New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Plan A Media) - The deep, joyful and soul-moving tradition of Celtic music meets the top-rank pop musicianship of our time in the inspiring and intimate "Distant Shore," the forthcoming new solo album by ORLA FALLON, formerly of Celtic Woman. For years, Fallon has held audiences spellbound the world over with her pure and emotional singing and virtuoso playing on the Irish harp as one of Celtic Woman's stunning talents and beloved soloists.
Nashville's Green Hill Music and EMI will release the album in the U.S. on September 22, 2009 with international release dates to follow. "We are looking forward to the release of 'Distant Shore,'" commented Greg Howard, General Manager of Green Hill Music. "The retail landscape has changed so dramatically in the past couple of years. However with our core business being the non-traditional and gift markets, combined with EMI's success with major retailers throughout the world, we believe we are best positioned to make Orla's new record a great sales success."
"Distant Shore" was produced by Eoghan O'Neill (pronounced: Owen) and Dan Shea. O'Neill is a founding member of the seminal Irish folk-rock band Moving Hearts, and was Musical Director of Riverdance-The Show. For the past five years O'Neill has shared the world stage with Orla as Celtic Woman's Musical Director and bassist. Shea, a multi-platinum American producer, whose long resume of hit pop productions includes tracks by Mariah Carey, Carlos Santana, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Martina McBride, produced and/or co-produced six tracks on "Distant Shore."
Shea and John Bettis wrote the title track "Distant Shore." Bettis, an American lyricist, has co-written songs for several music legends including Madonna, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and the late Michael Jackson. Additionally, two tracks on the album ("My Land" and "Always There") were co-written by Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham, composers of the modern standard, "You Raise Me Up," best known in North America in the No.1 Josh Groban version, while several tracks were written by Orla herself.
"I am so very fortunate to have worked with such amazing people on both sides of the Atlantic," said Fallon. "I am so excited about this record as I think we have done a wonderful job fusing my Celtic roots with sounds of the American heartland." The album was recorded at the famed Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin and at Nashville's Dark Horse Studios - both recording facilities have hosted such platinum stars as U2, The Chieftains, Faith Hill, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich and Martina McBride.
Concurrently, Fallon will return to PBS stations nationwide as a special guest star on "Beautiful World," the upcoming pledge drive concert special of platinum-selling crossover instrumental songwriter and pianist Jim Brickman. "Beautiful World" was filmed in high-definition a stone's throw from the Peace Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and will run this August and September on PBS.
Brickman returns the favor by guesting on "Distant Shore" and the two will appear together on QVC August 19th at 7PM. Additionally, and in celebration of the holidays, Orla will join Brickman's national holiday tour for several dates in November and December 2009 and sing on Brickman's holiday CD release sold exclusively at Target Stores. "I just love Orla," said Brickman. "She is so talented and such a multi-dimensional artist. I am very excited to be working so closely with her as she develops her own solo career."
Orla Fallon toured the world as a soloist in the phenomenally popular performing troupe Celtic Woman for four years, and recorded with them the three albums which held a record-setting 95 consecutive weeks at the No. 1 position on the Billboard World Music Albums chart. During Fallon's four years in the group, Celtic Woman sold more than 4 million CDs and DVDs, played seven U.S. tours, and performed for more than 800,000 people. Meanwhile, the three Celtic Woman PBS Specials have aired more than 13,658 times on 685 PBS stations across the country, covering 97% of U.S. television households. Fallon's first solo album, "The Water Is Wide," debuted on that chart in the Top 10 upon its U.S. release in 2006.
VISIT ORLA FALLON ON THE WEB AT:
https://www.orlafallon.com
https://www.myspace.com/orlafallonofficial
