Iris DeMent

Iris DeMent is an American folk, alt-country and gospel singer-songwriter, born January 5, 1961, into a large family with deep roots in Arkansas gospel and country traditions before relocating to California. Her voice — plaintive, unadorned and deeply rooted in old-time Southern gospel phrasing — became one of the most distinctive in American roots music from her debut in the early 1990s onward.

She is best known for songs like «Let the Mystery Be» and «Our Town», the latter closing the final episode of the television series Northern Exposure and becoming one of her signature pieces. Her songwriting often grapples directly with faith, doubt and mortality, as heard in tracks such as «Wasteland of the Free» and «I Never Shall Forget the Day», while her interpretations of traditional hymns like «Leaning on the Everlasting Arms» and «God Walks the Dark Hills» reflect her gospel upbringing.

DeMent has collaborated with artists including John Prine, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle over the course of her career, and is respected as a singular voice bridging folk, country and gospel traditions with unflinching, plainspoken lyricism.