Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07

Subject: Obit: Sophie Legg
From: Tradsinger
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:00 AM

The Times and the Independent both carried obits of the English gypsy singer Sophie Legg yesterday. See
http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2705338.ece
and
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2087083.ece
.
I find it very encouraging that the British press could run such a good obituary on someone who was never famous, never sang at a folk festival, was never recorded until late on in her life and was a member of the often despised gypsy community to boot, but whose contribution to English and gypsy culture was immense. Condolences to Vic and Viv, Sophie's son and daughter, but they must feel proud that their mother's contribution has been recognised.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:09 AM

Bit confused over the last paragraphs in each... One says the day before she died, the other says before she went into hospital and died 3 months later....

Ah well.. one of the last travellers moves on. Sad to hear of her death, glad to hear she's encouraging the tradition and great to see two obits in such major papers.

Oddly enough, I knew a traveller family called Legg... I wonder if they were related.

LTS

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg
From: treewind
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:19 AM

How sad. Condolences to Viv and Vic, and we'll have to put our copy of Catch Me If You Can back on the CD player tonight.

They are good obituaries, though.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg
From: skipy
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:37 AM

What a great obit.
RIP
Skipy

Subject: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer
From: Arnie
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 06:08 AM

Just read the obituary to Sophie Legg and thought her passing should not go unremarked on Mudcat. What a fascinating history she had - born in a tent in 1918 to a Romany family and spent most of her early life on the road in the West Country living in a 'brush van' - that's a caravan festooned with brooms for sale. Her family used to sing, step dance and accompany themselves on banjo and accordion in the local pubs, and Sophie's collection of songs, handed down through the Romany families, is said to date back to the 14th Century, perhaps earlier!!! In 1978, at the age of 60yrs, Sophie was finally persuaded to record some of her songs in a studio with two of her older sisters so there is an album around somewhere, entitled 'Catch me if you can: songs from Cornish travellers'. Her obituary states that, on her last journey to the hospital at the age of 89yrs, she insisted on reciting every stanza from her versions of The Wild Colonial Boy and The Golden Vanity for her son to take down. Remarkable lady and it's sad to see another invaluable link with our folk heritage disappear - did anyone out West know her or hear her perform?

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 06:23 AM

Indeed, very pleasantly surprised by the obits. But a sad loss nevertheless. Funny, I was listening to her album only last week...

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 08:13 AM

I never heard her perform live, which is a great pity for she was a lovely singer. The record you mention is on Veteran and includes her relatives Betsy and Charlotte Renals. Catch me if you can. Veteran VT119CD.

In my view it's one of the best records of English traditional singing around and well worth catching up with.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Arnie
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 11:19 AM

Tradsinger - ah! I see you beat me to it by over an hour. I did have a quick look but obviously failed to see your obituary to Sophie L before I posted mine. However,I see that the mudcat elves have placed my entry into this thread so no harm done - just ignore my comment 'I thought her passing should not go unremarked on Mudcat'

Cheers

Arnie

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 12:30 PM

A bit of discography:

The recordings on 'Catch Me If You Can' were made by Pete Coe in 1978.

Sophie's children, Vic and Viv Legg have both issued excellent CDs on the Veteran label:

'I've Come To Sing a Song', Vic Legg, VT129CD, 2000.

'Romany Roots', Viv Legg, VT153CD, 2006.

I bet their mum was proud of them and they ought to be known to as wide an audience as possible. In my opinion all three CDs represent real English music with deep roots - highly recommended.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Tradsinger
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 12:50 PM

To Arnie,

No probs. These things happen.

I wonder who submitted the obit - John Howson, perhaps?

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Diva
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 12:54 PM

A great obit and a great loss to traditional singing but good to know that her son and daughter will continue

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: My guru always said
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 01:38 PM

Sorry to hear this, I'll have another listen to 'catch me if you can' & raise a glass!

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Cats at Work
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 04:27 AM

re 'I thought her passing should not go unremarked on Mudcat'. it didn't. There was an obit thread in early June when she died. Perhaps you missed it.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: treewind
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 07:19 AM

Oops - so there was and I now remember reading it at the time, but I've managed to forget it after barely a month. A bit embarrassing...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Tradsinger
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 07:50 AM

Sorry, missed it. However, I wanted to make the point that it is notable that these serious newsapers have published the obit.

Tradsinger

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: My guru always said
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 08:10 AM

Sorry, I missed it too, and being such a Folk Baby didn't click who she was. But I do have her on that wonderful CD, she's left her legacy.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sophie Legg - UK Romany singer (6 Jun 07
From: Surreysinger
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 10:40 AM

Here's the link to the obit thread that I started back in June
Sophie Legg Obit thread 1