Kathryn Williams

Kathryn Williams (born 1974, Liverpool, England) is an English singer-songwriter. Background edit: Williams was born in Liverpool, and now lives in Newcastle upon Tyne after earning an art degree in the city. Williams released her first album, Dog Leap Stairs on her own Caw Records label in 1999 with a budget of £80. The follow-up, Little Black Numbers, garnered a Mercury Prize nomination, bringing her to the attention of a wider public. A spell with EastWest / Atlantic followed (Old Low Light in 2002, and the Relations covers album in 2004), before she returned to her independent roots with 2005's Over Fly Over. She released her sixth album, Leave to Remain, on Caw in 2006. Williams has collaborated with Neill Maccoll, John Martyn, Badmarsh and Shri, Thea Gilmore, Tobias Froberg and Ted Barnes. Two, released in 2008, is the first project to be released under joint names. Williams and Maccoll co-wrote most of the album, with the exception of "Innocent When You Dream", which is a Tom Waits song. Two further songs on Two are written solely by Williams "6 a.m. Corner" and "Blue Fields". Williams played guitars, mellotron, Hammond organ and harmonium on the album. Commercial success edit: Her next step was recording some of her music onto CD. These quickly sold at her gigs, so Williams set up her own record label, Caw Records, to release her music. After her second album, Little Black Numbers, was nominated for the Mercury Prize, she signed a licensing deal with Eastwest Records. Little Black Numbers reached #70 in the UK Albums Chart in 2001. The follow-up, Old Low Light reached #56 in 2002. Her influences include Nina Simone, Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Simon And Garfunkel and Velvet Underground. She listens to classical and Cuban music, as well as artists such as PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, though she says she will always go back to the influences she grew up with. She has sung on the Badmarsh & Shri album and worked with Twisted Nerve artist Pedro. In 2006, she was a special guest on Tom McRae's, Hotel Cafe Tour. Following this, Williams completed a tour with Tobias Froberg as support, to promote her album Leave to Remain. Williams released Two on 3 March 2008, written with and featuring Neill MacColl. The Crayonettes edit: Williams collaborated with friend and former member of punk band Delicate Vomit, Anna Spencer, on a new project entitled The Crayonettes. Williams and Spencer, both tired of the same old children's CD format, decided to make their own record using their own children as an inhouse focus group. The results mixed folk, 1950s crooners, electro and hip-hop with songs touching on topics such as robots in the rain, brushing your teeth and pirates on the bus. Personal life edit: Williams is an alumna of Northumbria University.

Source: Wikipedia

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