Programme 6
Songbirds - The First Ladies of Irish Song started as an album project to record some of the songs Fil learned as a child and at school. It developed into this fascinating series of musical documentaries which celebrates the lives and the songs of 5 women.

In this final programme of the series Fil takes an overview of the Songbirds' lives and examines the themes that were common to these extraordinary women - the similarities in the songs they sang, the audiences they appealed to and the developing record industry, the beginnings of which they were a vital part of.

Including interviews with Tommy Sands, Mick Moloney, David Hammond, Reg Hall, Mary O'Hara and Bridie Gallagher. Fil performs the best known songs common to the women along with musical guests John Sheahan and Laoise Kelly.

Fil Campbell has had a lifelong love affair with the music industry since her first public performance at the age of 5 in her home town of Belleek in Co. Fermanagh when she sang a Delia Murphy song. Alongside a lifetime of singing in bands and studios, she has worked as a music publicist, agent, manager, radio presenter, promoter, and teacher. She writes songs, interprets contemporary and traditional folk and country folk songs, plays guitar and piano and coaches young people in performance and singing techniques. Over the years Fil has performed many styles of music from classical art songs and musicals to pop, traditional and folk and has been influenced by each of the 5 women whose lives are celebrated in Songbirds