2026 marks 10 years since Lisa McHugh released #Country and #LisaLive, her first live recordings, which cemented her place among the leading names in Irish country music.
Released by Sharpe Music in August 2016 and featuring 14 tracks, #Country included a mix of old and new material.
“I think we spent around 10 to 12 months looking at material for that album. I was really busy on the road at the same time we were recording. Applejack and Hillbilly Girl had just come out, Nathan had just released Wagon Wheel, Derek had released Hold On To Your Hat, and the Irish country scene was booming. I was also recording ‘On The Road With Lisa’ for Irish TV and about to launch Lisa TV.”
Lisa recorded the #LisaLive DVD in The Marketplace Theatre, Armagh, with Ray McLoughlin as her co-producer and musical director on the night.
“Philomena Begley and Susan McCann were in the audience, which made it so special. It was an honour to have them come to see my show, and I did a medley for them both called ‘The Queens of Country’. I asked Malachi Cush to join me for ‘Peggy Gordon’, and it will always be one of my favourite tracks.”
“We recorded the promotional material in one day in Stewart’s Music Shop in Dungannon. It’s hard to believe that Spotify wasn’t even part of the conversation then!”
#Country was a major success on the charts, reaching Number 3 on the Official Record Store Chart and Number 2 on the Official Country Artists Albums Chart in the UK. It also spent multiple weeks in the Official Country Artists Albums Chart. The accompanying #LisaLive DVD was launched at a premiere at Enniskillen Cinema in November 2016, with guests enjoying a champagne reception ahead of the screening, before its general release. The live album followed in February 2017.
“Being in a position to release three projects within six months is a testament to the support of my fans and the dedication of my team behind the scenes. These recordings mean a lot to me and bring back special memories from the start of my career.”
A decade on, #Country and #LisaLive remain among the best sellers in Lisa’s catalogue.
They capture a defining moment in Irish country music, when Lisa helped bring the genre to new audiences and continues to be one of Irish country music’s most successful artists.
