Brenda's Discography
This is a complete list of the 34 recordings made by or of Brenda, throughout a musical career spanning 30 years, and since. They are listed in descending order, from the most recent.
​
Clicking on the individual album titles links directly to the Bandcamp shop page for that album. Almost every track has lyrics available on the page.
34. NEW - Brenda's Cornwall (downloads only)
19 never-before-heard tracks taken from Brenda's personal recordings
This collection could more properly be called 'Brenda and Richard's Cornwall', as the majority of tracks are written by Richard Gendall.
After Brenda died in 1994, I (Sue, Brenda's daughter) inherited, amongst a lifetime's collection of Stuff, literally 100s of cassette and studio tapes. The general memorabilia has taken up most of my post-Brenda spare time, but I had always hoped to find time to sift through the tapes to discover some previously unheard gems... and this is the result. Richard wrote over 460 songs for Brenda, and she didn't live long enough to learn and perform them all. These recordings are taken from her practice tapes, amateur concert recordings and guitarists' stock tapes - in other words: not studio quality. Some of what I've listened to in my research in these muddy backwaters has been unintelligible crackly dross - cassette tapes don't generally age well - but there are also some lovely songs and tunes that deserve to be heard. These are a few - all of which relate to Cornwall, and include four new songs in the Cornish language.
They are, however, unique. None have been released before, and I am particularly keen that these unknown creations should be preserved, for enjoyment, and for posterity, and hopefully for others to learn and enjoy performing. The main impetus is to ensure that as many of Richard Gendall's songs should be made available as possible, and even in this imperfect rendering, will enable others to at least hear the tunes - several of which I've already fallen in love with. I am indebted to Chris Trevena and Mic McCreadie for their help in preparing these songs to lessen the effects of some of the flaws in the original recordings and make them more listenable.
33. Brenda Yn Kernewek - 2 CDs
31 tracks in the Cornish language
​
Released in July 2021, 'Brenda Yn Kernewek' is the first and only songbook of Brenda, singing 31 songs written (or transcribed) for her by Cornish Bard Richard Gendall in the 1970s and 80s. The book contains the music and the lyrics for each song - in Richard's original Cornish, in newly-translated SWF (Standard Written Form) and in English. The book is no longer available, but the CDs can bought as a double album. There are 2 extra, previously unheard, songs contributed by guest artists: Hilary Coleman and Neil Davy performing 'Hedhough E Genough', and the remarkable multi-lingual Welsh performer Gwenno Saunders performing 'Pryas Awen' (courtesy of Heavenly Recordings). The CDs are available from the shop at £18 for the two, including FREE UK shipping - the book is no longer available., but both English and Cornish lyrics are on the Bandcamp shop site.​
14 nostalgic, easy-listening tracks from the golden years of the 1930s - 1960s
‘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 well-loved seasonal tracks & newly discovered old ones
Get into the seasonal mood with some well-loved tracks of Brenda Wootton together with some never-before-published Christmassy recordings from Pipers Folk Club in the late 1970s.
​
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 McCreadie has done sterling work to bring them up to suitable quality.
16 nostalgic memory hits from the early days of Pipers Folk Club
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.
29. All of Me CD (order direct from Knight Designs)
Not one of ours, but a beautiful recording of Brenda in a French concert
Brenda's recording engineer, John Knight, at Brenda's request, recorded her final concert during a week-long stint at the Bobino Theatre in Paris in 1984. It was also the final night of the theatre, famous as the original home of the iconic Parisian burlesque performer, Josephine Baker, in the 1920s. Brenda was accompanied by Camborne Town Band, a jazz combo, and her guitarist Chris Newman - and the concert was a triumph. The tapes were never used, and it was many years before John discovered them in his attic, and lovingly restored the tracks.
​
"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 (it was released in 2010) and marks a significant time when she was at the peak of her musical career. It's unique, as it was very rare for Brenda to be recorded before a live audience - and confirms that as a singer from Cornwall she has no parallel. This album is a rare combination of material about Cornwall, romantic ballads, jazz and blues, 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 capture the essence of her 'country'." (Taken from John Knight's website)
28. The Voice of Cornwall 1 & 2 (by Keltia Music)
2 rogue CDs with tracks copied directly from Brenda's Sentinel albums
​
The Voice of Cornwall volumes 1 and 2 were released by Keltia Music of Quimper in Brittany in 1996, possibly using master tapes owned by Bob Brimley of Brio Music in St Just, Cornwall, after his move to Brittany. It consists of a compilation of tracks from SENS1056, SENS1006, and SENS1021. The CD contained a bilingual booklet - 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'. Not available from us.
27. Berceuses du Monde Entier LP
A collection of lullabies from world music, by a variety of performers
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.
​
The album went through several iterations over a number of years, and can be found with at least 3 different covers, and was also sold as a cassette and a CD. The main one illustrated here has an amazingly colourful pop-up centre gatefold.
