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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Maddy Prior| image = maddy.JPG| caption = Prior in 2008| background = solo_singer| birth_date = Birth date and age|1947|8|14|df=y| origin = Blackpool , Lancashire , England| instrument = Singing|Vocals | genre = Folk rock , Electric folk , Folk music|Folk | occupation = Singer, Dancer| years_active = 1967present| label = Park Records|Park | associated_acts = Steeleye Span Maddy_Prior#Tim_Hart_and_Maddy_Prior|Maddy Prior and Tim Hart Brass Monkey (band)|Brass Monkey Silly Sisters The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band | website = http://www.maddyprior.co.uk/ www.maddyprior.co.uk Madeleine E. "Maddy" Prior (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span . The Times , 28 January 2000; interview with Maddy Prior
Early life
Born in Blackpool , Prior moved in her teens to St Albans , where she befriended the young Donovan|Donovan Leitch and Mac MacLeod in The Cock pub . She later formed a duo with MacLeod called 'Mac & Maddy'. She became a Road crew|roadie for visiting American musicians, including Reverend Gary Davis . They gave her useful advice about singing British folk songs instead of American songs.
Maddy's father
Maddy's father, Allan Prior , was co-creator of the police drama Z-Cars , and wrote Stookie , a 6-part series for television, about a boy with his arm in a sling. Maddy sang the title song, which was released as a single in 1985. It reappeared on the Steeleye Span album A Rare Collection 1972 1996 .
Singing career
After a brief stint with Mac MacLeod in 'Mac & Maddy' (another act formed at The Cock Pub), by 1966 she began performing with Tim Hart , another St Albans resident, and together they recorded two albums before becoming founding members of Steeleye Span in 1969.cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p2109|pure_url=yes|title=Biography: Maddy Prior|last=Nickson|first=Chris|publisher= Allmusic |accessdate=26 May 2010 They were the backbone of the group until the early 1980s when ill-health forced Hart into semi-retirement. Apart from the tambourine and Spoon (musical instrument)|spoons , Prior doesn't play an instrument, but she always gives a sprightly performance of her individual dances. In 1974 Ralph McTell wrote "Maddy Dances" in her honour, included on his album "Easy".
Prior married bassist Rick Kemp , though they have since divorced. The singer Rose Kemp is their daughter.
Prior has recorded session work, albums of her own songs and eclectic styles from medieval, through electric folk Steeleye Span and Maddie Prior appeared on television with a regular programme Electric Folk fact|date=October 2011 progressive rock|prog-rock and traditional music|traditional songs, including session work on Mike Oldfield 's Incantations (album)|Incantations . She left Steeleye Span in 1997 but returned in 2002. The 1999 album The Journey was recorded in 1995, when Maddy was still in the band but not released until four years later. She was also one half of the duo Silly Sisters (band)|Silly Sisters , which helped to boost June Tabor 's career.
Since 2003, Prior has run and hosted an Arts Centre called Stones Barn in Cumbria . Working with fellow singers and performers like Abbie Lathe and daughter Rose Kemp, Maddy has offered residential courses focusing on singing, meditation, cookery and performance. Other events, hosted by other teachers, include classical Indian dances, painting and drumming. Maddy campaigns on behalf of the charity Cancer Research UK .
Recent tours and albums
Prior took to the road with The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band in May 2007 for their "Music for Tavern and Chapel" tour. They celebrated the 300th anniversary of one of the key influences on their work, Charles Wesley . She made a guest appearance with The Levellers at the Solfest Festival in Cumbria in August 2007. On recent albums Troy Donockley has been a co-producer.
In December 2007 the album Ringing The Changes was issued. It is a collection of songs written by the band. In 2008 Prior appeared at the BBC's "Electric Proms". http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricproms/2008/artists/maddyprior/ BBC Electric Proms 2008Steeleye Span toured the Eastern US, Australia and the UK beginning in 2009.
A short tour with The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band in November and December, featuring carols and seasonal music, has become a regular fixture for Prior in recent years.
Awards
In 2001 Prior was awarded the Order of the British Empire|MBE for services to folk music.cite news| newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Maddy Prior: Vaughan Williams, Carols, Songs & Hymns: CD Review |author=Martin Chilton |date=7 January 2011 |at=image 2 of 2 |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8245556/Maddy-Prior-Vaughan-Williams-Carols-Songs-and-Hymns-CD-Review.html |accessdate=24 April 2012
Discography
With Steeleye Span
Prior was on all the Steeleye Span albums from Hark& #33; The Village Wait (1970) to Time (1996). She then returned for Present The Very Best of Steeleye Span (2002) and subsequent albums.
Solo albums
Woman in the Wings (1978) with Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh (Maddy Prior album)|Gold Frankincense and Myrrh (2001)
An Evening of Carols and Capers (2006)
Paradise Found (Maddy Prior album)|Paradise Found (2007)
Ringing the Changes (Maddy Prior album)|Ringing the Changes (2007)
Maddy Prior and Martin Carthy
Beat the Retreat (1994) Maddy Prior and Martin Carthy perform two songs, "Farewell, Farewell", and "The Great Valerio" on this Richard Thompson tribute album.
Maddy Prior singles
"Rollercoaster" / "I Told You So" (1978)
"Baggy Pants" / "Woman in the Wings" (1978)
"Just the Two of Us" / "Acappella Stella" (1979)
"Wake up England" / "Paradise" (1980)
"The King" / "Ringing Down the Years" (1980) (with Dave Cousins / Strawbs )
"To Face" / "Half Listening" (1982)
"Deep in the Darkest Night" / "Western Movies" (1983)
"Stookie" / "Incidental Music From "Stookie"" (1985)
"Happy Families" / "Who's Sorry Now? " (1990)
"I Saw Three Ships" / "Quem Pastores" / "Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Swing" (1991) (with the Carnival Band)
"I Saw Three Ships (Dance Doctor's Christmas Re-Mix)" / "The Boar's Head" / "Poor Little Jesus" (1992)
"All Around My Hat" (1996) (with Status Quo)
"Forgiveness" (2000) (with Jennifer Cutting All-Stars)
BBC Wildlife on One: Shadow of the Hare 12 April 1993
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.maddyprior.co.uk/ Official website
http://www.maddyprior.co.uk/stonesbarn Stones Barn
http://www.parkrecords.com/ Park Records, Prior's Record Label
http://www.carnivalband.com/ The Carnival Band
Steeleye SpanAlbion Band Use dmy dates|date=August 2010 Persondata | NAME = Prior, Maddy | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Folk singer and musician | DATE OF BIRTH = 14 August 1947 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Blackpool , Lancashire , England | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Prior, Maddy Category:English female singers Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Blackpool Category:Steeleye Span members Category:Electric folk musicians Category:English folk singers Category:British folk rock musicians
