Brenda Wootton

NEW RELEASE!! ‘Brenda Sings Ballads’ – a wonderful selection of easy-listening tracks that Brenda – and her mum! – loved to sing, with songs from the shows, from old movies, and from popular recording artists from the 1930s to the 1960s. A different Brenda than you may be used to – no folk songs here, and rarely, nothing from her beloved Cornwall. Just relaxed nostalgic tunes and romantic ballads to take the chill off the cold winter evenings…Most of these songs have been saved from old audio cassettes of concerts or demo tapes recorded 40-50 years ago on domestic equipment, and not in studio conditions, hence we did not have the luxury of multi-tracked studio recordings to adjust the  balances between voice and instrument – so I am particularly grateful to Mic McCreadie of Whole-in-One Productions for his skill and tenacity in bringing these old tapes up to a sufficient quality to make for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.

Compilation of much-loved seasonal tracks & newly discovered old recordings.

Get into the seasonal mood with some much-loved tracks of Brenda Wootton - together with some never-before-published Christmassy recordings from Pipers Folk Club in the late 1970s.

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Brenda had always wanted to produce a Christmas album, but sadly, in later years, her declining health made it impossible. This compilation of previously published tracks, together with additional archive material recently discovered on old private recordings, we hope will give you a flavour of Brenda’s enjoyment of music at Christmas, one of her favourite times of the year. These are vintage recordings, many available for the first time on CD, and Mic has done sterling work to bring them up to suitable quality.

Brenda Wootton, John the Fish

What you’re listening to here – although an amalgamation of recordings taken over several nights – is a performance by Brenda and John the Fish at a typical Pipers club night at St Buryan Village Hall. Brenda is new to the business, and still to a certain extent learning her trade – but even at this stage the purity and range of her voice is evident. And in the finale – which includes the two best-loved closing numbers over many years at the club – you can hear Henry Bartlett blowing on his jug, Mick Bennett – Whispering Mick – on kazoo, washboard, swannee whistle and skulls, Ralph McTell on guitar, and everyone else joining in, all singing with great gusto and possibly little finesse – but all loving it. You can hear them, and the audience, loving it. That’s what Pipers was all about.  

Brenda Wootton, Chris Newman, Camborne Town Band, Ray Roberts Jazz Trio

The discovery of the master tapes of this concert, recorded in 1984, has provided the material for the first new album by Brenda in fifteen years and marks a significant time when she was at the peak of her musical career.

It's unique, as it is the one and only time Brenda has recorded before a live audience and confirms that as a singer from Cornwall she has no parallel. This collection of songs has put her back into the spotlight for a 'final', captivating performance. This album is a rare combination of material about Cornwall, romantic ballads, jazz and bues, but mostly it's for anyone who loves Cornwall. It's nostalgic to those who remember Brenda singing in local folk clubs and, internationally, at festivals and concerts across the world, and is relevant today to a new audience, as Brenda's voice and repertoire distinctively captures the essence of her 'country'. (Taken from John Knight's website: http://www.brendawootton.com/index.html

Brenda Wootton, Robert Bartlett, Richard Gendall

The Voice of Cornwall was released by Keltia Music of Quimper in Brittany in 1996, with the assistance of Bob Brimley of Brio Music in St Just, Cornwall. It consists of compilation, tracks from SENS1056, SENS1006, and SENS1021. The CD contained a bilingual booklet  - reverse-printed on one side, in French with the title 'La Grande Cornouaillaise, and on the other in English with the title 'The Voice of Cornwall'..

Brenda Wootton, David King

Following on from the Berceuses Celtes des Iles Britanniques, Le Chante du Monde made a full LP of Lullabies of the World, featuring artists from different countries. Brenda's four Celtic lullabies from the British Isles were reprised, and there were also contributions from Colette Magny, Naomi Moody, Talila, and Marina Vlady - singing songs in various different languages.

Brenda Wootton, Chris Newman

'Seagull' was the last record Brenda recorded - and it was never properly released, as Brenda had a stroke before the final mixing was complete. All the tracks were laid down, however, in John Knight's recording studio on the Lizard - but as Brenda was not able to do the full promotion tours that would have normally happened, her French agent just rushed out the album in it's almost finished state... Brenda had planned for it to be named Sailing Gulls, and always went to great trouble to include lyrics, and to design the sleeve to ensure all musicians, photographers, engineers etc were acknowledged. Sadly none of that happened, and the album was not distributed. I have a couple of copies, and am hoping to get the album re-mastered and released in the next year or so. Watch this space...

