Last Summer I visited Ireland to film sessions and Mick Flannery was pretty high up on my wish list. It didn’t work out logistically then, but luckily the singer – whose latest record Goodtime Charlie was released on Oh Boy Records – visited The Netherlands this Autumn and we got to film there and then. And oh boy, it was as the late John Prine would’ve said, pretty good. At Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, Flannery and his band covered Prine’s Saddle In The Rain and played his own Give Me Up and Minnesota.

Mick Flannery: “John Prine has written some of the greatest songs in existence.”

John Prine is easily one of the most played artists over here in The Influences’ (tiny) office. And Amanda Shires’ cover of Saddle In The Rain is incredible too. That said, this version by Mick Flannery might be the best take I’ve heard so far.

“John Prine, in my opinion has written some of the greatest songs in existence. He was a lyrical genius, full of pathos, understanding, and humour. Saddle in the Rain is a track from my favourite album of John’s called Common Sense. It’s one of his more up-tempo tracks and it shows his ability to write music in varying styles.”

There’s so much beauty to discover in Mick Flannery’s work.

My introduction to Mick Flannery was through a post by Anaïs Mitchell, who sings on his song Minnesota. Like Mitchell did with Hadestown, Flannery also wrote a musical, right at the start of his career, based on his debut concept album Evening Train. I delved into his back catalog and was blown away by 2019’s Mick Flannery and 2021’s In The Game – a duet album with the equally incredible Susan O’Neill. With about nine records and a couple of EP’s, there’s so much beauty to discover. Flannery’s new album Goodtime Charlie was released on Oh Boy Records this year, and it features duets with Anaïs Mitchell, Valerie June and Tianna Esperanza.

Anaïs Mitchell: ‘My fave.’

Minnesota was Inspired by a person’s relationship to the state/country in which they live. In this case it’s the voice of an American woman who has grown from seeing the state as a parent to her, into seeing herself as a guardian to it, and the contradictions and calls to action this entails. Anaïs Mitchell provided that voice. As she said at the time; “I would sing any song Mick asked.” No wonder, as she sent me in a direct message on Instagram, Mick Flannery is ‘her fave’.

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Keep watching

Thank you for watching and enjoying this session. You’ll probably like some other sessions from The Influences’ archive too, like this earlier one by Anaïs Mitchell.