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Lisa Hannigan in Temple Bar

Lisa Hannigan, is an Irish singer best known for accompanying Damien Rice before leaving the band in March 2007. She attended secondary school at The King's Hospital in Palmerstown.

Early in 2001 she began singing as a lead vocalist for Rice's music at a concert in the Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin. She appears on his debut album "O" singing on the majority of the tracks. She also often accompaned Rice in his live performances, as a vocalist and occasionally on electric guitar and alongside bass, and on one occasion (Glastonbury Festival, 2003) played the drums on a track. Most recently Hannigan contributed to Rice's album "9", including a lead vocal on the album's first single, "9 Crimes". Prior to singing with Damien Rice, she was a student in art history at Trinity College Dublin. She left before finishing her degree to pursue singing.

Though Hannigan has never released her solo material officially, some live recordings have been made available through trading networks of her performing covers on tour, or on radio shows. Available covers include traditional folk songs, and more contemporary covers including; Joni Mitchell - Willy, Nina Simone - Be My Husband (from 1965 Pastel Blues), and Janis Joplin's - Mercedes Benz. She has also performed live with her own band - "The Daisy Okell Quartet" but no recordings are known to have been released. She also performed a solo set at the 2006 Electric Picnic festival in County Laois, Ireland.

She has also performed notable guest vocals on a number of other artist recordings. Including vocal work for The Frames, Mic Christopher, Lucas and Herbie Hancock. She performed on the track "Don't Explain," with Damien Rice on Hancock's album, "Possibilities."

In September 2003, Hannigan appeared in a new play by Jessamyn Fiore called "The Mysterious World of Birds", performed in Galway, Ireland and Dublin. She has an active history in the theatre, and even started her own theatre group - The Cowardly Lion Theatre Group.

Recently she has appeared in an advert for Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign, that featured her being drenched in melted chocolate. Also as part of the same campaign, she has contributed vocals to a musical collective (featuring among others Glen Hansard of The Frames, and Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol and Reindeer Section) that goes under the name "The Cake Sale".

Also in 2006, Lisa, with Vyvienne Long, Shane Fitzsimmons, and Tom Osander (the other members of Damien Rice's band) contributed to the Irish Language album, "Ceol 06", on the track, "Banríon mo Chroí". This translates in English to "Queen of My Heart", A cover of the Mic Christopher / Mary Janes English Language song "Queen of Hearts".

In March 2007 Damien Rice announced that his professional relationship with Lisa Hannigan has ended, saying the relationship "has run its creative course".

External links

• Lisa Hannigan Refined