Barbara Dickson

As a multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier Award winning acting career, Barbara Dickson has firmly established herself as one of the most enduring and popular artistes in Britain today.

Born in Dunfermline, she began her career as a singer on the Scottish and English folk circuit of the late 60’s and early 70’s, alongside contemporaries including Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty, Archie Fisher and Rab Noakes. Her first pop hit, the classic "Answer Me," in 1976 was followed by ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from the musical ‘Evita’, ‘Caravan Song’, ‘January February’ and the million-selling number one single, ‘I Know Him So Well’, with Elaine Paige.

Barbara has gone on to become one of the most admired and best-loved artists in the UK, amassing 20 hit albums and becoming, in the process, Scotland’s best-selling female album artist of all-time.

Her acting career has included the West End hit musicals ‘John Paul George Ringo… & Bert’, starring as the original Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’ and playing the infamous Pools winner Viv Nicholson in the Olivier Award-winning ‘Spend Spend Spend’. On television Barbara has starred in ‘Taggart’, ‘The Missing Postman’ and two series of Kay Mellor’s hugely popular drama series, ‘Band of Gold’.

She is also the recipient of numerous awards, including two Olivier Awards, the Variety Club of Great Britain award for Best Actress in a Musical and Outstanding Achievement Awards from the Variety Club of Scotland and the Scots Trad Awards. In 2002 she was bestowed with an OBE by her Majesty the Queen for her Services to Music and Drama.

“A folk-scene phenomenon, Barbara Dickson is a shadowy legend, ripe for rediscovery. (The Sunday Times)

"It is no exaggeration to describe Dickson as a great singer. She stood out a mile among the Scottish folks singers of her generation, and she has consistently shown her class when performing for a wider public." (The Daily Telegraph)

"Barbara's voice, as true as ever, has a thrilling quality in the upper register... The chance to hear her sing a personal choice of favourite good songs should not be missed." (The Times)

"Preconceptions are made to be shattered. Barbara Dickson is plainly as hip as she is eloquent. What she treasures are great lyrics and she admits to a liking for Randy Newman, James Taylor and Elvis Costello... she is not to be underestimated". (The Sunday Times)