Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Maddy Prior
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
{{Short description|English singer}}{{BLP refimprove|date=May 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Maddy Prior | honorific_suffix = [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] | image = Maddy Prior 7 (cropped).jpg | caption = Prior at [[Fairport's Cropredy Convention]] in 2016. | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Madeleine Edith Prior | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|8|14|df=y}} | origin = [[Blackpool]], [[Lancashire]], England | instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[percussion]], banjo | genre = [[British folk rock]], [[Folk music|folk]] | occupation = Singer, dancer | years_active = 1967βpresent | label = [[Park Records|Park]] | associated_acts = [[Steeleye Span]]<br/>[[Maddy Prior#Tim Hart and Maddy Prior|Maddy Prior and Tim Hart]]<br/>[[Brass Monkey (band)|Brass Monkey]]<br/>[[Silly Sisters]]<br/>[[The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band]]<br>[[June Tabor]]<br>[[Rose Kemp]] (Prior's daughter) | website = [http://www.maddyprior.co.uk/ www.maddyprior.co.uk] }} '''Madeleine Edith Prior''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 14 August 1947) is an [[British folk rock|English folk rock]] singer, best known as the lead vocalist of [[Steeleye Span]].<ref>''The Times'', 28 January 2000; interview with Maddy Prior</ref> She was born in Blackpool and moved to [[St Albans]] in her teens. Her father, [[Allan Prior]], was co-creator of the police drama ''[[Z-Cars]]''. She was married to Steeleye bass guitarist [[Rick Kemp]], and their daughter, [[Rose Kemp]], is also a singer. Their son, Alex Kemp, is also a guitarist and has deputised for his father playing bass guitar for Steeleye Span. She was part of the singing duo 'Mac & Maddy', with [[Mac MacLeod]]. She then performed with [[Tim Hart]] and recorded two albums with him, before they helped to found the group Steeleye Span, in 1969. She left Steeleye Span in 1997, but returned in 2002, and has toured with them since. With [[June Tabor]] she was the singing duo [[Silly Sisters]]. She toured with the Carnival Band, in 2007, and with [[Giles Lewin]] and [[Hannah James (musician) |Hannah James]], in 2012 and 2013. She has released singles and albums as a solo artist, with these bands and in several collaborations. She runs an Arts Centre called Stones Barn, in [[Bewcastle]], in Cumbria, which offers residential courses. ==Early life== Born in [[Blackpool]], Prior moved in her teens to [[St Albans]], where she befriended the young [[Donovan|Donovan Leitch]] and [[Mac MacLeod]] in ''The Cock'' pub. She later formed a duo with MacLeod called 'Mac & Maddy'. She became a [[Road crew|roadie]] for visiting American musicians, including [[Reverend Gary Davis]]. They gave her useful advice about singing English folk songs instead of American songs. Her father, [[Allan Prior]], was co-creator of the police drama ''[[Z-Cars]]'', and wrote ''Stookie'', a 6-part series for television, about a boy with his arm in a sling. Maddy sang the title song, which was released as a single in 1985. It reappeared on the Steeleye Span album ''A Rare Collection 1972 β 1996''. ==Singing career== After a brief stint with Mac MacLeod in 'Mac & Maddy' (another act formed at ''The Cock'' pub), by 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 1969.