The Opinion October 2019
Mary's prayers are answered as leading gospel country singer records her favourite song
Mary desmond is one of Ireland's most prolific, country
songwriters, yet her name is perhaps now better known in Nashville than in her home
village of Upton, or her adopted home in Ballincollig. Mary won Ireland's 2016 Songwriter
of the Year title and has worked with some of the biggest Irish country music artists including Philomena Begley,
Louise Morrisey and Tony Allen. She has recorded several albums herself, but says she prefers to write for others.
One of her most high profile fans was the late Gerry Ryan, who used to feature Mary regularly on his radio programme.
When he asked her to sing her favourite song on his show, she chose 'Phone Call to Heaven and Ryan predicted it would go
straight to Number 1 in the charts. He was right, and Mary's music was played regularly on radio stations around the country.
Yet despite success at home, Mary's focus remained firmly fixed on Nashville, the true home of country music, and she was delighted
when her talent was spotted by Sheree Spoltore of Global Songwriter USA who introduced Mary to some of Nashville's finest songwriters.
Among them was Bill DiLuigi who features regularly in the Billboard Country Top 100 and is a leading proponent of Christian music.
Deeply spiritual herself, Mary knew she had found a kindred spirit and together they rewrote Phone Call to Heaven to make it more
appealing to an American audience. And it seems Mary's prayers have been answered as the new version was snapped up by one of Nashville's
biggest music publishers and recorded by rising country gospel star Sam L. Smith, who also chose 'Phone Call to Heaven' as the title of his
debut album. Of the hundreds of songs Mary has written over the past 30 years, many have religious and spiritual themes that reflect her God-given talent.
Mary is a true lady, and a highly talented one at that, so it is wonderful to see her hard work and dedication to her art pay off. And who knows,
with a bit of help from up above, the prediction of a Number
1 hit made all those years ago by Gerry Ryan just might come true all over again!
Sam L. Smith "Phone Call to Heaven"
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