BY MARK McKELVEY
Travelling the world, stepping up on stage and performing in front of thousands of people three times a day has become commonplace in the life of Fintona musician Lisa Murphy, who is currently in America performing at the World Music Festival. This is America's largest international festival staged in the rustic setting in the heartland of American country music and tradition, with international performers from around the world sharing their stories, music and culture.
This may sound intimidating to most, but is now all in a day's work for Lisa who has visited over 30 countries world-wide in the past five years with a number of traditional Irish groups.
Speaking from her hotel room in Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri, Lisa said her group is practising hard since they arrived on Sunday as they build up to today's (Thursday) opening performance.
She said, "I am performing with a group called Celtic Islands, that is split into two sets, ourselves the Irish group and a traditional Scottish group who we are sharing a stage with, doing a 20-minute show each, three times a day.
"It is a mixture of traditional Irish music, dance and song. I'm playing the whistle, fiddle and singing in a group of 14. It is lovely being in Missouri. There are acts coming from all over the world showcasing all types of music and traditions from Africa and Asia. It will be brilliant to meet such a diverse range of people from an array of cultures.
"Silver Dollar City has really gorgeous scenery set in the Ozark Mountain, real American country. It is like another world compared to other parts of America that would be more commonly visited. It is real America with checked shirts, cowboy hats, boots and big trucks. It's like something out of a Clint Eastwood movie."
This is just the latest step in a singing career that spans back to June 2002 when Lisa successfully auditioned for Rhythm of the Dance, touring throughout Europe including Russia and Siberia as well as Asia and North Africa.
It was the lasting mark she left on the producers of that show that has given Lisa the opportunity to make this trip to World-Fest with Celtic Islands.
In the years in between Lisa has also toured with other acclaimed acts Gaelforce Dance, Dance of Desire and Spirit of Ireland, who Lisa will be performing with when she returns in five weeks time.
"When I return I will be heading down to Killarney for more shows throughout the summer with Spirit of Ireland which is a lovely show working with great performers."
