Dora Darling

Dora has been steeped in song and story ever since she was a little girl, she dwells in a magical world somewhere betwixt and between the Wildest Woods and the depths of the deepest Ocean. Her beautiful voice has a depth and resonance that can carry the audience to the Otherworld….

“Dora’s rich deep voice draws you into the stories of the songs she’s written… the audience were clearly appreciative.”  Nancy Kerr and James Fagan.

A self taught musician, Dora sings and plays the guitar, she also plays the fiddle and the tin whistle, both of which she learnt to play when she lived in Ireland in the 1990’s. Dora has written many many songs and tunes, influenced by her magical nature, a love for the Earth and the traditional music of the British Isles and Eastern Europe. Dora has the unusual ability to write songs which sound and feel magical, ancient and traditional.

In 2015 Dora ended a nine year long relationship with her band Forcenra to concentrate on the solo playing and recording of both her own hand spun songs,and a plethora of instrumental compositions, together with many traditional songs and tunes of the British Isles played on both whistle and fiddle.

 

This year Dora won the Tim Sebastian Award of Ynys Witrin for Elevation of the Word!

 

Collaboration

Currently Dora sings in the a cappella trio My Secret Sister, and plays with Nathan Lewis-Williams (guitar, vocals and bouzouki) in their duo O’r Tir weaving Celtic patterns on strings, with sung harmonies – and Welsh traditional tunes for good measure. O’r Tir bring you blessings with “Ancient new songs from the heart of Britain.” The music comes “from the land” – the meaning of the Cymric band name.

Influences 

Dora grew up listening to the music of Steeleye Span, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchel and Carly Simon. In her early teens she started to play the tin whistle and later spent several years living in Ireland singing and playing at sessions. In Ireland she fell in love with the music of Davy Spillane, Christy Moore, Planxty and Moving Hearts, she loved the Bothy band and Sharon Shannon to name a few… Back in the Uk Dora loves to hear the music of Martin Carthy, and Dick Gaughan (both of whom she has supported in recent years). Dora can often be found listening to Martha Tilston, Anne Briggs, Joan Baez, Maddy Prior, Rory McLeod, Kila, Flook, PerKelt, Seth Lakeman, and Paul Simon.

Dora also runs an open mic evening once a month in Frome, The Vaults Folk and Roots Club is held at The Bennett Centre on Vicarage Street. It is not really an open mic, rather a mic-less evening as the acoustics in the venue are so fantastic, it is now in the Great Hall upstairs, and we will be lighting the fire for the Christmas session.

 

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