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Dolores Keane There Was a Maid 2000/1978, Claddagh/Atlantic Nancy Griffith is quoted as saying "as long as Dolores Keane is walking around the earth, I won’t call myself a singer." Now, no one would say Griffith is NOT a singer, but you get the idea. Keane, work worked with Irish bands including Planxty and The Chieftains, recorded her first solo album, There Was a Maid, in 1978. It is available for the first time on CD from Claddagh Records. Maid is a simply-produced album. It works, and it serves Keane’s voice well, letting it stand on its own without a lot of studio fluff. Keane is backed by a band called Reel Union, who contribute a few instrumentals of their own. As good as the band is backing her, Keane shines best on the handful of a cappella tunes that are sprinkled throughout the album. Required listening for any fan of traditional Irish music.—Michael Gaither