COUNTRY KING: Dermot Moriarty has been playing other artists records, on the radio for 30 years - now he as a song written about his lifetime as a radio star.

EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

Local radio star Dermot Moriarty will be the subject of a new Country Music song to mark his 30th year as a broadcaster and it will be performed by Country Music legend Declan Nerney.

The renowned Radio Kerry DJ, one of the most influential Country Music DJs in the country, will next month celebrate 30 years as the presenter of 'Sounds Country'.

Prior to this he was a member of several local Country Music bands including 'The Kerry Cowboys'.

In a lifetime dedicated to Country Music, Dermot has put many an artist on the road to stardom through airtime on his popular music show and organising Country Music festivals all over Kerry and beyond.

Now with his special anniversary on the horizon, some of those now famous artists wanted to repay the local legend and have recorded a song called ‘Kerry’s Country King’.

The song was written by Billy Morrissey, one of Ireland’s best-known country musicians, song writers and music festival organisers.

County Longford-born Declan Nerney was one of the many artists that Dermot helped get established. This week he finished recording ‘Kerry’s Country King’ and it will go an general release in the next week or so.

“I am really excited about it,” Dermot told the Killarney Advertiser. “I have helped so many over the years, some forget about you as they move up the ladder but two of the biggest names in Irish Country Music have come together on this. When Billy first rang me and told me he was writing a song I was having second thoughts, but now everybody needs to get practicing as we are going singing a song.”

'Kerry’s Country King'

There’s a man in County Kerry
Moriarty is his name
A man of many talents
and a DJ of great fame.
He plays great country music
Ballads and Ceilí
For thirty years on Radio
A friend to you and me.

Chorus:
So here’s to you Dermot
May you reign for thirty more
Just keep the music going
you’ve knowledge in great store.
When they write the book of Country
And Irish music fame
Proudly with the finest
Will be written your own name.

Verse 2.
He plays the best of Music
He has listeners far and wide,
From Dingle to Killarney and many a place beside,
All listening to “Sounds Country”
In houses big and small,
At home or far across the sea
They hear the music call.

Chorus:
So here’s to you Dermot
May you reign for thirty more...

Verse 3.
He plays Big Tom and Margo,
Philomena and Ray too,
Daniel, Nathan, Trudi,
DJ and his Kerry Blues,
Mike Denver, TR Dallas
George Jones and Haggard too
Gene Watson and Johnny Cash
And “Folsom Prison Blues”

Chorus:
So here’s to you Dermot
May you reign for thirty more....

Verse 4.
“Okie from Muskogee” and the “Streets of Bakersfield”,
“I know that you Know”
“The Gambler” and “The Deal “
All these songs and stories
that makes our lifes complete,
Thank you for the music
We’re “Walking down Happy Street”