Brenda Wootton, John the Fish

A lovely audio cassette, recorded at a special concert staged to raise funds for the SIDS Charity (Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths), and held at the Penventon Hotel, Redruth in the late 1980s. In 1983, John the Fish and his wife Carrie sadly lost their son Merrick John at the age of 4 months in a 'cot death'. Happily they were later to have two beautiful daughters, Hannah and Tabitha, both of whom were present at the Penventon for this memorable reunion concert with Brenda and Fish. The material performed represented a real 'blast from the past' for those who remember the early years of the Count House and Pipers Folk Club. Carrie became a key worker for SIDS and has worked tirelessly for the charity ever since, until her retirement in recent years. As was originally intended, proceeds from sales of the cassette will go to SIDS - now renamed The Lullaby Trust. The cassette was produced by Chris Blount of Chough Tapes (and Radio Cornwall fame).

Brenda Wootton, Francis Lai

'Everybody Knows' was an unusual venture for Brenda - a Maxi Single, only two 45rpm tracks on an LP sized album. It was produced by Editions23 in France in 1987 as a special promotion for a global charity initiative called Walk Across the World - the title of the track on Side 2. This song, amazingly, hit the number 1 slot in the Japanese pop charts! She also sang 'Walk Across the World' at the London launch of the charity event at the World Travel Fair in Olympia, in front of Princess Diana, to whom she was introduced on stage - but apparently in 1985, two years before the date on the record. A mystery!

The music for both tracks was written by France's well-known and much respected composer Francis Lai, but unusually again, the track on Side 1, Everybody Knows, had lyrics written by Brenda herself - and a fine job she made of it. It's a lovely track, and worth getting for that alone.

Brenda Wootton, Dave Penhale, Four Lanes Male Voice Choir, Ray Roberts Jazz Trio

Tamar is a compilation album with selected tracks from earlier LPs, produced in 1986 in France by DiskAZ, with producer John Knight from the Lizard (who also took the back sleeve photo). Featured musicians and accompanists are Chris Newman, Dave Penhale and Four Lanes Male Voice Choir.

Brenda Wootton, Chris Newman, John Knight, Ray Roberts' Trio, Camborne Town Band.

'B' Comme Brenda is my personal favourite of all Brenda's recordings, I think. Recorded in John Knight's studio on the Lizard, it was produced by DiskAZ in France in 1985, with musicians Chris Newman, John Knight, the Ray Roberts Trio and Camborne Town Band - amongst others; one unusual credit is for The Woottontots, which was a multi-track recording of Brenda, harmonising with herself five times . The title, in French, means '"B" as in Brenda' - as all the tracks have a French themed alternate title beginning with B - Burlesque, Ballade, Boeuf, etc... All the lyrics are printed on the inner sleeve in both English and French; the cover photos were taken by John Knight..

Brenda Wootton, Chris Newman, Perran Hill Singers, the children of Ludgvan School

A great single produced by Brenda for her trip to the Kernewek Lowender Festival and the Cornish communities in South Australia, in 1985. Both tracks were both written by Richard Gendall at Brenda's request, and focus on the links between the Cornish and their Australian cousins - descendants of those who went to Oz for the mining over 100 years ago and never came back. A harsh life... Brenda is accompanied by the Perran Harmony Singers and the children of Ludgvan School near Penzance in Cornwall, as well as guitarist Chris Newman. The lyrics are printed on the back, and there is an insert with more information about the songs, the places and the people. 

Brenda Wootton, Robert Bartlett, Richard Gendall

'Way Down to Lamorna' was a compilation of favourite tracks from Brenda's Cornish Sentinel albums. Produced in 1984, the album includes tracks from SENS 1006, 1016, 1021, 1031 & 1036.

Brenda Wootton, Mousehole Male Vice Choir, Camborne Town Band

A nostalgic single produced by RCA France for the Christmas market in 1983. Two beautiful old Cornish carols, one a much-loved Thomas Merritt, the other traditional. Brenda was accompanied by Camborne Town Band and Mousehole Male Voice Choir. This is a 45rpm single with a paper cover - the cover photo, with Brenda and my sons Davy and Jan, taken in the Engine Inn at Nancledra near Penzance.. was taken in mid summer with a hastily erected Christmas tree and a blazing fire - hence the reason my boys are looking a bit pink! (All in good condition (uses one of those 3-pronged detachable centre holes, which is provided.)

