Ann Briggs
Anne (sometimes Annie) Briggs – was not only a great singer and carrier of traditional songs she was a massive inspiration to many other singers during the Second Wave of the Folk Revival in both the UK and Ireland.
She was never very comfortable performing in front of an audience but her singing was hypnotic and had a profound influence on other UK folk singers such as June Tabor, Maddy Prior and Sandy Denny.
Richard Thompson’s song Beeswing was, it is said, inspired by Annie’s life and work.
Sandy Denny’s song The Pond and the Stream on the Fotheringay album was also inspired by Anne Briggs and has the lines:
Annie wanders on the land
She loves the freedom of the air….
We may only have four album’s worth of songs, but they are great songs. As far as I know she no longer sings in public but the legacy of great folk music she left behind is enduring. She had a waif- like voice but there was strength and depth of feeling in everything she did.
Links:
Alexis Petridis talks to Anne Briggs about her ‘lost classic’ folk album – The Guardian