Cara returns withthe very best of folk

Martin Snodin, Acoustic Sussex director, said: “Returning two years after her last visit to Chequer Mead, Cara Dillon has that rare talent that you only come across a handful times in your whole life.

“Her staggeringly-beautiful voice has the ability to reach inside the soul of a song and imbue material with not only profound sweetness but also poignancy and depth.”

Born in Dungiven in 1975, Cara was brought up in a close musical family immersed in the rich cultural heritage of her native Co Derry.

“Having won the All Ireland Traditional Singing Trophy aged only 14, she went on to sing with Oige, De Dannan and then Equation.

“It was in this band that she met her husband and musical collaborator Sam Lakeman.

“The combination of Cara’s expressive vocals and Lakeman’s rippling piano and fresh production squeezed new life into ancient material.

“Their original songs sit happily alongside the traditional, reinforcing the debt they owe, whilst pointing to a distinct and distinguished musical identity all of their own.

“It was Cara’s unrivaled vocal talent and Sam’s musical and arranging skills that first saw them signed to major record labels - first, Blanco Y Negro (Warners) and then the enviably hip Rough Trade Records, who released her first three solo albums.

“2008 saw the release of Cara’s first live DVD The Redcastle Sessions and in February 2009, she released independently her widely-acclaimed fourth album Hill Of Thieves, which won Best Album in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Tickets on 01342 302000 or email [email protected]. More information can be found on the Acoustic Sussex website (www.acousticsussex.org.uk).