Sarah McQuaid is a gifted and captivating performer whose warm, haunting alto is delicately cradled by her “sparkling guitar” (Sing Out!). She is both song crafter and song collector, equally at home with traditional Irish and Appalachian folk songs, Elizabethan ballads and 1930s jazz numbers.

Her musical output is a direct and unfolding reflection of her own eclectic background: Sarah was born in Spain, raised in Chicago, holds dual US and Irish citizenship, and currently lives in rural England. While the genre, era and geographical location of her songs may change, at their core is a musician who has soaked it all in – and, luckily for us, is able to eloquently express the stories she’s gathered.

Sarah has released three solo albums – When Lovers Meet (1997), I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning (2008) and most recently The Plum Tree and the Rose (2012) – in addition to Crow Coyote Buffalo (2009), released with co-writer Zoë under the band name Mama. She is also the author of The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book, described by The Irish Times as “a godsend to aspiring traditional guitarists.”

“A great songwriter and traditional singer, and a wonderful guitarist.” — Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2