Maureen inherited her love of singing from her Mother, the late Jane Hillis. From the age of four she was brought up in the old Overgate, which sadly is no longer there. As she got older Maureen suffered terribly from shyness and found it difficult to sing in front of people and it was not until she returned to Scotland, having spent fifteen years in England, and became friends with Christine Stewart a fellow Dundonian and who also was a folk singer in Dundee in the sixties that she rediscovered her voice!!. She discovered that it was OK to sing unaccompanied in her own voice and dialect. It was Christine who introduced her to such singers as the Stewarts of Blair, a travelling family who had now settled in Rattray near Blairgowrie. When they first heard Maureen sing they paid her a great compliment by saying she had the "coniach"

Maureen then started going in for competitions, even though it was difficult, and was very successful in winning all over Scotland. This gave her confidence and got rid of some of her shyness. Maureen has never looked back and is a great favourite at clubs and festivals through her love of songs her warmth and great sense of humour.

"The voice of Maureen Jelks is one of the best kept secrets in of Scotland's traditional music scene. Clear and pure as a choirboy's, it has all the power and passion of a mature woman". (quote from Sheena Wellington).
As well as her own two c.d.'s she has contributed to many compilations such as "Scots Women" on the Greentrax label. In 1991 she was one of the singers featured in Jean Redpaths Masterclass for BBC2.

Maureen recently won an Angus Achiever's Award from her local councilor her achievement's in the folk world and for promoting Kirriemuir and was named Ambassador for the Arts in Angus 2003 and in 2004 was one of four nominees for the traditional singer of the year.

C.D.'s are £11. 99 ($17) including postage.
and can be purchased by emailing Maureen at
E-mail: maureenjel@aol.com


Click here to hear some sample tracks


Festivals Performed
  • Celtic Connections
  • Glasgow
  • Edinburgh
  • Pennycook
  • Auchtermuchty
  • Glenfarg
  • Carrbridge

and most major festivals in Scotland.

 

"The voice of Dundee born Maureen Jelks is one of the best kept secrets of Scotland's traditional music scene"

"Clear and pure as a choirboy's, it has all the power and passion of a mature woman"


Has also appeared at many Irish festivals including:-
  • Belfast
  • Derry
  • Ballyshannon
  • Donegal.

English festivals include:-
  • Whitby
  • Warrick
  • Cleethorpes
  • Sidmouth
  • the National at Loughborough

and many more.


  • In 2002 she took part in the Celtic Women's Festival in New Orleans.
  • In 2005 she was invited to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Theatre work includes working with the:-
  • Dundee Rep's singing and drama group
  • Secret Theatre which included working with physical and mentally handicapped people.
  • She did Yellow on the Broom with Forfar Drama group

In 1996she the had the good fortune to work with a professional theatre group, Northern Stage in Newcastle Playhouse playing the part of a singer in Garcia Lorca's "Blood Wedding" working with actors from all over Britain and Spain and the brilliant musician Alistair Anderson and the lovely Clare Mann. The director Alan Lydiard wanted Maureen to sing Lorca's poems in a Dundee accent!!!


Television Work Includes:-
  • "The Last of the Hunters" for channel 4
  • Song Masterclass with Jean Redpath for BBC2.

Recordings Include:-

Many compilations of Scots songs with various artists such as

  • Sheena Wellington
  • Eilleen Carr
  • Chris Miles
  • Gordeanna McCulloch

the latter three being the group Palaver of which Maureen is a member.


Her two solo albums are First Time Ever, which she recorded at Dougie Macleans studio in Dunkeld her latest recording was with the Living Tradition on their Tradition Bearers label.
Maureen has also worked in schools and various adult groups teaching Scots songs all over Angus, Fife, Perth and Stirlingshire. Learning Scots songs, says Maureen, is a great way for young people to learn about their language and history and is fun!!
   
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