"The thread is actually about whether Eddie Reader is undervalued. I think we all agree now that, whether you like her or not, she is definitely valued."

Well I'd say that Eddi is only valued by those with open minds.

This thread has proved, yet again, that any singer who dares to have any form of commercial success is looked down upon by those who feel folk music should only be sung 'amongst us' in back rooms or tents.

You know, this thread has made me remember one of the strangest threads on the BBC. It was about Barbara Dickson...and I think I started it, although I can't recall exactly, as it was years back.

Well, I dared to say I loved Barbara's voice and suddenly, down flew The Dimentors....how they verbally kicked and abused her...And the strangest thing of all was when Ian Anderson came over to the thread, saying to me that even though we disagreed so vehemently about so many things, he was asking me really nicely to back off on this thread and leave it alone.   ????????

I think Barbara's producer may have come into the thread, again, I'm not exactly sure, so don't quote me on that.....And I sat there wondering what the hell was happening. The thread was taking the course that Barbara had chosen to go away from the folk scene, had then made it mega big time..and now, she was trying to get back into the folk scene again....And BOY, was that being frowned upon!

WHO are these people? What is wrong with them? WHY would they want to try to ensure that positive discussion of a person like Barbara Dickson would be smeared with this jealous, nasty, spiteful attitude all the time.

It is one thing to not like someone's music, as we all love different things, but in my book, it is a whole other thing to try and deliberately damage someone's career or make them feel bad about themselves...and I will never stop defending someone, if I see that happening.

Eddi is saying on this documentary (see michael's post).....about how she struggled terribly with the glitz and glamour of the pop world...of how she had to almost parade in front of Annie Lennox, when she was a backing singer for her, in different crazy outfits, when all she wanted to do was put on her jeans and a t shirt and sing her heart out.


Eddi's myspace

Barbara Dickson's myspace

Eddi's 'Bell Book and Candle' - beautiful!