Barbara Dickson

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Biography

Barbara Ruth Dickson, Order of the British Empire|OBE (born Dunfermline , Fife , 27 September 1947) is a Scottish people|Scottish singer whose hits include " I Know Him So Well " and " January February ". Dickson has placed fifteen album s in the UK Albums Chart from 1977 to date, and had a number of hit singles, including two which reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart .

She is also a two-time Laurence Olivier Awards|Olivier Award -winning actor|actress , with roles including Anita Braithwaite in TV's Band of Gold (TV series)|Band of Gold and she was the original Mrs. Johnstone in Willy Russell's long-running musical Blood Brothers (musical)|Blood Brothers .

Early years

Dickson went to Woodmill High School|Woodmill High . Previously she lived in "Dolly Town", which no longer exists as it was demolished in the early 1970s. Her father was a cook on a tugboat at Rosyth Dockyard and her mother was from Liverpool . She went to Camdean|Camdean Primary School . An exhibition was held at Rosyth Parish Church, Fife, which had a section from Camdean concerning Dickson attending Camdean Primary School.

The 1960s

Dickson's singing career started in folk clubs around her native Fife in 1964. Her first commercial Sound recording and reproduction|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 Jacobitism|Jacobite rebellions, was released in 1969. Her first solo album was Do Right Woman in 1970.

The 1970s

She became a well-known face on the British folk circuit of the late 1960s and early 1970s, but changed her career 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 later became 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 The Beatles|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 and produced by Junior Campbell , the title track becoming a Top 40|Top 10 hit record|hit in 1976. This led to her guest residency on The Two Ronnies , which brought Dickson’s singing to the attention of more than ten million BBC Television 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 (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 " and " January February ", followed in 1980. During the late 1970s, Dickson also contributed backing vocalist|backing vocals to two best-selling albums by the Scottish singer-songwriter , Gerry Rafferty : City to City (1978) and Night Owl (album)|Night Owl (1979).

The 1980s

In 1982, Russell invited Dickson to star in his new musical Blood Brothers (musical)|Blood Brothers in the pivotal role of the mother, Mrs. Johnstone. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, she garnered critical acclaim as well as 'Actress of the Year in a Musical' from the The Society of London Theatre|Society of West End Theatres in 1984. She has reprised the role many times, the latest being 2004 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre .

Later that year, Tim Rice approached Dickson to take part in the cast album recording of the musical Chess (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 Singles Chart for four weeks. It is still cited in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling female duet of all-time.

The 1990s

During the 1990s, Dickson appeared in various television dramas including Taggart , Band of Gold (TV series)|Band of Gold and The Missing Postman . The 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 (composer)|Steve Brown and Justin Greene. The show, based on the rollercoaster life story of pools winner, Viv Nicholson , played in the West End theatre|West End to capacity audiences. For her portrayal of Nicholson, 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 (musical)|Fame . During 2006, Dickson appeared as the Timekeeper in Alan Ayckbourn and Denis King ’s fantasy musical play Whenever (play)|Whenever for BBC Radio 4 . She has returned to TV recently in the BBC daytime drama series Doctors (2000 TV series)|Doctors and her episode, "Mama Sings The Blues", was broadcast in March 2008.

The 2000s

In 2003, Dickson worked with 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 Albums Chart. Her 2004 album, Full Circle (Barbara Dickson album)|Full Circle , was produced and arranged by Troy Donockley , and saw Dickson returning to her folk roots. In 2006, she issued a collection of the songs of Beatles|Lennon, McCartney and Harrison , ''Nothing's Gonna Change My World .

Dickson's twenty fourth studio album, Time and Tide , was released in January 2008 featuring a mix of contemporary and folk songs, including "Palm Sunday", which marked Dickson's return to songwriting after a break of almost twenty years. A live DVD , Into the Light , was released to coincide with the release of Time and Tide and included, as well as some of her best-loved hits, several tracks from her new album. A double live CD, Barbara Dickson In Concert , was released in April 2009 and was followed later in the year by her autobiography, A Shirtbox Full of Songs . Between February and March 2011, Dickson undertook a tour of the UK and Ireland to promote her new studio album, Words Unspoken . Arranged and produced by Troy Donockley, the album included tracks such as "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Jamie Raeburn" and "The Trees They Do Grow High".

Awards

Married with three sons, Dickson lives in Lincolnshire . She was awarded an Order of the British Empire|O.B.E. in the Queen Elizabeth II|Queen's New Year Honours in 2002 for her services to Music and Drama.

Selected discography

Archie Fisher and Barbara Dickson

'' The Fate o' Charlie (also with John MacKinnon) (1969)

'' Thro' the Recent Years (1970)

Solo albums

Do Right Woman (1970)

'' From the Beggar's Mantle (1972)

Answer Me (Barbara Dickson album)|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 (Barbara Dickson album)|Here We Go (1982)

'' Tell Me It's Not True - Blood Brothers mini-album (1983)

Heartbeats (Barbara Dickson album)|Heartbeats (1984)

Gold (Barbara Dickson album)|Gold (1985)

The Right Moment (1986)

After Dark (Barbara Dickson album)|After Dark (1987)

Coming Alive Again (1989)

'' Don't Think Twice It's Alright (album)|Don't Think Twice It's Alright (1992)

Parcel of Rogues (Barbara Dicson album)|Parcel of Rogues (1994)

Dark End of the Street (album)|Dark End of the Street (1995)

The 7 Ages of Woman (1998)

For The Record (2002)

Full Circle (Barbara Dickson album)|Full Circle (2004)

'' Nothing's Gonna Change My World (2006)

Time and Tide (Barbara Dickson album)|Time and Tide (2008)

Barbara Dickson In Concert(Barbara Dickson album)|Barbara Dickson In Concert (2009)

Words Unspoken(Barbara Dickson album)|Words Unspoken (2011)

Singles

" Here Comes the Sun " (1974)

"Blue Skies" (1975)

" Answer Me " (1976)

" People Get Ready (song)|People Get Ready " (1976)

"Out Of Love With Love" (1976)

" Another Suitcase in Another Hall " (1977)

"Lover's Serenade" (1977)

"I Could Fall" (1977)

"City To City" (1978)

"Fallen Angel" (1978)

"Come Back With The Same Look In Your Eyes" (1979)

"Caravan Song" (1979)

" January February " (1980)

"In the Night" (1980)

"It's Really You" (1980)

"Only Seventeen" (1981)

"My Heart Lies" (1981)

"Run Like the Wind" (1981)

"Take Good Care" (1982)

"I Believe In You" (1982)

"Greatest Original Hits - 4 Track E.P" (1982)

"Here we Go" (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)

"I Think It's Going To Rain Today" (1987)

"Only A Dream In Rio" (1988)

"Coming Alive Again" (1989)

"All I Ask Of You" (with Jose Carreras ) (1989)

"Tears Of Rage" (1991)

"Don't Think Twice It's Alright" (1992)

"Blowin' In The Wind" (1992)

"Love Hurts" (1995)

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