About jeanniemack
BIO
WHY jeanniemack?
GLENSHANE IRISH FOLK DUO


BIO
I began my career as a solo folk artist singing and accompanying myself on guitar and harmonica in coffeehouses throughout New England. I also performed for a period of time with The Faculty, a cover band, before returning to my first love - folk music. Along the way I met my husband, John Nesbitt, an Irish traditional musician from County Derry in Northern Ireland. At the time he was a member of the much-acclaimed Irish folk group known as The Bards. Eventually, when we married, we formed our own Irish duo called Glenshane. We have a recording available - Road to the Mountains – and we perform together throughout the northeast.

With the birth of our daughter, Julia, I became very interested in children's music and began writing my own original kids' songs as well as collecting other artists' material. I started to perform for school-aged children and created two school presentations for K to Grade 3, a self-esteem program called Important Messages through Song and a Halloween program called Halloween Brew. I have presented both of them in countless schools throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. To hear a sample of one of my original songs (#9 I Like Feeling Good About Me), click here.

I now perform primarily for kids aged 1 to 7. In addition to my regular shows of interactive songs, I also offer three holiday-themed shows which include Halloween Fun - geared to ages 4 to 10, Not a Fright in Sight - designed for infants to ages 3 and 4, and a Christmas Program for young kids and their families. I perform throughout New England but mostly at Boston-area venues.

WHY jeanniemack?
I never really get asked about the story behind my professional name jeanniemack. Most folks just assume my name is “Jeannie Mack…” you know, a first and last name like everybody else. In fact I grew up “Jean (Jeannie) McIntosh” and was first called “Jeannie Mc” by one of our neighbors. I never heard the nickname again until I married my husband, John Nesbitt, when I legally became “Jean Nesbitt.” He began calling me “Jeannie Mc” without knowing that someone else had done the same years earlier. I always liked hearing my husband say it since it was his name of endearment for me. So when I started to play kids’ music full-time, I took “Jeannie Mc” as my professional name but decided to spell out “mack” so it would be pronounced correctly. Finally, I added what I felt was a whimsical touch when I made jeanniemack all one word in lower case letters.

GLENSHANE IRISH FOLK DUO

Together Jean and John Nesbitt form the duo, Glenshane. John, who grew up in County Derry, Northern Ireland listening to all the traditional musicians of the day, and Jean, a native New Englander, whose musical influences range from Broadway to Bach and rhythm and blues to folk have been performing together for 25 years. They met each other while on the road when John was a member of The Bards Irish Folk Group from Northern Ireland, and Jean was performing with The Faculty, a cover band. Their performance of songs from the U.S., Canada, and the British Isles runs the full gamut - from the most touching to the most rollicking renditions - and John's storytelling and Irish wit delight audiences. The duo's vocal harmonies are enhanced with their use of several instruments including guitar, bass, harmonica, penny whistle, and piano melodica.

Over the years Glenshane has had the honor of opening for Tommy Makem as well as The Clancy Brothers. Jean and John - as Glenshane - were also the featured performers at a reception in Portland, ME for President Clinton in the mid-nineties. Shortly thereafter, Jean contacted Senator John Benoit (who was running for Maine Senate at the time), and suggested that she write and record a musical radio ad for him. He agreed and commissioned her to do just that. The rest, as they say, is history. In addition Glenshane had the pleasure of writing and recording a campaign song for former Maine Governor Joe Brennan, who was campaigning for another gubernatorial term in the early nineties. The duo has appeared on various TV programs including On the Road with Charles Kuralt (CBS - New York), Prime Time (NBC - Boston), and Evening Magazine (NBC - Boston). Their recordings to date include The Giving Tree Angel, an international love song written to celebrate The Giving Tree exchange program between Rangeley, ME and Lac Megantic, Quebec; and Road to the Mountains, a collection of twelve songs (with three originals) available on CD and cassette.

"An evening with Glenshane is an evening of beautiful music and above all, fun."

Ed Passarella, Salem Evening News
Salem, MA

"What a wonderful program today! I always love it when the audience leaves with smiles on their faces and music in their hearts. It was toe-tapping, hand-clapping good!"

Elaine F. Jackson, Head Librarian
Norton Public Library, Norton, MA

"You two were excellent, and your handling of the technical/production end was smooth and appreciated."

Pam Ellis, Rangeley Friends of the Arts
Rangeley, ME

"You presented a delightful performance, and it certainly put our standing-room-only crowd in a festive mood."

Mary Kelly, Danvers Senior Center
Danvers, MA

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