Iris DeMent Biography
Iris DeMent is an American Singer-Songwriter and Musician who was born and brought up in Paragould, Arkansas, United States. DeMent’s musical style includes elements of folk, country, and gospel, and she has sung the Merle Haggard song “Big City” on Tulare Dust: A Songwriters’ Tribute to Merle Haggard.
She has also made frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor’s radio show A Prairie Home Companion. DeMent contributed harmony vocals to “Pallbearer”, a song from country artist Josh Turner’s 2012 album Punching Bag.
10 Quick Facts About Iris DeMent
Here is a list of 10 facts about DeMent
- Name: Iris Luella DeMent
- Age: 64 Years Old
- Birthday: January 5
- Birth Sign: Capricorn
- Height: 5 feet 7 inches (1.70m)
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Singer-Songwriter and Musician
- Marital Status: Married
- Salary: Not Available
- Net Worth: $1.5 million
Iris DeMent Age
DeMent is 64 years old, she was born on January 5, 1961, in Paragould, Arkansas, United States. Iris celebrates her birthday on January 5th every year. Her birth sign is Capricorn.
Iris DeMent Height
DeMent stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches (1.70m).
Iris DeMent Weight
DeMent weighs 55 kg (121 lbs).
Early Life and Education
Born on January 5, 1961, in Paragould, Arkansas, United States, DeMent is the 14th and youngest child of Pat DeMent (1910–1992) and his wife, Flora Mae (1918–2011). Her mother had harbored dreams of going to Nashville and starting a singing career. Although she put those plans on hold to get married, her singing voice was a motivation and influence for her youngest daughter, Iris. DeMent was brought up in a Pentecostal household, and her family transferred from Arkansas to the Los Angeles area when she was three.
DeMent was exposed to and influenced by country and gospel music while growing up. Singing at age five as one of “the little DeMent sisters”, Iris had a bad experience when she forgot her words during her first performance, which caused her to avoid performing in public for some time.
Later, she left high school in the tenth grade to work full time at a Kmart store. Her parents required her to get a GED high school diploma, and she later went with a boyfriend to Topeka, Kansas, where she attended Washburn University. There, she began writing after obtaining positive feedback from her English composition professor.
Rise to Fame and Breakthrough Moment
- DeMent’s musical style includes elements of country gospel and folk. She has also been nominated for a Grammy Award twice.
Major Achievements and Contributions
- She received the Americana Trailblazer Award at the 2017 Americana Music Honors & Awards.
- Her 2023 album Workin’ on a World was No. 4 on Robert Christgau’s Dean’s List for that year.
- She has also made regular appearances on Garrison Keillor’s radio show A Prairie Home Companion.
- She contributed harmony vocals to “Pallbearer”, a song from country artist Josh Turner’s 2012 album Punching Bag.
Personal Life
Iris DeMent Family, Parents
Iris DeMent was born in Paragould, Arkansas, as the daughter of Pat DeMent (father) and Flora Mae (mother). Her father had married two wives. She is the youngest child of Pat DeMent’s second wife. She is also the 14th child of Pat DeMent. Her family moved from Arkansas to the Los Angeles area when she was three. While growing up, she was exposed to and influenced by country and gospel music.
Iris DeMent Siblings
DeMent has 13 older siblings.
Iris DeMent Husband
DeMent is currently married to American folk musician Greg Brown, an American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist from Iowa. The couple had their wedding on November 21st, 2002. Greg Brown has been married three times. He has one daughter from his first marriage, Pieta Brown, and two from his second marriage, Constance Brown and Zoe Brown—all three are musicians. He has one son.
Iris has also been married before. She was married to Elmer McCall in 1991, but the marriage ended in divorce.
Iris DeMent Children
DeMent is a proud mother of one child, a daughter she adopted with her husband Greg Brown. They don’t have a biological child. Her daughter is called Aria Chesnokova Victorona (Dasha Brown). She is also a stepmother of three children: Pieta Brown, Constance Brown, and Zoe Brown.
Iris DeMent Net Worth
Iris DeMent has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. This includes her assets, money, and income. Her primary source of income is her career as a Singer-Songwriter and Musician. Through her various sources of income, DeMent has been able to accumulate good fortune, but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
Facts: Everything You Need to Know About Iris DeMent
Here are some interesting facts you should know about DeMent

Iris DeMent Bio.
- Full Names: Iris Luella DeMent
- Popular As: Iris DeMent
- Gender: Female
- Occupation / Profession: Singer-Songwriter and Musician
- Nationality: American
- Race / Ethnicity: White
- Religion: Not Available
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
Birthday
- Age / How Old?: 64 Years Old
- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
- Date of Birth: January 5, 1961
- Place of Birth: Paragould, Arkansas, United States
- Birthday: January 5th
Body Measurements
- Body Measurements: To be updated
- Height / How Tall?: 5 feet 7 inches (1.70m)
- Weight: 55 kg (121 lbs)
- Eye Color: Brown
- Hair Color: Light Brown
- Shoe Size: Not Available
Family and Relationship
- Father (Dad): Pat DeMent
- Mother: Flora Mae
- Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): 13
- Marital Status: Married
- Husband/Spouse: Married to Greg Brown
- Dating/Boyfriend: Not Applicable
- Children: Dasha Brown, Pieta Brown, Constance Brown, and Zoe Brown
Net Worth and Salary
- Net Worth: $1.5 million
- Salary: Not Available
- Source of Income: Singer-Songwriter and Musician
Our Town
At age 25, DeMent was motivated to write her first song, “Our Town,” by a drive through a boarded-up Midwest town. The song lyrics came to her “exactly as it is now,” with no need for rewriting, and she discovered then that songwriting was her calling.
“Our Town” was also played during the closing scene for the final episode (July 26, 1995) of CBS’s television series Northern Exposure. The song has been recorded by Kate Brislin & Jody Stecher, Kate Rusby, and Trampled by Turtles.
Songs
- The Night I Learned How Not to Pray
- Sing the Delta · 2012
- You’ve Done Nothing Wrong
- My Life · 1994
- God Walks The Dark Hills
- Lifeline · 2004
- Childhood Memories 1994
- Pretty Saro
- When Love Was Young 1992
- I’ve Got That Old Time R… 2004
- Fifty Miles of Elbow Room 1992
- Sweet Forgiveness 1992
- Hotter Than Mojave in M… 1992
- I Never Shall Forget The… 2004
- Fill My Way With Love 2004
- Mom & Dad’s Waltz 1994
- Out of the Fire 2012
- Walking Home 1996
- That Glad Reunion 2004
- There’s a Wall in Washington
Contacts
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