<ref name="Nickson">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p2109|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Maddy Prior|last=Nickson|first=Chris|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=26 May 2010}}</ref> They were the backbone of the group until the early 1980s when ill-health forced Hart into semi-retirement. Prior plays the [[tambourine]], [[Spoon (musical instrument)|spoons]] and ukulele, and always gives a sprightly performance of her individual dances. In 1974 [[Ralph McTell]] wrote "Maddy Dances" in her honour, included on his album ''Easy''. Prior married bassist [[Rick Kemp]], though they have since divorced. The singer [[Rose Kemp]] is their daughter. Prior has recorded session work, albums of her own songs and eclectic styles from medieval (with [[The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band]]), through [[British folk rock]] β Steeleye Span and Maddy Prior appeared on television with a regular BBC 4 programme ''Electric Folk''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RIwvvnNT0&t=194s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Q7RIwvvnNT0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Steeleye Span - Electric Folk (BBC Four) 1974 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=2013-03-16 |access-date=2020-05-19}}{{cbignore}}</ref> β [[progressive rock|prog-rock]] and [[traditional music|traditional]] songs, including session work on [[Mike Oldfield]]'s ''[[Incantations (album)|Incantations]]''. She left Steeleye Span in 1997 but returned in 2002. The 1999 album ''The Journey'' was recorded in 1995, when Maddy was still in the band, but not released until four years later. She was also one half of the duo [[Silly Sisters (band)|Silly Sisters]], which helped to boost [[June Tabor]]'s career. [[File:Steeleye Span - Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2006 (2).jpg|right|thumb|[[Peter Knight (folk musician)|Peter Knight]] and Prior performing with [[Steeleye Span]] in 2006.]] Since 2003 Prior has run and hosted an Arts Centre called Stones Barn in [[Cumbria]]. Working with fellow singers and performers like Abbie Lathe and daughter Rose Kemp, Prior has offered residential courses focusing on singing, meditation, cookery and performance. Other events, hosted by other teachers, include classical Indian dances, painting and drumming. Prior campaigns on behalf of the charity [[Cancer Research UK]]. In 1983, Maddy Prior became the namesake for [[Madelyne Pryor]] of the [[X-Men]], created by [[Chris Claremont]] and [[Paul Smith (comics)|Paul Smith]]. The band was directly referenced five years after Pryor's first appearance in the comics in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #238 with Pryor's child self singing a line from "Gone to America", one of Steeleye Span's biggest hits. Claremont had previously named a one-shot character "Maddy Pryor" in ''Avengers Annual'' #10 (1981).{{cn|date=November 2024}} ==Recent tours and albums== Maddy Prior took to the road with [[The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band]] in May 2007 for their "Music for Tavern and Chapel" tour. They celebrated the 300th anniversary of one of the key influences on their work, [[Charles Wesley]]. She made a guest appearance with [[The Levellers (band)|The Levellers]] at the [[Solfest]] Festival in Cumbria in August 2007. On recent solo albums{{which|date=April 2025}} [[Troy Donockley]] has been a co-producer. In December 2007 the Carnival Band album ''Ringing The Changes'' was issued. It is a collection of songs written by the band. In 2008 Maddy Prior appeared at the BBC's "Electric Proms".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/electricproms/2008/artists/maddyprior/ |title=Electric Proms 2008 - Artists - Maddy Prior |publisher=BBC |access-date=2020-05-19}}</ref> Steeleye Span toured the Eastern US, Australia and the UK beginning in 2009. With Giles Lewin and Hannah James, Prior completed two successful UK tours, in the spring and autumn of 2012, with a third, in autumn 2013. In November and December 2013 Prior toured with [[Steeleye Span]], on the Wintersmith Tour, following the release in October of their album [[Wintersmith]], a collaborative project based on the novel of the same name by [[Terry Pratchett]]. A short tour with [[The Carnival Band (folk group)|The Carnival Band]] in November and December, featuring carols and seasonal music, has become an annual fixture for Prior since 1984. The 2024 tour (the 40th annual tour) was the final tour. