Barbara Dickson
Barbara Ruth Dickson was born on the 27th of September 1947 in Dunfermline. Her family moved to Rosyth before settling back in Dunfermline during the 1950s. Her father worked as a cook on a tugboat at Rosyth Dockyard while her mother came from Liverpool with Irish descent. She attended Woodmill High School and later Pitcorthie Primary School after the move. Her singing career began in folk clubs around Fife in 1964. The first commercial recording arrived in 1968 when she joined forces with Archie Fisher. Their album The Fate O' Charlie released in 1969 collected songs about Jacobite rebellions. Do Right Woman became her debut solo album in 1970.
Dickson changed course after meeting Willy Russell who ran a folk club in Liverpool. He showed her the draft for John Paul George Ringo ... and Bert asking her to perform the music. Antony Sher Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve appeared in the cast though they were unknown at that time. Robert Stigwood signed her to RSO Records where Junior Campbell arranged Answer Me. That title track reached the top 10 in 1976. The show led to a guest spot on The Two Ronnies reaching over ten million BBC Television viewers weekly. Andrew Lloyd Webber spotted Dickson in the same production. They invited her to record Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita which became her second hit in 1977. She also contributed backing vocals to Gerry Rafferty's City to City and Night Owl albums during the late 1970s.
Willy Russell invited Dickson to star as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers in 1982. She was reluctant because she had never acted before but accepted the role anyway. Critical acclaim followed along with the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1983. She reprised the role many times including in 2004 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. Her performance established her as a serious stage actress beyond folk singing. The character of Mrs Johnstone required deep emotional range that challenged her previous musical style. This transition marked a turning point in her professional identity.
Tim Rice approached Dickson in 1984 to record Svetlana for the Chess concept album. She performed I Know Him So Well as a duet with Elaine Paige. The song remained at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. Guinness World Records lists it as the best-selling female duet ever recorded. Other hits like Caravan Song and January February appeared in 1980. Fifteen albums have placed on the UK Albums Chart from 1977 onwards. Four singles reached the top 20 on the UK Singles Chart. The Scotsman newspaper describes her as Scotland's best-selling female singer since 1976 based on chart numbers.
Dickson appeared in various television dramas during the 1990s including Taggart Band of Gold and The Missing Postman. Chris Bond created The Seven Ages of Woman stage show for her in 1996 which won Liverpool Echo Actress of the Year Award. It premiered at the Liverpool Playhouse and toured extensively through 1997 and 1998. She starred in Spend Spend Spend playing Viv Nicholson in 1999. The show played to capacity audiences in the West End. Dickson received Best Actress in a Musical at the 2000 Laurence Olivier Awards for this role. She returned to television in Doctors with an episode titled Mama Sings The Blues broadcast in March 2008.
Dickson married former actor Oliver Cookson in 1984 who later worked as Assistant Director for the BBC. They have three sons and lived in Edinburgh by 2015. Her conversion to Catholicism occurred while living in Richmond during her 30s. A crisis during Blood Brothers performances led to four weeks off from the role. Stage fright followed causing withdrawal from public performing until therapy helped. She was appointed OBE in Queen's New Year Honours in 2002 for services to Music and Drama. An autobiography titled A Shirt Box Full of Songs appeared alongside her 2009 live CD release.
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Common questions
When and where was Barbara Dickson born?
Barbara Ruth Dickson was born on the 27th of September 1947 in Dunfermline. Her family moved to Rosyth before settling back in Dunfermline during the 1950s.
What songs did Barbara Dickson record with Archie Fisher?
The first commercial recording arrived in 1968 when she joined forces with Archie Fisher. Their album The Fate O' Charlie released in 1969 collected songs about Jacobite rebellions.
Which award did Barbara Dickson win for Blood Brothers?
Critical acclaim followed along with the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1983. She reprised the role many times including in 2004 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.
How long did the song I Know Him So Well stay at number one on the UK Singles Chart?
The song remained at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. Guinness World Records lists it as the best-selling female duet ever recorded.
Who is Barbara Dickson married to and how many children do they have?
Barbara Dickson married former actor Oliver Cookson in 1984 who later worked as Assistant Director for the BBC. They have three sons and lived in Edinburgh by 2015.