Dickson, Barbara (1947–)

Scottish singer and songwriter. Born Sept 27, 1947, in Dunfermline, Scotland; m. Oliver Cookson; children: Colm, Gabriel and Archie Cookson.

Versatile tv and stage actress and highly successful pop and folk singer-songwriter, took up piano at 5 and guitar at 12; worked the Scottish folk club circuit (1960s–70s), with such artists as Archie Fisher and Rab Noakes; recorded 3 well-received albums for Decca (early 1970s); moved to northern England and signed with manager Bernard Theobold, a partnership that lasted 30 years; starred in Willy Russell's musical, John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert at Liverpool's Everyman Theatre (1974); signed with RSO Records and had 1st hit with single "Answer Me" (1976); sang on cast album of Evita, and recorded single, "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" (1977) which was a huge hit; signed with CBS Records (1978), scoring another hit with single "January, February" (1980), and her accompanying LP, The Barbara Dickson Album, quickly went gold in UK; her collection All For a Song shot to top of British charts (1982); played Mrs. Johnstone in Russell musical Blood Brothers in West End, earning the 1st of many Best Actress awards from Society of West End Theatres (1983); made sold-out concert tours throughout UK, culminating in shows at London's Royal Albert Hall; returned to folk roots (1990s) and released 15th hit album The Platinum Collection (2004); appeared on tv in "Taggart" and "Band of Gold"; with Chris Bond, developed award-winning solo show The 7 Ages of Woman; starred in London stage musical Spend, Spend, Spend (1999), winning 2nd Laurence Olivier award and Best Actress in Musical at Critics' Circle Awards. Awarded Order of British Empire (OBE, 2001).