Ruby Revisited

I enjoyed the Ruby Murray documentary on Tuesday night with Duke Special. The RTE production didn't sensationalise, but it did show the pain of an artist who had a dramatic year in 1955 and a most traumatic 40 year decline. Pop music is often brutal to its biggest stars, consuming and then rejecting, and the girl from the Donegall Road was severely used up. Alcoholism may have been latent in her system, but the showbiz experience amplified everything.

There were two especially resonant moments. Firstly when Ruby's old husband Bernie recalled seeing Ruby again after a period of estrangement, when the drink had wreaked a lot of damage. The poor guy broke down at the memory of it. Then Duke added his own perspective. For a working musician, he explained, every night has the potential to be Saturday night. For better or worse...