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://klofmag.com/2024/11/maddy-prior-carnival-band-carols-and-capers-farewell-tour/ |title=Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band announce Carols and Capers The Farewell Tour |date=November 2024 |publisher=Klofmag |access-date=2024-12-14}}</ref> ==Awards== In 2001 Maddy Prior was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] for services to folk music.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |title=Maddy Prior: Vaughan Williams, Carols, Songs & Hymns: CD Review |author=Martin Chilton |date=7 January 2011 |at=image 2 of 2 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8245556/Maddy-Prior-Vaughan-Williams-Carols-Songs-and-Hymns-CD-Review.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120174920/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8245556/Maddy-Prior-Vaughan-Williams-Carols-Songs-and-Hymns-CD-Review.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 January 2011 |access-date=24 April 2012}}</ref> In 2014 she received an [[Honorary title (academic)|Honorary Fellowship]] from the [[University of Cumbria]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/about/organisation/honorary-fellows/2014/|title=University of Cumbria Honorary Fellows 2014|website=Cumbria.ac.uk|date=8 July 2014|access-date=9 July 2016}}</ref> ==Discography== ===With Steeleye Span=== Prior was on all the Steeleye Span albums from ''Hark! The Village Wait'' (1970) to ''Time'' (1996). She then returned for ''[[Present β The Very Best of Steeleye Span]]'' (2002) and subsequent albums. ===Solo albums=== *''[[Woman in the Wings]]'' (1978) *''Changing Winds'' (1978) *''[[Hooked on Winning]]'' (1982) *''[[Going for Glory]]'' (1983) *''[[Happy Families (Maddy Prior album)|Happy Families]]'' (as 'Maddy Prior and [[Rick Kemp]]') (1990) *''[[Year (album)|Year]]'' (1993) *''[[Memento (Maddy Prior album)|Memento]]'' (best of) (1995) *''[[Flesh and Blood (Maddy Prior album)|Flesh and Blood]]'' (1997) *''[[Ravenchild]]'' (1999) *''[[Ballads and Candles]]'' (2000) *''[[Arthur the King (Maddy Prior album)|Arthur the King]]'' (2001) *''[[Bib and Tuck]]'' (2002) β as 'Maddy Prior and the Girls' with [[Abbie Lathe]] and [[Rose Kemp]] *''[[Lionhearts (Maddy Prior album)|Lionhearts]]'' (2003) *''[[Under the Covers (Maddy Prior album)|Under the Covers]]'' (2005) β as 'Maddy + Girls' with [[Abbie Lathe]] and [[Claudia Gibson]] *''[[The Quest (Maddy Prior album)|The Quest]]'' (2007) (CD + DVD) *''[[Seven for Old England]]'' (2008) ===Compilation=== *''[[Collections 1995 β 2005]]'' (2005) ===Tim Hart and Maddy Prior=== *''[[Folk Songs of Olde England]]'' vol 1 (1968) *''Folk Songs of Olde England'' vol 2 (1968) *''[[Summer Solstice (album)|Summer Solstice]]'' (1971) ===Maddy Prior and June Tabor=== *''[[Silly Sisters (album)|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=== *''[[A Tapestry of Carols]]'' (1987) *''[[Sing Lustily and with Good Courage]]'' (1990) *''[[Carols and Capers]]'' (1991) *''[[Hang Up Sorrow and Care]]'' (1995) *''[[Carols at Christmas]]'' (1996) *''[[Gold Frankincense and Myrrh (Maddy Prior album)|Gold Frankincense and Myrrh]]'' (2001) *''[[An Evening of Carols and Capers]]'' (2005) *''[[Paradise Found (Maddy Prior album)|Paradise Found]]'' (2007) *''[[Ringing the Changes (Maddy Prior album)|Ringing the Changes]]'' (2007) *''[[Vaughan Williams Carols Songs & Hymns]]'' (2010) *''[[A Christmas Caper: The Best of Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band]]'' (2012) ===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 (musician)|Richard Thompson]] tribute album. ===Maddy Prior, Giles Lewin and Hannah James=== *''3 for Joy'' (2012) *''Shortwinger'' (2017) ===Maddy Prior singles=== *"Rollercoaster" / "I Told You So" (1978) *"Baggy Pants" / "Woman in the Wings" (1978) *"Just the Two of Us" / "Acappella