Joan Armatrading
Background information
Birth name	Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading
Born	9 December 1950 (1950-12-09) (age 57) Basseterre, Saint Kitts
Origin	England
Genre(s)	Rock, Pop, Folk, Blues
Occupation(s)	singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)	guitar, piano
Years active	1972–present
Label(s)	A&M, Universal, EMI, Savoy Jazz
Website	http://www.joanarmatrading.com

Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading (born December 9, 1950) is an English^[1] singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Basseterre (bæsˈtɛər estimated population 15500 in 2000 is the Capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music A&M Records is an American Record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres She achieved fame in the mid 1970s as a headlining musician who was also a solo performing woman of colour, a rarity at that time. A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a Known for her distinctive low voice and intelligent, sensitive lyrics, Armatrading was a pioneer for other female artists and is a three times Grammy Award-nominee ^[2]. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences A candidate is the prospective recipient of an Award or honor or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position for example to be elected Additional achievements include an MBE, and a BA (Hons) degree in History from the Open University, of which she is a trustee ^[3]. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Open University is also the name of other institutions See Distance education or the Open Universities category for a list

Early life

Armatrading was born in Basseterre, Saint Kitts in the West Indies and moved with her family to Birmingham, England, in 1957. Basseterre (bæsˈtɛər estimated population 15500 in 2000 is the Capital of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Armatrading began writing lyrics and music at the age of 14. Her first job was working at Rabone Chesterman (makers of fine engineering tools), in Hockley, Birmingham. For the other place near Birmingham see Hockley Heath. Hockley is a central district in the city of Birmingham, England. She was sacked from this job because she insisted on bringing her guitar to work and playing during tea breaks^[4].

Career

In the early 1970s, Armatrading moved to London to perform in a repertory production of Hair. Hair The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a Rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt There she met the lyricist Pam Nestor, and they worked together on the album Whatever's for Us, released on the Cube label in 1972. A lyricist is a Writer who specializes in Song Lyrics, usually paid for by a band to write a custom song(s Cube Records was launched on the 26 May 1972, by independent music publisher David Platz and was based at his UK offices for Essex Music This debut LP saw Armatrading perform all of the vocals, write all of the music and play an array of instruments. Nestor was credited as co-lyricist; however Cube considered Armatrading to be the more likely star material. These events produced a tension which broke up the partnership. A period of inactivity for Armatrading followed, while she extracted herself from her contract with Cube Records.

It was only in 1975 that she was free to sign with A&M, and issued the album Back to the Night which was promoted on tour with a six-piece jazz-pop group called The Movies. Armatrading credited up-and-coming UK singer Elkie Brooks on the sleeve notes as she had cooked for Armatrading and the band in the studio while making the album, which was produced by Brooks' then-husband Pete Gage. Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder 25 February 1945 in Broughton, Salford) is an English singer formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later A major publicity relaunch in 1976 and the involvement of producer Glyn Johns propelled her next album, Joan Armatrading, into the top 20 and spawned the top 10 hit single "Love and Affection". Glyn Johns (born February 15, 1942 in Epsom, Surrey, England) is a musician recording engineer and Record producer Joan Armatrading is a 1976 rock Album by Joan Armatrading. Track listing All tracks composed by Joan Armatrading For the song by Nelson see (Can't Live Without Your Love and Affection. The album mixed acoustic work with jazz-influenced material, and this style was retained for the 1977 follow-up Show Some Emotion. This album was also produced by Glyn Johns, as was 1978's To the Limit. Glyn Johns (born February 15, 1942 in Epsom, Surrey, England) is a musician recording engineer and Record producer These albums included songs which continue to be staples of Armatrading's live shows, including "Willow", "Down to Zero", "Tall in the Saddle", and "Kissin' and a Huggin". Also at this time, Armatrading wrote and performed "The Flight of the Wild Geese", which was used during the opening and end titles for the 1978 war film The Wild Geese. The Wild Geese is a 1978 film about a group of Mercenaries in Africa. A live album entitled Steppin' Out, which showcased her well-honed stage act, was released in 1979.