Brenda Wootton and Chris Newman

My Land was produced by RCA Germany in 1983, with a lovely selection of tracks - lots of bluesy numbers, some gentle and lyrical, and the best version of Summertime ever. It is usually seen as an LP, and was also available as a cassette. It features a host of musicians including guitarist Chris Newman, the Phil King Trio, Rog & Gill Butler, John Knight (who produced one of the most recent CDs of Brenda at Bobino a year or 2 ago) and Treviscoe Male Voice Choir. The cover photo was taken in Penzance's Morrab Gardens.

Brenda Wootton and Dave Penhale

Lyonesse was the first album produced in France by RCA - it has a wonderfully eclectic mix of material, from songs by Richard Gendall, blues numbers, popular standards and a Beatles number. The cover photo is taken at Land's End in Cornwall.

Brenda Wootton, David King

A special edition of a 45rpm EP, produced by Le Chante du Monde in Paris in July 1981. The EP has 2 lullabies on each side, each one taken from a different Celtic country, including Cornwall, Wales, Isle of Man, and Scotland. The guitarist was David King, and the EP was recorded at John Knight's Studio at Coverack in Cornwall. 
The EP has a spectacular cover, opening to reveal a 3D pop-up card scene of a mermaid, holding a heart, and resting on a large seashell on the crest of a wave. A small cherub holds up the shell, and 2 seals and a whale rise up in the foreground. This 'tableau en relief' was designed by Rozier-Gauldriault.

Brenda Wootton, Richard Gendall, Four Lanes Male Voice Choir

So many of the songs written for Brenda by Richard Gendall were about boats, the sea and fishing, and the fishing industry is such an important one in Cornwall, that Brenda decided to produce an album exclusively with 'Cornish Songs of the Sea'.  By this time she had sung with many Cornish choirs and bands, and her great friends in Four Lanes Male Voice Choir feature on this album, together with Richard Gendall and Dave Penhale. The cover photo is Newlyn artist, Stanhope Forbes' famous painting, 'Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach'.

Brenda Wootton & Dave Penhale

La Grande Cornouaillaise was recorded by Brenda for the French market in 1980, as her career on the continent was going stellar. It was produced by Burlington Records in Hitchin in Hertfordshire under their Plant Life label,. The guitarist was Dave Penhale - still playing and living in Cornwall. The cover photograph was taken on the roof of the Palais de Congress in Paris. 

Brenda Wootton and Dave Penhale

Boy Jan Cornishman, one of Brenda's best albums, in my view. Produced by Burlington Records of Hitchin in Hertfordshire in 1980, with guitarist Dave Penhale and the legendary songwriter Richard Gendall (10 of the 13 songs on the album were written by Richard). The front cover has a photo for every track in a checkerboard: I am bottom left, and my son Davy is bottom right!

Brenda Wootton, Dave Penhale

Brenda's first album with guitarist Dave Penhale, and the first with Transatlantic, Carillon came out in 1979. Produced by Nigel Pegrum for Plant Life Productions, all the songs were written by friends of Brenda's, including Richard Gendall, Ewen Carruthers, John Bidwell and Mike Silver. The cover photo was taken at Newlyn Harbour, and the back cover shot was taken in the 'parlour' of Willy Warren's pub, The Radjel, at Pendeen - Willie is pictured in a photo on the wall behind Brenda. (A promo single is sometimes seen, featuring the tracks 'Apple Wine' and 'Silver Net' - Transatlantic BIG568).

Brenda Wootton, Richard Gendall, Al Fenn

At the request of Irene Morris, wife of recording engineer Job Morris of Sentinel Records, Brenda recorded an album with groups of children from three different schools: Alverton, Ludgvan and St Mary's in Penzance. Some of the tracks were traditional, some were written by Richard Gendall, two are Charles Causley poems adapted for music by Alex Atterson, and one, Thunder & Lightning, was composed by Brenda - the guitarist was Al Fenn. 

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Robert Bartlett

Starry Gazey Pie is the traditional dish served in Mousehole on Tom Bawcock's Eve, December 23rd. Most of the songs on this album by Sentinel Records are Cornish traditional, and a few by Richard Gendall - but all are about Cornwall. The cover picture is an old sepia photograph of Vine Cottages in Trewarveneth Street in Newlyn, where Brenda lived as a little girl... she remembered the vine growing outside her bedroom window. The cottage was the former home of one of artist Stanhope Forbes' favourite models, the fisherman, Henry Kitchen, who can be seen standing outside in this photo.

