JENNY Blissett jokes she needs to invest in more furniture for her Ashtonfield home.
"Our mantle piece is heaving now under nine granite trophies," she laughs.
While the COVID-19 pandemic meant the Blissett family's Irish and Celtic band, String Loaded, hung up their fiddles temporarily following St Patrick's Day, it hasn't stopped more accolades flowing their way.
In May the four-piece of Jenny (Irish drum), husband Ray (guitar, vocals) and daughters Gabi and Livvy (fiddles) dominated the Australian Celtic Music Awards.
COVID-19 meant the awards were held online, but it didn't lessen String Loaded's pride in winning the major award, artist of the year, plus best instrumental and group for their album Continuous Line.
The record was also placed on Irish Music Magazine's list of recommended albums. Reviewer Sean Laffey wrote, "String Loaded are a band that have absorbed much of the traditions of the Northern Hemisphere and are making it their own down under."
The break in performing due to COVID-19 has also been beneficial. Gabi, 19, is studying Biomedical Science at university and Livvy, 17, is in year 11.
"We were gigging a lot and travelling a lot, down to Victoria and up to Queensland and all over the place," Jenny says. "So it's actually been nice to have some weekends off and relax."
String Loaded return to the stage on August 30 when they perform at Singleton's Sacred Spaces.
