JOAN ARMATRADING became the very first UK female singer/songwriter to gain international success.
Three times Grammy nominated, two times Brit Awards nominated, winner of a coveted Ivor Novello Award, winner of the Gold Badge Award, winner of Radio 2’s Lifetime Achievement Folk Award singer/songwriter, Joan Armatrading MBE has come a long way since her birth in the West Indies and her upbringing in Birmingham.
While growing up, Joan’s father owned a guitar however, it was strictly out of bounds so when Joan saw one for £3 in a pawn shop window she pestered her mother to barter two old baby carriages they no longer used. Joan then taught herself to play and began writing songs at the age of 14. Her debut album, “Whatever’s For Us”, released on Cube Records in 1972 and produced by the late great Gus Dudgeon, was critically acclaimed, resulting in Joan being voted as best newcomer on the UK music scene.
In 1973, Joan was named the outstanding New Artist of of that year in a critics’ poll in the UK music trade magazine Music Week and in 1974, Joan signed to A&M Records world-wide. The career that followed includes a plethora of classic and memorable songs – “Love and Affection”, “Down To Zero”, “Drop the Pilot”, “The Weakness In Me”, “Me Myself I”, “Willow”…..
1996 – Joan was awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection and received a platinum CD for her part in the BBC’s “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed.
March 2003 – the “Lovers Speak” album was released, featuring 14 tracks all written, arranged and produced by Joan and, with the exception of drums and horns, Armatrading played every instrument herself. An exceptional CD which combined strong upbeat melodies, riffs that stuck in your head and passionate, stirring, soulful ballads, it was the result of a long-held desire to make a truly solo album.
2007 – Joan Armatrading, hugely influential and pioneering British singer-songwriter, released “Into the Blues”. The album debuted at #1 making Joan the first UK female artist to debut at #1 in the Billboards Blues chart and also become the first ever female UK artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the blues category. The CD remained at #1 for 12 consecutive weeks, once again, being the first ever UK Female Artist to do so.
In 2007-2008 Joan toured the world with the success of “Into the Blues”, which culminated in the release of the deluxe edition of “Into The Blues CD & DVD”, featuring Joan at her best – live on stage, performing material that spanned her illustrious career.
2008 – one month from her 58th birthday, Joan ran her first marathon (NYC – 26.24 miles) and helped to raise £76,000 for her chosen charity.
2009 – Joan, the “creative force”, was writing and recording new material. You would have thought this would be enough. It seems not!! Being an accomplished guitarist, Joan decided to do a series of 5 interviews, for the BBC, with other guitarists, to discuss their different styles and influences. The series has had hugely positive reviews. The sainted quintet of guitarists were an eclectic throng: Mark Knopfler, originally of Dire Straits (an obvious rocker); John Williams, the classical axeman best known for the tremulous “Cavatina” on the soundtrack to The Deer Hunter; Bonnie Raitt, the flame-haired country singer of “Love Has no Pride”; Bert Jansch, the rumpled veteran folkie of Pentangle (the late-1960s band); and Russell Lissack, the twenty something, floppy-fringed Essex vegetarian from Bloc Party.
2010 – Armatrading released another fine work which headed straight to #1 in the Amazon overall download chart. “This Charming Life” is a collection of eleven new compositions that saw Joan return to a more rock/pop format, both commercial yet also contemporary.
2012 – Joan released her 20th CD, a jazz flavoured album called “Starlight”.
2014 and 2015 – Joan undertook a World tour comprising 235 concert dates.
2016 – Joan wrote the music for William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, commissioned by the director Phyllida Lloyd and the Donmar Theatre.
2018 – Joan will release her 21st studio album and will undertake a limited series of dates in support of her new music.
Known as a true craftsman, Joan Armatrading has had unanimous, widespread and, perhaps most importantly, consistent critical acclaim. Effortlessly eclectic, her sound has ranged from jazz to true soul to sophisticated pop, all driven by her passionate guitar. She has performed for Nelson Mandela twice, performing on his 70th birthday at Wembley and then again in 2001 she was asked by the LSE to perform “The Messenger” (the tribute song she had been invited to compose for him – Mr. Mandela danced throughout the performance). Joan has been given the keys to Sydney, is Patron of various charities, has presented and continues to present BBC Radio 4 and Radio 2 series, she has figured large in VH1’s Top 100 voted poll ‘The Most Influential Woman In Rock’, she was made an Honorary Fellow of the John Moores University of Liverpool (2000), was also made an Honorary Fellow of Northampton University (2003), has received a Doctorate in Music from the University of Birmingham (2002), an Honorary degree from Aston University (2006) and received an Honorary Degree from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (2008). Moreover, after years of committed studying, Joan achieved a goal she had held since childhood, she gained her BA Honours after studying history from the Open University – a feat very few other working artists would attempt, let alone while on tour (she took her final exam the day after the last gig of her 2000 dates). However, more than all that, Joan has been honoured by the Queen of England receiving an MBE.
All the while, no matter the accolade, Joan Armatrading has focused on the music. “I write,” she says, “because I love it.
Joan Armatrading is indeed the whole package; an excellent song writer, a powerful vocalist and as a guitarist, she is certainly one of the best players of today.