Brenda's last studio-recorded LP
​
'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 been the normal follow-on, her French agent just rushed out the album in its 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, produced by French label Vogue, was not properly promoted. However, a few rare copies of the album (lacking all detailed information) and also a CD (with fully annotated insert) can be found, and the tracks are still of sufficiently good quality; I have re-used some on CDs produced subsequently.
25. So Long Audio Cassette 1988?
A 'reunion' charity concert with Brenda and 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 - subsequently renamed The Lullaby Trust), 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. The cassette was produced by Chris Blount of Chough Tapes (and Radio Cornwall fame).
24. Everybody Knows (Maxi Single 45rpm)
A collaboration in songwriting between Brenda and celebrated French composer, Francis Lai
​
'Everybody Knows' was an unusual venture for Brenda - a Maxi Single, just two 45 rpm 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 for weeks! 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 lyrics for the track on Side 1, 'Everybody Knows', were written by Brenda herself - and a fine job she made of it. It's a lovely track, and worth getting for that alone.
A compilation album made from earlier tracks recorded by Sentinel.
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, the Ray Roberts Jazz Trio and Four Lanes Male Voice Choir.
A stylish album weighted towards blues and jazz numbers.
'B' Comme Brenda is one of my personal favourites 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.
21. Cornish Australian 45rpm Single
Two cheery songs for Cornish friends in South Australia
A great single produced by Brenda for her trip to the Kernewek Lowender Festival and the Cornish communities in South Australia, in 1985. Richard Gendall wrote both tracks at Brenda's request, which 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... The tracks are 'Cornish Australian - Just Like Me', (alternatively titled 'The Elm & the Eucalyptus') and 'Moonta, Wallaroo Kadina' - the three towns in the Cornish Triangle on the Yorke Peninsula. 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.
A great selection from Brenda's earlier Sentinel albums
Featuring Robert Bartlett and 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.
Compilation of well-loved seasonal tracks & newly discovered old ones
Get into the seasonal mood with some well-loved tracks of Brenda Wootton together with some never-before-published Christmassy recordings from Pipers Folk Club in the late 1970s.
​
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 McCreadie has done sterling work to bring them up to suitable quality.
16 nostalgic memory hits from the early days of Pipers Folk Club
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.
29. All of Me CD (order direct from Knight Designs)
Not one of ours, but a beautiful recording of Brenda in a French concert
Brenda's recording engineer, John Knight, at Brenda's request, recorded her final concert during a week-long stint at the Bobino Theatre in Paris in 1984. It was also the final night of the theatre, famous as the original home of the iconic Parisian burlesque performer, Josephine Baker, in the 1920s. Brenda was accompanied by Camborne Town Band, a jazz combo, and her guitarist Chris Newman - and the concert was a triumph. The tapes were never used, and it was many years before John discovered them in his attic, and lovingly restored the tracks.
​
"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 (it was released in 2010) and marks a significant time when she was at the peak of her musical career. It's unique, as it was very rare for Brenda to be recorded before a live audience - and confirms that as a singer from Cornwall she has no parallel. This album is a rare combination of material about Cornwall, romantic ballads, jazz and blues, 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 capture the essence of her 'country'." (Taken from John Knight's website)
28. The Voice of Cornwall 1 & 2 (by Keltia Music)
2 rogue CDs with tracks copied directly from Brenda's Sentinel albums
​
The Voice of Cornwall volumes 1 and 2 were released by Keltia Music of Quimper in Brittany in 1996, possibly using master tapes owned by Bob Brimley of Brio Music in St Just, Cornwall, after his move to Brittany. It consists of a compilation of tracks from SENS1056, SENS1006, and SENS1021. The CD contained a bilingual booklet - 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'. Not available from us.
27. Berceuses du Monde Entier LP
A collection of lullabies from world music, by a variety of performers
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.
​
The album went through several iterations over a number of years, and can be found with at least 3 different covers, and was also sold as a cassette and a CD. The main one illustrated here has an amazingly colourful pop-up centre gatefold.
Brenda's last studio-recorded LP
​
'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 been the normal follow-on, her French agent just rushed out the album in its 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, produced by French label Vogue, was not properly promoted. However, a few rare copies of the album (lacking all detailed information) and also a CD (with fully annotated insert) can be found, and the tracks are still of sufficiently good quality; I have re-used some on CDs produced subsequently.
25. So Long Audio Cassette 1988?
A 'reunion' charity concert with Brenda and 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 - subsequently renamed The Lullaby Trust), 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. The cassette was produced by Chris Blount of Chough Tapes (and Radio Cornwall fame).
24. Everybody Knows (Maxi Single 45rpm)
A collaboration in songwriting between Brenda and celebrated French composer, Francis Lai
​
'Everybody Knows' was an unusual venture for Brenda - a Maxi Single, just two 45 rpm 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 for weeks! 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 lyrics for the track on Side 1, 'Everybody Knows', were written by Brenda herself - and a fine job she made of it. It's a lovely track, and worth getting for that alone.
