Barbara Dickson is a Scottish singer and stage performer from Dunfermline, born in 1947. She begins singing in folk clubs around Fife in the 1960s, drawing on both traditional and contemporary music, and later becomes associated with musical theatre, pop and concert work.

Early career

In the early 1970s, she performs at a Liverpool folk club run by Willy Russell, who shows her the first draft of what becomes John, Paul, George, Ringo….and Bert and asks her to perform its music. The production, featuring young actors including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve, proves successful, and co-producer Robert Stigwood signs her to RSO Records.

Recording and chart success

On RSO, she records Answer Me, whose title track becomes a top ten hit in 1976. This leads to a guest residency on The Two Ronnies, bringing her singing to a large BBC television audience. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice later invite her to record Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita, which becomes her second hit in 1977. Other hit records include Caravan Song and January, February in 1980.

Musical theatre and acting

In 1982, Willy Russell asks her to star as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, despite her not having acted before. Her performance receives critical praise, and she wins Actress of the Year in a Musical from the Society of West End Theatres in 1984. Later that year, Tim Rice asks her to take part in the cast album for Chess, including the duet I Know Him So Well with Elaine Paige, which becomes a worldwide hit and stays at number one in the UK for many weeks.

During the 1990s, she appears in television dramas including Taggart, Band of Gold and The Missing Postman. In 1996, Chris Bond creates The Seven Ages of Woman for her; the show premieres at the Liverpool Playhouse and tours in 1997 and 1998. In 1999, she stars in Spend, Spend, Spend, a musical about Viv Nicholson, and wins Best Actress in a Musical at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Later work and recognition

She continues to appear in concert and on record. Her releases include The Platinum Collection, which gathers some of her most successful recordings, Full Circle, which revisits her musical history, and Nothing’s Gonna Change My World, a collection of songs by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. She also appears as the Timekeeper in Alan Ayckbourn and Denis King’s fantasy musical play Whenever for BBC Radio 4, and presents Finding A Voice for the same station.

Barbara Dickson receives an OBE in the New Year Honours of 2002. She is married with three sons and lives in Lincolnshire.