In 1980, Armatrading radically revised her playing style and released Me Myself I, a harder pop-oriented album produced by Richard Gottehrer, who had previously produced albums by Blondie. Richard Gottehrer is an American Songwriter, Record producer and Record label executive Blondie is an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s and has so far sold over 60 million records The album became Armatrading's highest ever charting album both in the UK and the US, while the title track became her second UK top 40 hit single. The same pop style was also evident on the 1981 album Walk Under Ladders and 1983's The Key. Both of these albums were also top 10 successes in the UK, with The Key also producing the hit single "Drop the Pilot", Armatrading's third (and, to date, final) UK top 40 hit. " Drop the Pilot " is a song written and originally performed by Joan Armatrading. To capitalise on her success, A&M released the "best of" compilation Track Record in 1983.

Armatrading's next studio album was 1985's Secret Secrets. The album was a top 20 hit but failed to yield any hit singles, cementing Armatrading's status as an "album artist". Taking over production responsibilities herself, she continued to record the albums Sleight of Hand (1986), The Shouting Stage (1988) and Hearts and Flowers (1990) for A&M Records, which all made the UK top 40 but failed to achieve the level of success of her earlier works despite successful national tours (a show from her 1988 "Shouting Stage" tour was also filmed for television).

In 1991, A&M released the compilation The Very Best of Joan Armatrading which returned her to the top 10. However, her following studio album for A&M, 1992's Square The Circle did not replicate this success and would be her final recording for the label. Following her departure from A&M, a label she had been with for almost 20 years, Armatrading signed with RCA for her 1995 album What's Inside. RCA Corporation, founded as Radio Corporation of America, was an electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986 Despite various television appearances and a full tour (which included a string quartet in addition to her stage band), the album was not a commercial success.

By 2003, and no longer attached to a major label, she released the album Lovers Speak. Though her first album in eight years, it met with little commercial success.

Armatrading's music is considered to be mostly pop with forays into blues, rock, folk, jazz, and even reggae. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Reggae is a Music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s Her latest album, 2007's Into the Blues, debuted at #1 on the U. S. Billboard Blues Chart, making Armatrading the first UK female artist, and the first artist born in St Kitts to earn that distinction. Into the Blues, which Armatrading calls "the CD I’ve been promising myself to write for a long time," was nominated for a Grammy, also making her the first female UK artist to be nominated in the Grammy Blues category.

Armatrading has always played electric guitar on her many CDs but it's Into The Blues that has at last made critics and the public wake up to her prowess on that instrument. Her blues playing is in the classic lead Chicago Blues style and compliments her fast semi-acoustic lead and chording technique which typified her earlier guitar work. In recent times Joan does all guitar work for her albums and on stage.

Joan has been nominated twice for a Brit award as best female vocalist and has received an Ivor Novello award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection in 1996.

Personal life

Always a private person, Armatrading lives a reclusive lifestyle in Surrey, in the U.K.

Collaborations

Armatrading made a "vocal cameo appearance" on the 1986 Queen album A Kind of Magic on the song "Don't Lose Your Head". Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist A Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by English rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth Studio album, and is based on the soundtrack

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Singles

References

Sample

 Everybody Gotta Know by Joan Armatrading

Everybody Gotta Know (reduced quality)

from The Key by Joan Armatrading, A&M Records, 1983. The UK Albums Chart is a list of Albums ranked by sales in the United Kingdom. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard The British Phonographic Industry (BPI is the British record industry's trade association. Joan Armatrading is a 1976 rock Album by Joan Armatrading. Track listing All tracks composed by Joan Armatrading Me Myself I is an album by Joan Armatrading. Released in 1980, the album was Armatrading's highest ever chart placing both in the UK (no The UK Albums Chart is a list of Albums ranked by sales in the United Kingdom. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard The British Phonographic Industry (BPI is the British record industry's trade association. The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry For the song by Nelson see (Can't Live Without Your Love and Affection. " Drop the Pilot " is a song written and originally performed by Joan Armatrading. A&M Records is an American Record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division Sample from Joan Armatrading - Gold 2003 via iTunes

Problems listening to the file? See media help. iTunes is a proprietary digital media player application introduced by Apple Inc

Notes

Further reading

• Mayes, Sean (1990). Sean Mayes ( 17 March 1945 – 1995 was a British Pianist. Born in Stone Allerton Somerset, Mayes was schooled in Bristol Joan Armatrading - A Biography. Weidenfeld and Nicholson Ltd. ISBN 0-297-81058-8.  

External links

• Official website
• Joan Armatrading's career on A&M Records (includes gallery and international discography)
• BPI website (includes a searchable database for UK certifications)