Jessica Kilroy

Dubbed as a "21st century Emmy Lou Harris" by Grammy nominated songwriter, Skip Ewing, Montana's own award winning songwriter, Jessica Kilroy, lives and breathes the life of a troubadour. Capturing each moment with heartfelt lyrics and a voice that Bluesman Guy Davis once described as "beautiful and pure, it takes me somewhere deep and way back" her songs have the depth of the land she is from. Raised in a modest home spending much of her youth in leg braces, Jessica learned at an early age that there is no short cut to the top of any mountain. She has fought hard to overcome many obstacles, and through compassion and music strives to help others climb mountains of their own. During Kilroy's former careers as a hotshot firefighter, rock climbing guide and wilderness therapy instructor, she was able to spend the off-seasons making up for lost time, traveling and giving back to society. From aiding abandoned/orphaned children in Mexico, climbing the big walls of Zion and Yosemite, trekking across South East Asia to scale beautiful limestone cliffs, to learning the legends and stories of her ancestors while playing Celtic folk with local fishermen on the Irish shoreline, her guitar has been her companion. After watching Jessica perform live, Grammy nominated songwriter Skip Ewing expressed, "Jessica's voice is honest and pure, it's nothing like I've ever heard before. She's a 21st century Emmy Lou Harris." In 2005, Skip invited Jessica to sing at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee where she performed "in the round" with Ewing, Viktor Krauss, Pat Flynn, Barry Walsh and Tommy Harden. Kilroy has traveled the country performing and co-billing with diverse acts such as Tony Trischka, Darrell Scott, Guy Davis, Walt Michaels, The Wilders, Trampled by Turtles, The Drew Emmitt Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Bill Nershi, Po Girl, Ben Sollee, Califone, The McCoury Brothers and many others. In 2008 Kilroy won the NW String Summit Band Competition with her bluegrass trio (fiddle player Jack Ausick and mandolin player Nate Biehl) and was invited to perform on the main stage in 2009. Also in 2008, Kilroy was selected for the Horse & Writer Invitational Scholarship Award including a week of one-on-one mentorship from five of Nashville's top hit songwriters. In 2009 she was selected as a finalist for the Telluride Troubadour Competition and performed a solo set on the main stage as well as performing with Sam Bush and the Troubadour finalists. Kilroy's first album "Before Dawn", comprised of all original folk music and recorded in a small Montana cabin in 2003 (each song recorded with just guitar and vocals in one take) was recently re-released in 2009. "Montana native Jessica Kilroy doesn't hide behind a posse of guests and bandmates. Her voice is quietly compelling, and she doesn't distract from the songs with vocal gymnastics that I suspect she is more than capable of pulling off. Her guitar playing is subtle and understated. The focus, then, becomes the songs themselves, and there isn't a dud among the nine tracks of her recently re-released debut, Before Dawn." -The Missoulian Kilroy's sophomore album "Big Dreams" comprised of original Americana and bluegrass, released in 2007, features guest vocalist Anne Sibley, and bluegrass musicians Eric Thorin, Ben Winship, Brian Wicklund and John Lowell. "Kilroy's new album "Big Dreams" showcases her light, angelic voice and highly melodic songwriting. Fans of Allison Krauss may feel like they're witnessing a second coming when Kilroy sings." -The Missoulian Kilroy is currently recording an Americana album scheduled for release in 2010 and will be releasing her debut indie-folktronic album entitled "Raven" February 20th 2010 with her side project "Pterodactyl Plains". "To invite comparison of Jessica Kilroy's voice and music to another singer/songwriter would sell it short. Comparing it to someone familiar would not be enough, because her voice is her own. Clear, accurate and wonderfully soothing, her voice draws the listener in. Stop, then listen. You'll be a fan too." -John Lowell (Critically Acclaimed Guitarist and Songwriter) FINALIST 2009 Telluride Troubadour Competition WINNER 2008 NW String Summit Band Competition WINNER 2006 Owl Lounge Songwriting Competition