Katie McMahon

The lilting soprano of Dublin-born Katie McMahon gained worldwide attention during her time as lead vocalist for Riverdance, the mid-nineties Irish-dance smash. These days, she’s happy being the boss of her own solo career right here in Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband, Ben Craig, a local rockabilly musician who met her backstage after a Riverdance show and won her heart swing-dancing at Lee’s Liquor Bar. Katie’s music still keeps her as busy as ever. She recently returned from a five-week tour of Norway with duo Secret Garden, just in time to release her third CD, Celtic Christmas, on which her lovely vocals soar through a choice selection of carols and traditional Irish tunes. Her annual holiday concert attracts larger crowds each year, and for 2003 moved on up to the larger confines of the O’Shaughnessy, accompanied by Irish dancers from the local Scoil na dTri school. (Read our interview with McMahon at www.rakemag.com.)
O’Shaughnessy, 2004 Randolph Ave.,
St. Paul, (651) 690-6700, www.stkate.edu/oshaughnessy