Stella" (1979) *"Wake up England" / "Paradise" (1980) *"The King" / "Ringing Down the Years" (1980) (with [[Dave Cousins]]/[[Strawbs]]) *"To Face" / "Half Listening" (1982) *"Deep in the Darkest Night" / "Western Movies" (1983) *"Stookie" / "Incidental Music From "Stookie"" (1985) *"Happy Families" / "Who's Sorry Now?" (1990) *"I Saw Three Ships" / "Quem Pastores" / "Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Swing" (1991) (with the Carnival Band) *"I Saw Three Ships (Dance Doctor's Christmas Re-Mix)" / "The Boar's Head" / "Poor Little Jesus" (1992) *"All Around My Hat" (1996) (with Status Quo), No 47 *"Forgiveness" (2000) (with Jennifer Cutting All-Stars) *"Gaudete" / "Greenwood Side" / "Gaudete (extended mix)" (2001) (with Keltic Fusion; Maddy's voice is sampled) *"Stuff" (2007) (with the Carnival Band and Terry Jones) *"Secret Garden" (2007) Excalibur II - The Celtic Ring, produced and composed by Alan Simon ===DVDs=== *''Ballads and Candles'' (2004) *''An Evening of Carols and Capers'' (2005) *''Looking For a Grail Legend'' (2007) (documentary) ===As a session or guest singer=== She appeared on these albums: *[[Shirley Collins]]: ''[[No Roses]]'' (1971) *[[Jack the Lad]]: ''It's Jack the Lad'' (1974) *[[Ralph McTell]]: ''[[Streets...]]'' (1975), No 13 *[[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]: ''[[Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!]]'' (1976), No 25 *[[Wizz Jones]]: ''[[Magical Flight]]'' (1977) *[[Mandalaband]]: ''The Eye of Wendor: Prophecies'' (1978) on the track ''Like the Wind'' *[[Mike Oldfield]]: ''[[Incantations (album)|Incantations]]'' (1978), No 14 *[[Mike Oldfield]]: ''[[Exposed (Mike Oldfield album)|Exposed]]'' (1979) No 16 - live album, re-released in 2005 on DVD-Video *[[Tim Hart]] and Friends: ''[[My Very Favourite Nursery Rhymes]]'' (1981) *[[Tim Hart]] and Friends: ''[[The Drunken Sailor and other Kids Favourites]]'' (1983) *Swan Arcade: ''Diving for Pearls'' (1986) *[[Frankie Armstrong]]: ''[[Till The Grass O'Ergrew The Corn]]'' (1996) *[[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]]: "[[Don't Stop (Status Quo album)|Don't Stop]]" (1996), No 2 *Rev Hammer's Freeborn John: The Story of John Lilburne-The Leader of the Levellers (1997) *[[Ayuo]]: ''Nova Carmina'' (1986) (Maddy Prior sings two songs from the Carmina Burana) *[[Strawbs]]: [[Blue Angel (Strawbs album)|Blue Angel]] (2003) *[[Jennifer Cutting]]: ''Ocean: Songs for the Night Sea Journey'' (2005) *Rev Hammer β Freeborn John Live (2007) ===Television=== *[[BBC Wildlife on One: Shadow of the Hare]] 12 April 1993 ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.maddyprior.co.uk/ Official website] *[https://stonesbarn.co.uk/ Stones Barn] *[http://www.parkrecords.com/ Park Records], Prior's Record Label *[http://www.carnivalband.com/ The Carnival Band] * {{discogs artist|Maddy Prior}} * {{imdb name|1566960}} {{Steeleye Span}} {{Albion Band}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Prior, Maddy}} [[Category:1947 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Musicians from Blackpool]] [[Category:Steeleye Span members]] [[Category:English folk singers]] [[Category:English women singers]] [[Category:English folk rock musicians]] [[Category:Chrysalis Records artists]] [[Category:The Albion Band members]] [[Category:Topic Records artists]]
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page
(
help
)
:
Template:Albion Band
(
edit
)
Template:Authority control
(
edit
)
Template:BLP refimprove
(
edit
)
Template:Cbignore
(
edit
)
Template:Cite news
(
edit
)
Template:Cite web
(
edit
)
Template:Cn
(
edit
)
Template:Discogs artist
(
edit
)
Template:EditAtWikidata
(
edit
)
Template:Imdb name
(
edit
)
Template:Infobox musical artist
(
edit
)
Template:PAGENAMEBASE
(
edit
)
Template:Reflist
(
edit
)
Template:Short description
(
edit
)
Template:Steeleye Span
(
edit
)
Template:Use dmy dates
(
edit
)
Template:Which
(
edit
)
Template:Wikidata
(
edit
)