Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble, (born 13 February 1949 at the
Middlesex Hospital, west
London) is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the founder members of two of the most feted bands in UK rock history. Often mis-labelled as 'folk' she has in fact never made any recordings that could be considered directly attributable to the genre. Her style, could be properly described as producing ambient/psych/singer songwriter works as an original artist. She is best known as the original singer for
Fairport Convention, but has also fronted Trader Horne and (very briefly) an embryonic
King Crimson as well as having an intermittent solo career after making a 2004 comeback, she has risen to commercial prominence in 2009 with the release of the award winning album
Talking with Strangers. Her surname is pronounced 'die-bull'.
Early years
Dyble's first band was Judy and The Folkmen (which existed between 1964 and 1966) and made homemade demo recordings, none of which were released, but some of which are vaunted for inclusion on a mooted anthology of Dyble's career (Universal/Sanctuary set a release date in 2007 for this, but the release was cancelled when Sanctuary was taken over by Universal). She then became the original vocalist with
Fairport Convention from 1967 to 1968. Ashley 'Tyger' Hutchings asked her to sing and play with him, Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol in November 1966 in some of the various band incarnations that they were all part of, including jug-bands and anything that needed a female vocal,mainly because of their reluctance to sing themselves and this became the nucleus of Fairport Convention, firstly with Shaun Frater as drummer and later Martin Lamble. The group recorded their first album with her, their repertoire at the time consisting of both American singer-songwriter works plus originals. The first single was a cover of a 1930's American song,
If I Had a Ribbon Bow The band covered and re-worked numerous American recordings, with the band members choosing some tracks to work with from manager Joe Boyd's record collection. The band also picked up on the works of
Joni Mitchell before she was known in the UK, and covered two of her songs on the first Fairport album, which was self titled.
Fairport's early live shows in London in the late 1960s saw Judy share stages with names like Jimi Hendrix, and Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. Famously, she sat on the front of the stage at the Speakeasy club knitting, while Hendrix and Richard Thompson jammed. Dyble also guested on The Incredible String Band's 1968 album The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (on "The Minotaur’s Song") and on G.F. Fitz-Gerald's 1970 album Mouseproof.
After her stint with Fairport Convention, Dyble (along with her then-boyfriend Ian McDonald) joined the English pop band Giles, Giles and Fripp by famously advertising in Melody Maker. Dyble contributed to demo recordings for the group, but left after her relationship with McDonald ended. Giles, Giles and Fripp - retaining McDonald - would later evolve into the foundation progressive rock band King Crimson.
Dyble would go on to become one half of the duo Trader Horne, with ex-Them member Jackie McAuley. Pete Sears was originally the third member of the band, but flew to the United States before recording began. The group took its name from John Peel's nanny Florence, called "Trader", Horne as a reference to explorer Trader Horn). The duo signed to Dawn (a subsidiary of Pye Records) releasing one album, Morning Way in 1969, and two highly prized collectible vinyl singles. The pairing shared stages with acts such as Humble Pie, Yes, and Genesis. The duo split a few days before they should have headlined the now legendary Hollywood festival in Newcastle Under Lyme that saw Mungo Jerry first come to public attention. (In 2008, Trader Horne was featured in Kingsley Abbott's book, '500 Lost Gems Of The 60's': to coincide with this, Stuart Maconie did a one hour biopic radio special on Judy's career on BBC6 programme the Freak Zone, as well as a significant piece in Record Collector.
In 1973, Judy left the music business to work with her husband, DJ and scenester Simon Stable (who had played bongos on albums by Bridget St John and Ten Years After under his real name, Count Simon de la Bedoyere). Later on, Dyble (by now a mother) worked as a librarian.
At the 1981 Fairport Convention Annual Reunion (held that year at Broughton Castle), Dyble appeared on stage as a surprise guest: backed by Fairport's Full House lineup, she sang Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now and the Everly Brothers' When Will I Be Loved.
She also appeared as a guest in 1982 (A Week-End in The Country), 1997(30th Anniversary),2002 (35th Anniversary) and 2007(40th Anniversary)
Recent work
Following Stable's death in 1994, 2003 saw Dyble begin writing and performing again. For a long time, the only Judy Dyble recordings available in the retail trade was the
first Fairport Convention album, but
Morning Way was reissued on CD in November 2000, and she released the first of several new works -
Enchanted Garden - in 2004, followed by
Spindle and
The Whorl in 2006. These last two albums only received limited releases with little if any distribution. Occasional live appearances saw her appear at
Cropredy (alongside with what was virtually the original Fairport line up) in 2007.