A compilation album made from earlier tracks recorded by Sentinel.
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, the Ray Roberts Jazz Trio and Four Lanes Male Voice Choir.
A stylish album weighted towards blues and jazz numbers.
'B' Comme Brenda is one of my personal favourites 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.
A stylish album weighted towards blues and jazz numbers.
'B' Comme Brenda is one of my personal favourites 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.
33. Brenda Yn Kernewek - 2 CDs
31 tracks in the Cornish language
​
Released in July 2021, 'Brenda Yn Kernewek' is the first and only songbook of Brenda, singing 31 songs written (or transcribed) for her by Cornish Bard Richard Gendall in the 1970s and 80s. The book contains the music and the lyrics for each song - in Richard's original Cornish, in newly-translated SWF (Standard Written Form) and in English. The book is no longer available, but the CDs can bought as a double album. There are 2 extra, previously unheard, songs contributed by guest artists: Hilary Coleman and Neil Davy performing 'Hedhough E Genough', and the remarkable multi-lingual Welsh performer Gwenno Saunders performing 'Pryas Awen' (courtesy of Heavenly Recordings). The CDs are available from the shop at £18 for the two, including FREE UK shipping - the book is no longer available., but both English and Cornish lyrics are on the Bandcamp shop site.​
14 nostalgic, easy-listening tracks from the golden years of the 1930s - 1960s
‘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 well-loved seasonal tracks & newly discovered old ones
Get into the seasonal mood with some well-loved tracks of Brenda Wootton together with some never-before-published Christmassy recordings from Pipers Folk Club in the late 1970s.
​
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 McCreadie has done sterling work to bring them up to suitable quality.
16 nostalgic memory hits from the early days of Pipers Folk Club
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.
29. All of Me CD (order direct from Knight Designs)
Not one of ours, but a beautiful recording of Brenda in a French concert
Brenda's recording engineer, John Knight, at Brenda's request, recorded her final concert during a week-long stint at the Bobino Theatre in Paris in 1984. It was also the final night of the theatre, famous as the original home of the iconic Parisian burlesque performer, Josephine Baker, in the 1920s. Brenda was accompanied by Camborne Town Band, a jazz combo, and her guitarist Chris Newman - and the concert was a triumph. The tapes were never used, and it was many years before John discovered them in his attic, and lovingly restored the tracks.
​
"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 (it was released in 2010) and marks a significant time when she was at the peak of her musical career. It's unique, as it was very rare for Brenda to be recorded before a live audience - and confirms that as a singer from Cornwall she has no parallel. This album is a rare combination of material about Cornwall, romantic ballads, jazz and blues, 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 capture the essence of her 'country'." (Taken from John Knight's website)
28. The Voice of Cornwall 1 & 2 (by Keltia Music)
2 rogue CDs with tracks copied directly from Brenda's Sentinel albums
​
The Voice of Cornwall volumes 1 and 2 were released by Keltia Music of Quimper in Brittany in 1996, possibly using master tapes owned by Bob Brimley of Brio Music in St Just, Cornwall, after his move to Brittany. It consists of a compilation of tracks from SENS1056, SENS1006, and SENS1021. The CD contained a bilingual booklet - 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'. Not available from us.
27. Berceuses du Monde Entier LP
A collection of lullabies from world music, by a variety of performers
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.
​
The album went through several iterations over a number of years, and can be found with at least 3 different covers, and was also sold as a cassette and a CD. The main one illustrated here has an amazingly colourful pop-up centre gatefold.
Brenda's last studio-recorded LP
​
'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 been the normal follow-on, her French agent just rushed out the album in its 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, produced by French label Vogue, was not properly promoted. However, a few rare copies of the album (lacking all detailed information) and also a CD (with fully annotated insert) can be found, and the tracks are still of sufficiently good quality; I have re-used some on CDs produced subsequently.
25. So Long Audio Cassette 1988?
A 'reunion' charity concert with Brenda and 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 - subsequently renamed The Lullaby Trust), 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. The cassette was produced by Chris Blount of Chough Tapes (and Radio Cornwall fame).
24. Everybody Knows (Maxi Single 45rpm)
A collaboration in songwriting between Brenda and celebrated French composer, Francis Lai
​
'Everybody Knows' was an unusual venture for Brenda - a Maxi Single, just two 45 rpm 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 for weeks! 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 lyrics for the track on Side 1, 'Everybody Knows', were written by Brenda herself - and a fine job she made of it. It's a lovely track, and worth getting for that alone.
A compilation album made from earlier tracks recorded by Sentinel.
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, the Ray Roberts Jazz Trio and Four Lanes Male Voice Choir.
A stylish album weighted towards blues and jazz numbers.
'B' Comme Brenda is one of my personal favourites 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.
A stylish album weighted towards blues and jazz numbers.
'B' Comme Brenda is one of my personal favourites 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.