New release shows Deirdre is doubly thankful for her year

Rising country music star Deirdre Keane has revealed that the follow-up to her summer single - her version of the Tom Paxton classic 'Last Thing On My Mind' - is a re-release of her hit from this time last year, 'I Just Want To Thank You Lord'.

But she has a very good reason for that being the case, because it's Deirdre's way of giving thanks for all the good things that have come her way in the past year.

As the Banagher-based singer continues to win new fans on the country scene, she already had plenty of reasons to be grateful for all of the support that she's received over the last year or so, even before the invitation to take part in next year's series of the hit TG4 show Glór Tíre came her way too, courtesy of singer/songwriter Ciaran Rosney who will be her mentor.

But as of last week, the Galway native has yet another reason to look back fondly on what 2021 - even in a year as tough as there's ever been for entertainers - has brought her way...an international award nomination!

"It's funny", observes Deirdre, "because it had actually been on my mind that I'd like to do something with this particular song again. I originally released 'I Just Want To Thank You, Lord' last year, and it received such a wonderful reaction, with people really taking it into their hearts.

"And I think as well, the sentiment of the song - just being thankful for everything we do have, even when times are hard - that really resonated with people. In the year since then, even though it's obviously been extremely difficult for all of us in the music world, for me personally, the support that has continued to come my way from people is what has kept me going through it all."

Deirdre continued: "So I wanted to find some way to say thank-you to everyone for that. It felt like the right thing to do, and an important thing to do. And that was before Ciaran got in touch and sprang Glór Tíre on me. When that happened, I said right, I need to acknowledge my good fortune here, definitely, and do something to let people know there's so much that I appreciate. But I suppose the fact that I had just released 'I Just Want To Thank You, Lord' last year made me think I probably couldn't release it again so soon."

That decision was pretty much taken out of Deirdre's own hands last week, however, with the news that I Just Want To Thank You, Lord has been nominated in the Gospel/Christian category of the Holland based Fair Play Country Music Awards. And, taking it as a sign to follow what had been her natural instinct anyway, Deirdre has sent the song back to radio for a second time.

"That news came out of the blue! I was stunned, actually, because I'm still at that stage of my career where I'm not even thinking about anything like awards. I just want to make sure I keep recording great songs, and releasing the kind of music that I love, and that I hope people will enjoy.

"To suddenly be nominated for an award anywhere, nevermind in Europe, that left me speechless. But coming on top of everything with Ciaran and Glór Tíre, it just made me realise again how lucky I am to be doing something I love so much. So I wanted to say thank you for that, to everyone who makes it in any way possible. And luckily, I had the very song to do exactly that!"

Written by Judy Marshall of the Marshall Family, I Just Want To Thank You, Lord became Keane's third single when it was first released a year ago as the follow up to that September's radio-friendly take on the Sara Evans 2004 country-chartopper Suds In The Bucket. That single reinforced Keane's undeniable emergence as a vocal powerhouse, something which first became clear on her 2019 debut single, 57 Chevrolet, taken from the Billie Jo Spears songbook.

With 2022 just around the corner, Glór Tíre shortly to hit our screens, and work continuing on her highly anticipated debut album, all the signs are on it that this could be a break-out year for Deirdre.

* 'I Just Want To Thank You, Lord' is now available to request from radio stations nationwide. To stay up to date with Deirdre's Glór Tíre journey, and all the latest news on her music career - including that Fair Play Country Music Award nomination - you can follow her on both Facebook and Instagram by searching 'Deirdre Keane Music.'