Folk Americana trio The Raines (Juliana Erkkonen, Yvonne Tiernan and Ruth Dillon) are delighted to make their first appearance at the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival as part of their 2025 Summer Tour. Following on from recently appearing as special guests to Hothouse Flowers, Mick Flannery, and the White Horse Guitar Club, the band will bring new music as well as songs from their album Reverie. As always, their lyrics, cleverly arranged songs, glorious harmonies, and lush strings will guarantee that you are in for a special evening.
Ruth Dillon (Vocals/guitar) has toured and recorded with the legendary vocalist Dolores Keane, is a former member of The Molly Hicks, and has three solo albums of her own. Yvonne Tiernan (vocals/ukelele) has toured the world with numerous bands, most significantly as the lead singer with The Chieftains, and Juliana Erkkonen (fiddle /vocals) has been at the forefront of the Americana music scene in Ireland for 20 years, known for her distinctive fiddle style, which blends her Finnish classical roots with rich folk traditions. She has released eight albums with her previous folk bands.
The Raines have used their collective experience and influences to create a unique and pure sound, writing strong and melodic songs, in which they weave in and out of vocal harmony and counter-melody, interlaced with tender and rhythmic strings.
“The Raines put me in mind of something from Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue from 1975 — particularly with the parts with Scarlet Rivera on violin opposite Bob — meets an edgy Emmylou Harris…” — Barry Egan (Independent.ie)