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Wednesday, 20 October 2010

My Heroes (31): Kathryn Wiliams

Kathryn Williams

Kathryn Williams is an English folk-singer/songwriter who was born in Liverpool in 1974. She has a fragile, gentle singing style and makes hauntingly lovely acoustic recordings. My favourite is 'Relations' a collection of cover versions from 2004. You can hear her hard-to-beat live version of Leonard Cohen's much recorded 'Hallelujah' here. She often collaborates with Neil McColl (Kirsty's brother, Ewan's son). Here is their single ‘Come With Me Darling’.
 I love the fact that she is so natural, not show-bizzy or glamorous. I don't suppose she will ever get the proper acclaim that she deserves.

17 comments:

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

Thanks for this, Bazza. I love British folk music, but hadn’t heard of Kathryn Williams. Think I’ll listen out for more of her now.

I love Eddi Reader. Her guitarist, Boo Hewerdine, also blogs here, by the way. I also think Amy Belle is very natural too.
The enigmatic, masked blogger

Rob said...

She reminds me a bit of Vashti Bunyan.

Thanks for the link....never heard of her before.

klahanie said...

Hi bazza,
Well that was interesting. Not exactly what I'd listen too, but I do appreciate the talent.
All the best, Gary.

Kelly said...

Though it's not my usual musical genre I listen to, I liked the lightness and the sound of her voice. Very soothing. On YouTube, I also checked out "Little Black Numbers", "Before It Goes" and others, but those two were my faves.

bazza said...

Mask: Few have heard of her alas and most never will. I suppose I'm giving her a helping hand right here! I also like Eddi Reader although I haven't heard of her recently. I like Bob's Blog - very droll. (How does one get links into one's comments?)

Rob: Yes she is rather from the same school as Vashti. Never made the connection before. Thanks for pointing it out.

bazza said...

Gary: It's OK to say if you don't like it. I won't take offence!
Thanks for commenting - it's good if you can appreciate talent at the same time as recognising that it's not for you.

Kelly: Yeah I like 'Little Black numbers' but I will have to check out the other one. Thanks for repoting back! She does a great version of the Byrds 'Ballad of Easy Rider' but the You Tube one is live and not a patch on the studio version.

The Blogger Formerly Known As said...

Well, good for you, for promoting her. Unfortunately some of the world’s greatest talent will always go unnoticed because of commercial ignorance. (To add a link to your comments, you have to add a little HTML code. If you click here, I’ll give you a little lesson.
The enigmatic, masked blogger

bazza said...

Mask: Thank you! I did do a ten week html course years ago but I had forgotten that.
You must be an IT professional.

joanne said...

oh my... what a soulful voice... so beautiful, bazza. Thank you so much for the introduction. I'll be looking out for more by her as well.

p.s. you get links into comments by using a snippet of html

so, the link to your blog, for example
to discover ice

in order for me to be able to type the above without actually creating the link, I had to "mess up" the html ... so, what you would do to create a link that actually works is place a space in between the "a" and the "href" you see in the little snippet I have above. Further, you would obviously replace the URL and the text to read whatever site it is you are trying to link to.

Hopefully that makes sense?

joanne said...

oops... blogger took out the messed up code with the error in it that I typed in to show you how to do it...

let me try again

to create a link

Text for Link

replace "URL" with the website address and "Text for Link" with the name of the website you are linking to.

bazza said...

joanne: You (and the Masked One!) have been really helpful. Thank you so much. Two lovely lady IT experts; I'm being spoiled.
I'm glad you liked Kathryn Williams. You know, somehow I thought she would appeal to you!'Relations' is a great album.

THE SNEE said...

Wow Bazza! Not only do I get a brand new beautiful folk singer to listen too....I get tips from the lovely Masked Blogger and Joanne on how to get links into one's comments. Thanks! Now I will have to practice since I'm not too savvy in the IT department. Hope you enjoy your week Bazza, and of course your cats! In the meantime, I will go listen to the soothing songs of your now slightly more well known than before, hero of the week.

joanne said...

Bazza...

ha...The Masked One and I must have had our comments crossed because I didn't see hers before I made such a mess of my example in your comments. I'm so glad it all got sorted out though, and most especially that you started my week with a wonderful link to such a pretty song and video on YouTube.

I'm definitely going to be looking for some more of Kathryn's music so I appreciate the recommendation. You're spot on that I would love her style.

xo

bazza said...

Snee: Hello there! Yes Mask and joanne's advice worked for me.
I am pleased if Kathryn Williams is even a little bit more well known. I have others up my sleeve.

joanne: Don't be so hard on yourself! The advice from both of you was easy to understand - and it worked as you will see in my latest comment at joanne rose There's no stopping me now!

Sir Tom Eagerly said...

Bazza, don't worry old chap; it's good to be in touch with one's feminine side from time to time.
Lovely young thing she is too.
Friend of yours is she Bazza?
Doing her a 'favour' are you?
Hope you get your 'reward' (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
Cheers!

joanne fox said...

I didn't know her name, but I really like her voice.

The kind of folk music I can't stand is where the blokes close off one nostril and do that dreaful humming type of singing. I guess there is a proper name for it. Maybe someone will tell me!

bazza said...

Sir Tom: You are a rascal! I wonder what your feminine side is like. Are you in touch with it? On second thoughts you had better not answer that.

joanne fox: I suppose the word you are searching for is 'traditional'. I like modern folk music but June Tabor is a really gifted English traditional singer.