Maddy Prior
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Maddy Prior (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer.
Early life
Born in Blackpool, England, Maddy Prior moved in her teens to St Albans, where she befriended the young Donovan Leitch and Mac MacLeod.
Singing career
She later formed a duo with MacLeod called Mac & Maddy. In 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 1970. They were the backbone of the group until the early 1980s when ill-health forced Tim into semi-retirement.
Prior married bassist Rick Kemp. Although best known as the powerful contralto in Steeleye Span, Prior has recorded session work, albums of her own songs and eclectic styles from medieval, through folk-rock, prog-rock and traditional songs, including session work on Mike Oldfield's Incantations. She left Steeleye Span in 1997 but returned in 1999. She was also one half of the duo Silly Sisters, which helped to launch June Tabor's career as a folk singer.
Awards
In 2001 Prior was awarded the MBE for services to folk music.
Albums
On recent albums Troy Donockley has been a co-producer.
Discography
with Steeleye Span
Maddy Prior was on all the Steeleye Span albums from Hark! The Village Wait (1970) to Time (1996). She then returned for The Journey (1999) and subsequent albums.Solo albums
- Woman in the Wings (1978)
- Changing Winds (1978)
- Happy Families (1981)
- Hooked on Winning (1982)
- Year (1993)
- Memento (best of) (1995)
- Flesh and Blood (1997)
- Ravenchild (1999)
- Ballads and Candles (2000)
- Arthur the King (2001)
- Bib and Tuck (2002) - As 'Maddy Prior And The Girls' with Abbie Lathe and Rose Kemp
- Lionheart (2003)
- Under the Covers (2005) - As 'Maddy + Girls' with Abbie Lathe and Claudia Gibson
Compilation
- Collections 1995 - 2005 (2005)
Tim Hart and Maddy Prior
- Folk Songs of Olde England vol 1 (1968)
- Folk Songs of Olde England vol 2 (1968)
Maddy Prior and Tim Hart
- Summer Solstice (1971)
Maddy Prior and
- Silly Sisters (1976)
- No More To The Dance (1988)
Maddy Prior, John Kirkpatrick and Sydney Carter
- Lovely in the Dances (1981)
Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band
- Sing Lustily With Good Courage (1986)
- A Tapestry of Carols (1987)
- Carols and Capers (1991)
- Hang Up Sorrow and Care (1995)
- Carols at Christmas (1996)
- Flesh and Blood (1997)
- Gold Frankincense and Myrrh (2001)
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.
As a session singer
She appeared on these albums:- Shirley Collins: No Roses (1971)
- Mike Oldfield: Incantations (1978)
- Frankie Armstrong: Till The Grass O'Ergrow The Corn (1996)
- Tim Hart and Friends: The Drunken Sailor (1983)
- Tim Hart and Friends: Favourite Nursery Rhymes (1983)
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