Dyble released a single on 3 March 2008 with northern indie/folk band The Conspirators through independent label Transcend Media Group. The single was a double A-side featuring Judy's vocals on a remake of Fairport Convention's song "One Sure Thing" and The Conspirators song "Take Me To Your Leader". It reached No.7 in the official uk indie singles chart, spending 3 weeks in the top 10.
The promotion for this single saw Dyble make a couple of very rare live appearances, at the Harrogate International Conference Centre, and at an in-store live gig at HMV's superstore in Leeds city centre on 3 March 2008.
Dyble's next album Talking With Strangers was recorded throughout 2008 with Tim Bowness (No-Man) and Alistair Murphy co-writing and producing. Collaborators include Robert Fripp, Simon Nicol, Pat Mastelotto, Ian McDonald, Julianne Regan Celia Humphris, Jacqui McShee, Laurie A'Court and Mark Fletcher. During work on the album, she played a rare outdoor show at the Llama festival in North Devon, in June 2008.
Dyble took her place at the head of Fairport Convention's initial line up, at Witchseason's 40th anniversary celebration show at the Barbican Theatre on 18 July 2009, for the first time in nearly 40 years, excluding very brief occasional outings at Cropredy.
Talking With Strangers was released in August 2009 becoming the recommended choice on the www.bbc.co.uk homepage, and receiving favourable reviews from amongst others, the Mail On Sunday, Record Collector, Shindig, R2 and described as a 'sophisticated triumph' on the BBC music website. A number of radio stations aired the near 20 minute track 'Harpsong' in full, and Dyble undertook a run of BBC local radio interviews, including BBC Radio Oxford, Solent, Suffolk, Devon, Cornwall, Lancashire, and Manchester. In May 2009 early review copies for the new album with Robert Fripp were sent out. Dyble's myspace showed samplers of some of the album tracks, and directly from her, and from Tim Bowness's Burning Shed, signed numbered early release copies sold out very quickly.
27 August 2009 saw an intimate gig by Dyble at the 100 Club in London, supported by Tim Bowness, Alistair Murphy, and Simon Nicol, her first solo gig in London in over 40 years.
Her MySpace site reported a vinyl release in September via Tonefloat, to be followed by a EP of non-album material in 2010.
Dyble added additional vocals to the 2 November 2009 single release 'Every Sentimental Moment' by UK rock band Kings Cross.
Termo records in Norway announced a Scandinavian release in 2010, with revised artwork, and a bonus track from the album sessions 'Fragile'
The American release date for Talking With Strangers is TBA 2010, via Pied Piper Records, and in Australia via Blind Faith Entertainment, and in France via Virgin Records.
Harpsong won the award for 'Best original song' voted for by the online community 'Talkawhile' in January 2010, and the album featured in the 'best of 2009' lists in Classic Rock magazine by noted writers Jo Kendall, and Sid Smith. The album was also promoted by UK music store HMV as one of its best specialist sector albums.
In September 2009, Dyble announced on her Facebook page that work has begun on a new full length, as yet untitled album, to be recorded early in 2010.
In December 2009 producer/arranger Lee Fletcher announced via online networks that he and touch guitarist Markus Reuter would be collaborating with Dyble on new work. The project was subsequently revealed by Judy to be titled Newborn Creatures and is currently in post-production.
Discography
;Singles
{|class=wikitable
|-
! A-side !! B-side
! Artist
! Label !! Catalogue no.
! Released !! Region
! Chart/Notes
|-
|
If I Had a Ribbon Bow ||
If (Stomp)
| Fairport Convention
| Track || 604 020
| February 1968 || UK
|-
|
Sheena ||
Morning Way
| Trader Horne
| Pye || 7N17846
| November 1969 || UK
|-
|
Here Comes the Rain ||
Goodbye Mercy Kelly
| Trader Horne
| Dawn || DNS1003
| February 1970 || UK
|-
|
One Sure Thing Take Me To Your Leader ||
Connected Robots (cd only)
| Judy Dyble with the Conspirators
| Transcend || TR178CDTR178V
| March 2008 || UK || No.7 Official Indie chart, 1000 vinyl, First 50 numbered + signed
|-
|
Every Sentimental Moment ||
Lone
| Kings Cross with Judy Dyble
| Brilliant/FiXiT || FXTR V111
| November 2009 || UK ||500 numbered clear Vinyl / Download only
|}
;Albums
{|class=wikitable
|-
! Title
! Artist
! Label !! Catalogue no.
