March marks two years since the coronavirus pandemic began. As things go back to normal, and we make up for lost time, acclaimed singer and actress Barbara Dickson OBE is blessing the UK with her ‘Time is Going Faster Tour’. Dickson will be performing both classic and more recent material from her extraordinary canon of music across both pop and folk, all with her exceptional band.
A multi-million selling recording artist, The Scotsman has described her as Scotland’s best-selling female singer in terms of the numbers of hit chart singles and albums she has achieved in the UK since 1976. Dickson is also known for her acting career: she is a twice Olivier-Award-winning actor, with roles including Viv Nicholson in Spend Spend Spend and (the original) Mrs. Johnstone in Willy Russell’s long-running musical Blood Brothers. On television, she starred as Anita Braithwaite in Band of Gold.
Emerging from the Scottish Folk Revival of the 1960s, Barbara Dickson became the biggest-selling Scottish female album artist of all time, earning 6 platinum, 11 gold and 7 silver albums.
One of Dickson’s best-known hits is ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ from Evita. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice spotted the then little-known Dickson and invited her to record the song for the musical’s concept album. A few years later, Willy Russell invited her to star in his new musical, Blood Brothers. Although at first reluctant to accept, having never acted before, she accepted and garnered critical acclaim. She has reprised the role many times, the latest being 2004 at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.
A couple of years later, Tim Rice approached her once again, this time asking her to take part in the recording of the concept album for the musical Chess – in the role of Svetlana. Dickson’s duet with elaine Paige, ‘I Know Him So Well’, became a worldwide hit, remained at number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks, and remains the best-selling ever female duet (according to Guinness World Records).
Dickson’s other hits include ‘Answer Me’ and ‘The Caravan Song’. She enjoyed ten years of chart success as a pop star. So much was her contribution that she was awarded an OBE from Her Majesty The Queen in 2002 for Services to Music and Drama.
Dickson’s latest release was 2020’s ‘Time Is Going Faster’, which marked 50 years since her first solo album, ‘Do Right Woman’ (1970). Consisting of 10 new tracks, the album features three original songs written by Barbara herself, her first new writing in years. The album also features a new rendition of ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’ from Blood Brothers.
Whilst there’s sadly no Manchester date on the tour, Dickson will be playing at King George’s Hall in Blackburn on 26th March. Other northern dates include St George’s Hall in Bradford on 2nd April and Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Hall on 15th April – the final date of the 23-date tour.
