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DICKSON, Barbara

(b 27 Sep. '47, Dumfermline, Scotland) UK vocalist, songwriter. Began in folk music; once sang in trio with Rab Noakes and Archie Fisher; made folk album Fate O'Charlie '71 for Trailer, From The Beggar's Mantle and I Will Sing on Decca early '70s. Sang Beatles songs in Willy Russell show John, Paul, George, Ringo And Bert '73, accompanying herself on piano; it opened in Liverpool, moved to London and her beautiful voice was the best thing in it; the show album was on RSO and she stayed with that label for Answer Me '76 incl. top ten title track, revival of '56 hit by David Whitfield and Frankie Laine. She had a one-off top 20 hit on MCA early '77 with 'Another Suitcase, Another Hall' from the original LP of the Tim Rice/Lloyd Webber musical Evita, made before it opened: she was not in the smash hit show but had already hit with its best song. Morning Comes Quickly '77 on RSO was made in Nashville, with excellent title song co-written by prod. Mentor Williams, guitarist Troy Seals, Barry Goldberg; other backup incl. Buddy Spicher on fiddle and mandolin, Janie Fricke in the chorus. She switched to CBS for Sweet Oasis '78, then The Barbara Dickson Album '80 on Epic, a top ten LP incl. no. 11 hit 'January February', sold out the Albert Hall late that year with one-woman show (and Sweet Oasis was reissued on Epic); You Know It's Me '81 (top 40 LP), Here We Go (live on tour) and All For A Song '82 (no. 3 LP incl. 'Caravan Song' plus earlier hits), Heartbeats '84 were all on Epic. She took part in Russell's Blood Brothers on stage in London (mini-LP on Legacy) and had no. 1 hit duet with Elaine Paige early '85, 'I Know Him So Well' by Rice, Benny and Bjorn (ex-Abba), and there were also Tell Me It's Not True on Legacy and Barbara Dickson on Contour. The Barbara Dickson Songbook and Gold '85 on K-Tel were no. 5 and 11 in UK chart; The Right Moment '86 on K-Tel (later a Castle CD) incl. Emmylou Harris's 'Boulder To Birmingham'. Coming Alive Again '89 on Telstar incl. Archie Fisher and Nic Jones. On CD: After Dark and A Parcel Of Rogues on Castle, Now And Then on Connoisseur, Don't Think Twice It's All Right (all Dylan songs) on Columbia.