- Brenda Wootton
Brenda Wootton (née Ellery) (1928 - 1994) was a Cornish folk singer and was seen as an ambassador for Cornish tradition and culture.
She began her musical career as a young schoolgirl, singing in village halls throughout the remote communities of west
Cornwall . Wootton became active on the folk scene in the early 60s and almost single-handedly kept the Cornish folk song tradition alive for many years.Her early albums were recorded on Cornwall's "Sentinel" label, often with her singing partners John the Fish (also known as John Langford), Robert Bartlett and
Richard Gendall . Her repertoire over the years covered folk, rock,blues ,jazz and evenhymns , but she is best remembered for her Cornish "standards" such as "Lamorna", The White Rose,Camborne Hill , "The Stratton Carol" and the hauntingly beautiful ballads of "Mordonnow" and "Tamar".Wootton was equally at home when singing in Cornish, Breton or English and was as famous inBrittany , which she visited regularly, as she was in her native Cornwall. She opened her own folk club, the "Pipers Folk Club", atSt Buryan , Cornwall and appeared in the first ever Lorient Interceltic Festival in Brittany.Wootton was a member of the
Gorseth Kernow , where she was known by herBardic name of "Gwylan Gwavas" ( _en. Seagull of Newlyn). In her later years, she became well known in Cornwall as a presenter forBBC Radio Cornwall where she hosted a popular request show.Recordings
*"Piper's Folk" with John the Fish & Piper's Folk (1968) Private pressing, produced & distributed by Piper's Folk
*"Pasties & Cream" with John the Fish- Sentinel Label SENS 1006 (1971)
*"Way Down to Lamorna"
*"Crowdy Crawn" with Richard Gendall- Sentinel Label SENS 1016 (1973)
*"No Song To Sing" (1972) with Robert Bartlett and "guest" Alex Atterson on piano - Sentinel Label SENS 1021
*"Pamplemousse" (on the French Barclay label - 1973) with Robert Bartlett
*"Tin In The Stream" (on the German Stockfisch label, 1974 and voted then West Germany's folk album of the year) with Robert Bartlett
*"Starry Gazey Pie" (1975) with Robert Bartlett - Sentinel Label - SENS 1031
*"Children Singing"
*"Boy Jan ...Cornishman", with David Penhale (voice, guitar & bouzouki) and Richard Gendall (composer), Burlington Records, BURL 005, 1980
*"La Grande Cornouaillaise", Burlington Records, BURL 007, 1980
*"Gwavas Lake", with the Four Lanes Male Choir, Burlington Records, BURL 008, 1980
*"The Voice of Cornwall" (1996)
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