WHY BARBARA WORE EARPLUGS
By Christine van Emst
One of Britain's most talented and versatile singers, Barbara Dickson, comes to Fairfield Concert Hall on Thursday, February 26, at 8pm.
Born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1947, the daughter of a policeman-turned-dock worker, Barbara started playing the piano when she was five years old. She began to play guitar seven years later and when she was 17 she moved to Edinburgh, determined to be a musician.
A move to London pursuing her career led to her big break when she was invited to appear in John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert. In the 70s she had hits with Answer Me and Morning Comes Quickly. In the 80s January, February and I Know Him So Well sung with Elaine Paige brought her critical acclaim.
Barbara Dickson has been equally impressive as an actress. She won an award for her role of Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell's Blood Brothers. Straight acting in television's Band of Gold and theatre's The Seven Ages of Woman she proved her versatility. In 2001 she received an OBE for her services to music and drama.
"By happy coincidence I'm on tour when my new CD is released. Its collection of existing songs and a new rendition of Wayfarin' Stranger, an American traditional song heard in the movie Cold Mountain.
"As well as some old catalogue favourites that are featured on the album, I include some Peggy Lee, Lennon and McCartney and some folk songs in my show," she says.
"I'm awfully glad I'm not trying to do auditions and all that now. Everything is so manufactured and highly competitive, I hate it. It's all so much a production, I'm always more interested in the lyrics.
"I have three teenage sons so I hear a lot of new music. The boys are all musical but have had no formal training. My eldest son is in a rock band at boarding school and they had a charity rock concert I took earplugs! I didn't need them; the biggest shock was my son came on stage with a Mohican haircut. He'd shaved the sides of his hair off for the gig and he had to shave it all off immediately after," she laughs.
Croydon has a special place in her heart.
"A lot of friends are coming that night to Fairfield as I used to be sort of local to the venue when I lived in Twickenham," she says.
