Eliza Carthy

Eliza Carthy born August 23, 1975. Daughter of legendary English folk musicians singer/guitarist Martin Carthy and singer Norma Waterson. Eliza is an accomplished folk musician herself, both singing and playing fiddle.

She formed the Waterdaughters with her mother, aunt (Lal Waterson) and cousin Maria Knight in 1989. She has subsequently worked with Nancy Kerr, and also with her parents as Waterson:Carthy, in addition to her own solo work.

She has twice been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for UK album of the year: in 1998 for Red Rice, and again in 2003 for Anglicana.

In 2003 Eliza swept the boards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, winning Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album (for Anglicana) and Best Traditional Track (for Worcester City, on the album Anglicana).

In 2004 she was part of Oysterband Big Session, a collaboration with numerous folk artists brought together by Oysterband. They produced an album The Big Session Volume One, and the group as a whole were awarded Best Group at the Folk Awards in 2005.