Let The River Run, the anthem of the Derry’s City of Culture year, will be released worldwide as a single this Monday by Carly Simon’s record company Iris Records.
Damian McGinty and Mairead Carlin.
The single, featuring Mairead Carlin and Glee star Damian McGinty, is being released in a joint venture between Walled City Records and Iris.
The accompanying video – screened during last night’s Hear the City Sing concert in Derry city centre – features many of the highlights of the City of Culture year including Lumiere, Radio One’s Big Weekend, the Fleadh, the Walled City Tattoo, The Return of Colmcille and Other Voices.
Let The River Run, produced by Frank Gallagher, was performed by the two Derry singers at the opening Sons and Daughters concert at The Venue last January and legendary singer/songwriter Simon has revealed she was moved to tears on first hearing the new version of her iconic song.
“I just played it and cried my eyes out and I’m still crying,” Carly said. “It’s absolutely stunningly wonderful. Thank you for doing me proud.”
Simon was so impressed by Gallagher’s production that she invited Glee star Damian and Mairead from Celtic Woman to perform with her at a gala event in Beverly Hills earlier this month.
The Derry duo, dressed for the occasion by Tommy Hilfiger, wowed a star-studded crowd with their performance at the Oceana Partners Awards Gala in Beverly Hills, California, singing Let the River Run, Haven’t Got Time for the Pain, and You’re So Vain, on stage with Simon alongside Natasha Bedingfield and Simon’s son, Ben Taylor.
The celebrity filled audience, gathered to support and celebrate Oceana’s mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans, included speakers Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and HBO CEO Richard Plepler, as well as celebrity attendees Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, Diane Lane, Jane Fonda, Kate Walsh, Sam Waterston, Laura Dern, Harvey Weinstein, Ed Begley Jr, Angela Kinsey, and many more. Melanie Griffith, star of Working Girl, the movie which featured the song, was also present to hear the special performance.
“It was so special to have Mairead and Damian here. They have made the song famous in Derry and it has now become a theme song for Derry, and I thank them so much for that,” said Simon.
Damian said: “It’s a very proud moment to represent Derry on a large worldwide scale, showing the world how incredible our city is.
Maired said: “Singing Let The River Run with Carly is something I will never forget.”
Mairead and Damian’s version of the song was first heard in Derry last New Year’s Eve as the soundtrack to the fireworks display held to herald the start of the city’s reign as the first City of Culture. The song was also featured in the Silver Cities Rise promotional video and television advertising campaign.
Frank Gallagher said: “We were delighted when Carly Simon reacted so positively to our version of her great song. Let The River Run has become synonymous with the success of the City of Culture year and it is very fitting that a year after it was first heard, it is to be released as a single at the start of 2014.”
The single is available for pre-order now and available for download on iTunes at midnight on 20 January.
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