A Folk Sampler #3

Having mentioned the Lakeman dynasty a little while ago (here), today we feature another - Folk's 'royal family' - the Waterson-Carthys.

The Watersons were one of the main drivers of the British folk revival of the 1960s and 70s. The band consisted of siblings Norma, Mike, and Elaine (known as Lal) and their cousin John Harrison. Harrison was later replaced by Bernie Vickers and then by Martin Carthy, Norma's husaband. 

Martin was already considered an influential artist and major player on the folk scene even then and was, at one time, a member of Steeleye Span and the Albion Band. His arrangement of the traditional ballad Scarborough Fair was adapted, without acknowledgement, by Paul Simon on the Simon and Garfunkel album recording Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme in 1966. This caused a rift between the pair which was not resolved until Simon invited Carthy to sing the song with him on-stage at the Hammersmith Apollo in 2000. With Carthy now part of The Watersons the group became greater than the sum of their parts. 

 

In time the band also included Mike's daughter Rachel Waterson and Norma and Martin's daughter - now a big folk star in her own right - Eliza Carthy. Other members have included Anne Waterson, Jill Pidd and Maria Gilhooley (who often records as Marry Waterson) - the daughter of Lal Waterson. 

At one time, Marry, Norma, Eliza and Lal recorded as The Waterdaughters. Meanwhile, Marry's brother, Oliver Knight, is also a singer-songwriter and sound engineer (I told you this was a dynasty). 

After Lal died, the band reformed as Waterson Carthy, consisting of Norma, Martin, Eliza and Saul Rose.

However, in whatever combination they record, the sound of their voices together is mesmerising. It may be something to do with what's known as 'Blood Harmony' whereby siblings or close relatives have voices that compliment each other - think of The Corrs, The Unthanks, The Staves ... and even non folk bands like The Proclaimers, The Carpenters, The Osmonds, The Jacksons etc.

     

We'll end with a fascinating film about The Watersons in their heyday called Travelling for a Living.