! Released !! Region !! Notes
|-
| Fairport Convention
| Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 583 035
| June 1968 || UK
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Cotillion || SD 9024
| May 1970 || USA
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Contour || 2870 488
| 1975 || Australia
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 184173
| 1968 || Germany
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 234804
| 1975 || Germany
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Brunswick Silber-Serie || SD 9024
| ? || Germany
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 2485 211
| ? || Holland || Same cover as German Brunswick
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || Special 2384047
| 1975 || Holland
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 184173
| 1968 || New Zealand || Same as UK cover, barring back sleeve b/w
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || SD 184173
| 1968 || Canada
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || MP 2211
| January 1972 || Japan
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 2486 273
| 1987 || Italy
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 2383 355
| 1975 || France
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 835 230-2
| November 1990 || UK || CD
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || POCP-2085
| October 1991 || UK || CD
|-
| Fairport Convention
| ''Fairport Convention
| Polydor || 068 291-2
| March 2003 || UK || CD (Remastered, bonus tracks)
|-
|rowspan=2 | Morning Way
|rowspan=2 | Trader Horne
| Dawn || DNLS 3004
| March 1970 || UK
|-
| Janus || JLS3012
| || USA
|-
| Enchanted Garden
| Judy Dyble
| Talking Elephant || TECD 068
| September 2004 || UK
|-
| Spindle
| Judy Dyble
| Talking Elephant || TECD 084
| February 2006 || UK
|-
| The Whorl
| Judy Dyble
| Talking Elephant || TECD 094
| July 2006 || UK
|-
| Talking with Strangers
| Judy Dyble
| FiXiT/Brilliant || FXTRCD 113
| August 2009 || UK || First 1000 numbered, first 500 of these signed
|-
| Talking With Strangers - Limited vinyl
| Judy Dyble
| Tonefloat || TF70
| September 2009 || Europe || 500 only, with signed postcard
|-
| Talking With Strangers
| Judy Dyble
| Termo || CD006
| March 2010 || Scandinavia || Exclusive bonus track 'Fragile'
|}
;Compilations and Guest Appearances
{|class=wikitable
|-
! Title
! Artist
! Tracks
! Label !! Catalogue no.
! Released !! Region
|-
| BackTrack Two
| (various artists)
| If I Had a Ribbon Bow
| Track || 2407 002
| May 1970 || UK
|-
| A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
| King Crimson
| I Talk to the Wind
| Island || ISLP7
| 1976 || UK
|-
| Moat on the Ledge
| Fairport Convention
| Both Sides Now
| Woodworm || WR 001
| 1982 || UK
|-
| The Guv'nor Vol.4
| Ashley Hutchings
| Both Sides Now
| No label || HTD CD 66
| 1996 || UK
|-
| The Guv'nor presentation 4 (cd wallet)
| Ashley Hutchings
| Both Sides Now
| No label || HTD BOX1
| 1996 || UK
|-
| Ashley Hutchings 5
| Ashley Hutchings
| If I Had A Ribbon Bow
| No label || TECD 037
| 2002 || UK
|-
| Burning Bright
| Ashley Hutchings
| One Sure Thing
| Free Reed || FRQCD 50
| 2005 || UK
|-
| The Fairport Companion
| (various artists)
| Morning Way (Trader Horne)Velvet to Atone (Trader Horne)
| Castle Music || CMDDD 1337
| 10 April 2006 || UK
|-
| Live at the BBC
| Fairport Convention
| (Disc 4, tracks 1-8, see below)
| Island || 984 5385
| April 2007 || UK
|}
Note: the eight tracks included on Live at the BBC were recorded for John Peel's Top Gear programme. Four — Let's Get Together, One Sure Thing, Lay Down Your Weary Tune and Chelsea Morning — date from the period prior to Ian Matthews joining Fairport, and were broadcast 10 December 1967; the other four — Violets of Dawn, If (Stomp), Time Will Show the Wiser and If I Had a Ribbon Bow — were broadcast 3 March 1968, a week after the release of the debut single. All eight come from "off air" recordings, not original BBC tapes.
References
Further reading
External links
Judy Dyble - Official website
Judy Dyble @ Myspace.com
Interview with Judy Dyble
Category:1949 births
Category:English female singers
Category:People from Wood Green
Category:Electric folk musicians
Category:Fairport Convention members
Category:Living people
