TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Apart from Polly Bolton which lady musicians do you admire most and why?

Hi Jenny,
your right, I do think Polly is the most fantastic singer and what an outrageous character she is!
Someone else I really admire is Gillie Nichols, from Stafford. She is an unbelievable songwriter, with a gift for writing lyrics that can get right inside you. Heartfelt but not soppy, that's a pretty bad description really, but if you get the chance to listen to her first album'Spirit Talk' you'll know what I mean. She also writes amazing melodies to go with them and is a brilliant guitar player. She is also a potter artist and sculpter. Quite a human!
Sally Van Meter, is another of my favourites. sally is an american woman who plays dobro guitar as good as anyone as well as producing albums for herself and others. I met her at a Whippersnapper gig in Milan, in 1987, we had just returned from san francisco and as that's where she's from, we got talking first of all about what a city that is. Anyway, she's an awesome player, has recorded an album with Jerry Douglas (Union Station) and won a grammy. Brilliant.
I also love a Pakistani singer called Abida Parveen. She's a singer singing qali music, with unbelievable passion, dexterity, techinique, invention, range, control and conviction! And when you see her on stage with four or five accopanying musicians (male) there is absolutely no doubt about who's in charge. She is  stunning to listen to but the whole picture when you see her performing is breathtaking.
If you can, check out 'Songs of The Mystics'
I've gone on there a bit haven't I?
Pheobe Snow, Alice Coltrane, Judee Sill and  Carolyn Robson are others who I think are fantastic players/singers or both

Hope that's ok
kev  

Hi Jenny,
I would like to make one more addition to that list of mine and that's for Beryl Marriot. What a monster of a musician, what a piano player!! A lifetime of playing, collecting and arranging. A unique personality and treasure trove of English music. I always feel that Beryl has never had her contribution really acknowledged. She's not in the best of health right now and is getting on on years maybe it's about time,
kev

Kev - glad ytou remembered to mention Carolyn Robson. :)

No Kev, you haven't "gone on a bit" at all! Interesting stuff.  ;D  Some names I must check out there.  {:-)

Beryl M.. the lady that played such a huge part in Swarb's musical journey... without whom...  ::)

Absolutely right ther Jenny!

Hi Gower Flower,

they are all amazing in their own way, the ones I mentioned are long time favourites, the list could be almost endless
kev