life"s struggles. She first visited New York and then traveled onto Nashville where she had a chance to study the craft and was offered her first publishing deal for one of her songs titled "Silent Partner". Eventually she made her way to Los Angeles, California where she now resides.

Maria and her band have opened for Damien Rice, Michele Shocked, The Proclaimers, Hot House-Flowers, The Saw Doctors, Hal Ketchum, The Fenians, Dolores Keane & many more.

Butterly recently performed at the Angelica Huston Gala Event, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel this year, she is an award winner of: New York International Film and Music Festival - BEST IRISH FOLK AWARD.

Recent National Broadcast Interviews and performances in Ireland: Today with Pat Kenny - RTF Radio, BBC's Broadcast - Just Jones Show, Bob Conway's -East Coast Radio, LM/FM, and airings on Cork Late Date, Lyric FM, Flirt FM Galway.

New York January 2005: While on tour in NY, she met with 3 time Grammy winner mixing engineer - Elliott Scheiner at the famous Avatar Studios where she had the honor of sitting in with Elliott on a mixing session for Donald Fagan from Steely Dan.

Maria has performed in the following clubs - House of Blues, The Roxy, The Troubadour, New York's oldest rock club, The Mercury Lounge, Nashville's Bluebird Café and Nine Fine-Irishmen at the New York, New York Hotel in Las Vegas. She also performs at theater concert venues and large outdoor festivals, Isaac Butts, Dublin, Mother Redcaps, Dublin, Harcourt Hotel, Dublin, International Bar, Dublin, Quays, Galway.

Maria is very much a positive example of an Independent artist making it in the un-signed world of music, as she recently completed her studies of recording engineer & has set up her own recording studio in Los Angeles, and is in pre-production for her latest album to be released in September 2006. She also released an acoustic solo CD titled, "It's Just Me" which features seven tracks that Butterly self arranged, performed and produced where her songs 'So Beautiful' & 'Shut Me Out' was quoted as 'potential Blockbusters' form the Evening Herald, Dublin. All Maria's music is available through her website at www.mariabutterly.com, www.cdbaby.com & www.iTunes.com

"Her eclectic Folk/Rock original songs are giving her a well deserved reputation for being one of the bright new stars in the world of Irish Music. (Irish News & Entertainment).

"Butterly voice is spectacular, with expansive tonal range and emotional power. She has great command of the guitar and mandolin. Maria is a live force… like a lightening storm she filled the room with electricity" (Sean Halloran LA, Music Connection Magazine)

"Melt in your mouth music" (Irish Herald)