The Henry Girls is a superb Irish folk and roots music ensemble. The band includes three accomplished sisters: Karen, Lorna, and Joleen McLaughlin. Armed with extensive university-level music education, these multi-talented musicians use a variety of instruments, including fiddle, ukulele, banjo, guitar, harp, mandolin, piano, and accordion. Notably, their beautiful and masterfully constructed harmony vocals and distinctive sound seamlessly fuse traditional Irish folk melodies with Americana.
The McLaughlin sisters are from Malin in Inishowen, County Donegal, in Ulster, Ireland. They put together The Henry Girls around 2003, naming the band as a heartfelt tribute to their grandfather. Their musical career commenced with the release of their debut album, Between Us, in 2003, produced under the guidance of Máire Breatnach. Subsequently, the trio continued to carve their musical path, earning a nomination for an Irish Film and Television Award for Best Original Score for the film “A Shine of Rainbows,” which prominently featured songs from their 2009 album Dawn.
In 2011, The Henry Girls unveiled their album December Moon, a masterful collection predominantly comprised of original compositions, including a rendition of Elvis Costello’s “Watching the Detectives.”
In 2012, The Henry Girls joined forces with the West Virginia string band, The Fox Hunt (Darrin Hacquard, John Miller, Matt Metz, and Ben Townsend), to release the collaborative album Mountains to the Ocean. Later, the trio released Louder than Words.
Moving forward to 2017, The Henry Girls released Far Beyond the Stars. This album delves into themes of love, war, friendship, and environmental consciousness. Noteworthy tracks include a cover of Joe Hill’s “Rebel Girl” and a poignant duet with Moya Brennan on “Don’t Call Me Honey.”
The Henry Girls’ includes Karen on fiddle and vocals; Lorna on accordion, penny whistle, and vocals; and Joleen on harp, mandolin, and vocals.
(headline image: Henry Girls promo photo by Sarah Ward Y-Control Photography)
Discography
Between Us (2003)
Morning Rush (2007)
Dawn (2009)
December Moon (2011)
Mountains to the Ocean (Questionable Records, 2012)
Louder Than Words (2014)
Far Beyond The Stars (2017)
Shout Sister Shout: A Musical Tribute To The Boswell Sisters (CPL-Music, 2020)
A Time to Grow (2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.