January February: The Best of Barbara Dickson

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In August the album "Don't Think Twice It's All Right" is released on Columbia Records - it reaches # 32 on the UK album chart. A 19 date UK concert tour begins on 8 June, followed by a'Highlands and Islands' mini-tour of Scotland in September. The album was released following her return to the top 20 with the single " January February". Produced by Alan Tarney, the album was a success, reaching No.7 in the UK Charts and remaining in the top 75 for three months. [2] It was certified gold by the BPI for sales of over 100,000 in the UK. [3] Further singles taken from the album were "In the Night" and "It's Really You". In June, Barbara plays live at the Portsoy Boat Festival with Rab Noakes - a series of live shows with Rab follow in October.

In December she is invited to play two weeks of live shows at the Green Room at London's Cafe Royal. In July Barbara receives an Honorary Fellowship from the Liverpool John Moores University for Services to Music and the Dramatic Arts. Barbara tours the UK in the play "Friends Like This" inFebruary/March with Roy Hudd and Susan Penhaligon. Barbara's third single for the label, "Answer Me," provides her first hit, reaching # 9 on the UK chart.

Reviews

In 2017, Barbara narrated the acclaimed ‘Ballads of Child Migration’, the success of which led to a major UK tour the following year, closely followed by a tour of ‘Far, Far From Ypres’, the award-winning story of the Scottish war effort during the First World War. She then plays live in New Zealand, at the Wellington Arts Festival, and makes a promotional visit to Australia. A return to the theatre in Willy Russell’s new musical, ‘Blood Brothers,’ in 1983 was to mark Barbara’s debut as a stage actress. As with ‘John Paul George Ringo… and Bert’ nine years previously, the show transferred from Liverpool to London and in the process earned her the ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ award from the Society of West End Theatres. Barbara continues her run in "John Paul George Ringo...and Bert" which runs for a year in London's West End. Barbara is honoured with the 'Outstanding Scottish Achievement' award at the 2016 Scottish Variety Awards on March 19th.

Barbara joins 'The Great Fife Road Show' and tours Scotland with artists including Rab Noakes, Davey Stewart and Cilla Fisher. She flies home to Britain to promote her second hit, "Another Suitcase In Another Hall," from "Evita," which reaches UK # 18. Resigning from the Civil Service, Barbara turns professional. She travels to Denmark for a six week engagement at the Tivoli in Copenhagen.The next few years saw her gradually ‘paying her dues’ on the Scottish and English folk circuit, steadily building a reputation and working with the likes of Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty, Rab Noakes and Archie Fisher. Early folk albums, which she recorded for Trailer and Decca Records, were well received. In 1985 Barbara’s single ‘I Know Him So Well,’ recorded with Elaine Paige and taken from the musical ‘Chess’, was released. It reached Number One in the UK and went on to become a Top Ten hit around the world, eventually selling over 900,000 copies. During September and October she plays several dates as the special guest of Peter Karrie and in also in October plays 7 UK solo concerts. Caravan Song" is eclipsed by "January February" which Epic rush-release in January. The new single reaches # 11 on the charts. Also in September, Barbara moves to Edinburgh, returning to live in Scotland for the first time since 1973.