It's Loreena McKennitt's Birthday, this Week on Come by the Hills!

Yes, the middle of February means that it's time once again for our annual Loreena McKennitt special, and seeing as her birthday is on Sunday, it seems only logical to celebrate it in style! Loreena McKennitt is someone who has been a role-model for me in music and in life. She's a very patriotic Canadian and yet, in some ways, is truly a citizen of the world. Her curiosity about all facets of humanity is what has fueled her musical inspiration for decades, and in this episode, we'll be looking at the songs she has written as well as those traditional folk songs she has arranged and re-imagined in her own way. We'll also have songs from some of the bands and artists that started her on her journey through the world of Celtic music, and this is fitting for me personally, because it is Loreena's music which started me on my own journey, lo these several years ago.

So, if you're a fan of Loreena McKennitt's work, or even if you've never heard her music before, join me tomorrow night for what I hope will be a very enjoyable episode. The show starts on Sunday night at 8:00 PM Eastern, or you can catch the replay on Friday at 4:00 AM Eastern, 9:00 AM in the UK and Ireland. Also, there will be an archive of the show available for download at: http://www.mushroomfm.com/sarahillis. Happy birthday, Loreena!