Barbara Dickson

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Barbara Ruth Dickson OBE (born Dunfermline, Fife, 27 September 1947)^[1] is a Scottish singer whose hits include "I Know Him So Well" and "January February". She is also a two-time Olivier Award-winning actress with roles including Anita Braithwaite in TV's 'Band of Gold' and she was the original Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell's long-running musical 'Blood Brothers'.

School years

Dickson went to Woodmill High, previously she lived in "Dolly Town". She went to Camdean Primary School which is still there today. An Exhibition was held (April-May) at Rosyth Parish Church (Fife, Scotland, UK) which had a section from Camdean about Barbara Dickson attending Camdean Primary School.

Early years

Dickson's singing career started in folk clubs around her native Fife in 1964. Her first commercial recording was in 1968. Her early work included albums with Archie Fisher, the first of which, The Fate O' Charlie, a collection of songs from the Jacobite rebellions, was released in 1969. Her first solo album was Do Right Woman in 1970.

Success

She became a well-known face on the British folk circuit of the late '60's and early '70's but changed course after meeting Willy Russell. He was at that time a young student running a folk club in Liverpool. He showed Dickson the first draft of what would later become the award winning musical, John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert and asked her to perform the music. The combination of fine writing, a superb cast of young unknowns, (including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve), and Dickson’s idiosyncratic interpretation of Beatles songs made the show hugely successful.

The show’s co-producer, Robert Stigwood, signed Dickson to his record label, RSO Records, where she recorded the album ‘Answer Me’, arranged & produced by Junior Campbell, the title track becoming a top ten hit in 1976. This led to her guest residency on the much-loved series ‘The Two Ronnies’, which brought Dickson’s singing to the attention of more than 10 million BBC viewers every week.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice also spotted Dickson in John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert and invited her to record ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from their new musical ‘Evita’, which became her second hit in 1977. She contributed two tracks to 'Scouse the Mouse' a children's album (1977) with Ringo Starr and others. Other hits including ‘Caravan Song’ and ‘January, February’, followed in 1980.

During the late 1970s, Dickson also contributed distinctive backing vocals to two best-selling albums by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty: City to City in 1978 and Night Owl in 1979.

Blood Brothers

In 1982, Willy Russell asked Dickson to star in his new musical ‘Blood Brothers’ in the pivotal role of the mother, Mrs. Johnstone. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, she rose to the challenge, in the process garnering critical acclaim as well as Actress of the Year in a Musical from the Society of West End Theatres in 1984. She has reprised the role many times, the latest being 2004 at the Liverpool Empire.

Later that year, Tim Rice approached Dickson to take part in the cast album recording of the musical ‘Chess’, which included the song ‘I Know Him So Well’, a duet sung with Elaine Paige. The song was a worldwide hit and remained at number one in the UK charts for four weeks. It is still in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling female duet of all-time.

Acting

During the 1990s Dickson appeared in various TV dramas including ‘Taggart’, the award winning ‘Band of Gold’ and ‘The Missing Postman’. Acclaimed writer and director Chris Bond created a stage show for Dickson in 1996 called ‘The Seven Ages of Woman’ which won her the Liverpool Echo Actress of the Year Award. It premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse and toured extensively in 1997 and 1998.

In 1999, Dickson starred in ‘Spend Spend Spend’, a new musical by Steve Brown and Justin Greene. The show, based on the rollercoaster life story of pools winner, Viv Nicholson, played in the West End to capacity audiences. For her portrayal of Viv, she was awarded ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards. She went on to star in the UK tour of the show.

Further theatre work followed in 'Friends Like This', the Heather Brothers musical ‘A Slice of Saturday Night’ and ‘Fame’. During 2006 Dickson appeared as the Timekeeper in Alan Ayckbourn and Denis King’s fantasy musical play ‘Whenever’ for BBC Radio 4. She has returned to TV recently in the BBC daytime drama series ‘Doctors’ and her episode, 'Mama Sings The Blues', was broadcast in March 2008.

Today

In 2003 Dickson worked with Willy Russell again, providing backing vocals for his album "Hoovering the Moon". In 2004 ‘The Platinum Collection’, featuring some of her most successful recordings, reached number 35 in the UK album charts. Her 2004 album, ‘Full Circle’, was produced and arranged by Troy Donockley and saw Dickson returning to her folk roots. In 2006 she issued a critically-acclaimed collection of the songs of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison entitled ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change My World'.

Dickson's latest studio album, ‘Time and Tide’, was released in January 2008. It features a mix of contemporary and folk songs, and includes ‘Palm Sunday’, which marks Dickson's return to songwriting after a break of almost 20 years. A new live DVD, ‘Into the Light’, recorded in November 2007, has recently been released and includes, as well as some of her best-loved hits, several tracks from her new album. Dickson recently appeared with Troy Donockley on ‘Songs of Praise’ and she performed a 30 date sell-out UK tour in early 2009. A new double CD, 'Barbara Dickson In Concert', has just been released and a new studio album is due next year. Between January and March 2010, Dickson will be undertaking an extensive tour of the UK with dates due to be announced shortly. Dickson's autobiography, 'A Shirtbox Full of Songs' is published in October 2009.

General

Dickson's father was a cook on a tugboat at Rosyth Dockyard and her mother was from Liverpool.^[2] Married with three sons, Dickson lives in Lincolnshire.^[2] She was awarded an O.B.E. in the Queens’ New Year Honours in 2002 for her services to Music and Drama.^[2]

Selected Album & Single Discography

Archie Fisher and Barbara Dickson

• The Fate o' Charlie (1969)
• Thro' the Recent Years (1970)

Solo albums

• Do Right Woman (1970)
• From the Beggar's Mantle (1972)
• Answer Me (1976)
• Morning Comes Quickly (1977)
• Sweet Oasis (1978)
• The Barbara Dickson Album (1980)
• You Know it's Me (1981)
• All for a Song (1982)
• Here We Go (1982)
• Tell Me It's Not True (1983)
• Heartbeats (1984)
• The Barbara Dickson Songbook (1985)
• Gold (1985)
• The Right Moment (1986)
• After Dark (1987)
• Coming Alive Again (1989)
• Don't Think Twice It's Alright (1992)
• Parcel of Rogues (1994)
• Dark End of the Street (1995)
• The 7 Ages of Woman (1998)
• For The Record (2002)
• The Platinum Collection (2004)
• Full Circle (2004)
• Nothing's Gonna Change My World (2006)
• Time and Tide (2008)
• Barbara Dickson In Concert (2009)

Singles 7"

• "Here Comes the Sun" (1974)
• "Blue Skies" (1975)
• "Answer Me" (1976)
• "People Get Ready" (1976)
• "Out Of Love With Love" (1976)
• "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" (1977)
• "Lover's Serenade" (1977)
• "Caravan Song" (1979)
• "January February" (1980)
• "In the Night" (1980)
• "It's Really You" (1980)
• "Only Seventeen" (1981)
• "Run Like the Wind" (1981)
• "Take Good Care" (1982)
• "Stop in the Name of Love" (1982)
• "Tell Me It's Not True" (1983)
• "Keeping My Love for You" (1984)
• "I Don't Believe in Miracles" (1984)
• "I Know Him So Well" (with Elaine Paige) (1985)
• "Still in the Game" (1985)
• "If You're Right" (1986)
• "Time After Time" (1986)
• "The Right Moment" (1987)
• "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" (1992)

References

External links

• Official Website
• Barbara Dickson on Whole Wheat Radio