£12.00
Country singer / songwriter Sharon Whitcroft hails from the townland of Derrynoose in Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland. Although singing from a very young age in school choirs and churches, Sharon only tested her singing talents in 2000 when she won the County Armagh Karaoke Final, then went on to become runner up in the Ulster Karaoke Championships and, as a result was awarded a recording contract with C.P.R. Studios.
It was only when the three-piece country band ‘Bakersfield’ invited Sharon to join them later that year her passion for Country & Gospel music was re-ignited, a music partnership that would eventually take them to Bakersfield in California, meeting & being personally invited to perform on stage by the one and only Buck Owens at his legendary Crystal Palace music venue.
With an increase in performances and Gospel concerts all over Northern Ireland Sharon was soon nicknamed ‘The Cowboy’s Sweetheart’ by those within the music industry and was tipped to be one of the best female country singers that Ireland has ever heard, this fact was confirmed in 2002 when she was awarded the title of ‘Most outstanding female Solo Artist’ at the Close Contact Music Awards and was commended for her dedication and contribution to country music.
In 2003 Sharon launched her first 4 track country music demo which resulted in all 4 songs reaching the Top 10 on Radio Star Country’s Popularity Charts, even receiving airplay on radio stations in America, Canada and Australia.
Her debut 12 track Country Album (Under the name of Sharon Herron) entitled ‘Running After you’ was recorded at CB Studios and was released in October 2004. The album was hugely successful, making Sharon one of the very few independent country artists to receive air play on both country and commercial radio stations.
Sharon appeared alongside many of the best known names within the Irish country music scene at the time and with her harmonising ability also performed backing vocals for various artists both in the recording studio and in live performance including ‘The Galaxy Show Band Show’.
​
In 2007 Sharon hit Ireland by storm when she won her place on TG4’s Glor Tire (Search for a Country star’) and was delighted to be partnered with singing legend Gene Stewart as her mentor (her mum Margaret’s all-time favourite singer). Sharon eventually reached joint 5th place with (X-Factor contestant) Philip Magee from Larne, with the judges praising Sharon for her clear vocals, calming tone, vocal diversity and her yodelling ability, encouraging her to fully pursue this avenue of country music. However, Sharon sadly lost her mum before the final filming of the show but felt she had the biggest personal win, as her last performance on the show was a heart-rending dedication to her mum ‘Medals for Mothers’.
Unfortunately, due to this sudden and untimely death of her Mother Margaret, Sharon took a step back from the music Industry stating that ‘she had lost her heart’ and for over 15 years only appeared at a few select country venues. Thankfully, through the encouragement from her father Lester, her husband Gary, family and friends Sharon has fully injected herself back into the country music scene and has just released her first ever Christmas Single ‘The Santa Claus Yodelling Song’.
Her brand new album ‘Just In Case’ is due for release in January and includes 8 remastered versions from her debut album and 4 brand new recordings including two self-penned numbers (co-wrote with the late Crawford Bell) entitled ‘When two Hearts Stop Beating As One’ and ‘Running after you’.