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Robert Bartlett

Recorded by Stockfisch Records in Germany, this album reflects Brenda and Robert's increasing popularity on the continent - major European tours took place several times a year, around France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. . 

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Robert Bartlett

The final festival at the Chateau Kertalg in Moelan sur Mer in Brittany, with a phenomenal line-up - but once again, a pirated album. Brenda has just the one song on here: 'A Good Man is Hard to Find'. The cover art was done by Katell Le Goarnig, sister to Gwenn, the organiser - the central figure in front of the bonfire is supposed to represent Brenda, I believe..

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Dik Cadbury

A pirated album, essentially - produced from a Folk Festival held at the Chateau Kertalg in Brittany, for which Brenda and Dik were not consulted and never paid. Other artists featured included Robin & Barry Dransfield, Planxty, Happy Traum, Rene Wermeer from Brittany, and many others. First held in 1972, for 3 years only.

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Robert Bartlett

Pamplemousse is French for grapefruit, and Brenda was - ill-advisedly - encouraged to wear a voluminous bright yellow dress for the cover, which, though, as with all her dresses, she made it herself, did her no favours. Produced in Brittany under the aegis of Gwenn Le Goarnig, Brenda's first French agent, Gwenn also released this with a different, bold, red and white cover, possibly for the French market (see link).

'Crowdy Crawn' - Brenda Wootton & Robert Bartlett

Brenda's first album as a professional singer was produced in 1974, with guitarist Robert Bartlett. Performing as a duo, they took their stage name from Brenda's previous album with Richard Gendall, Crowdy Crawn, and began with a tour of France. The lyrics are printed on the inner sleeve.

Brenda Wootton & Richard Gendall

An album exploring the Cornish language, with Brenda's mentor, Cornish language expert Richard Gendall, who went on to write over 400 songs for Brenda, many in Kernewek - later Cornoack. Crowdy Crawn is taken from the Cornish 'croder croghan', a skin sieve that was hung by the fire and held small treasures or keepsakes. Confusingly, it was later adopted by Brenda and guitarist Robert Bartlett as their stage name.

Brenda Wootton & John the Fish

The first of Brenda's Sentinel Records albums... Brenda was very particular about the photo on the front... the kitchen belonged to Mrs Hitchens of Trewarveneth Street in Newlyn, who had the necessary Cornish range; the china dog on the mantelpiece, the cut glass pedestal sugar bowl, the teapot and patchwork tea cosy, the little Goss pot - all were carefully selected. A special copy of the Cornishman with the larger, all-text format, had to be found, as it had recently changed to a tabloid form - and, of course, the home-made pasty had to be just right... Other musicians who contributed included Stythians Silver Band, Mike Sagar, Steve Hall, John Sleep.

Brenda Wootton, John the Fish - VRC 1A

Pipers' Folk was privately produced, and the first album recorded after Brenda took over running the folk club. The recording engineer, Charles Horrell, from the Video Recording Company in Worcestershire, brought all his equipment down and recorded mostly in the club, although 4 tracks were recorded in  the Newlyn Meadery. The sleeve art was created by Brenda's brother Peter Ellery, and the Piper logo - used ever after at the club - by Brenda. The photo on the reverse was an amalgamation of two others...

Brenda Wootton, John the Fish, Mel & Miles, Des Hannigan

More Singing at the Count House, the first full-length album, was an exciting new venture for all concerned, and has now become a very collectable rarity... Recorded at the Count House on November 11th 1965, it featured John the Fish (no Tel Mann, this time - Tel had started his own own 'Tell-a-Tale' folk club in Penzance by then), Mel and Miles again, and Scottish newcomer Des Hannigan, and of course, Brenda Wootton. The record was privately produced with the Count House tin mine logo.

'Folk Music at the Count House', is included for posterity, although Brenda did not appear on it. The very first of the 'folk revival' recordings from West Cornwall, produced in 1964 , it featured the first resident singers at J Ian Todd's new Count House Folk Music Club at Botallack, Pendeen, Cornwall: John the Fish and Tel Mann, and Mel and Miles... The record was privately produced with the Count House tin mine logo.