Joan Armatrading

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December 9, 1950

Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading

Maggie Butler (m: May 2, 2011-present)

Did We Miss Any?

1972 Whatever's For Us

1975 Back to the Night

1976 Joan Armatrading

1977 Show Some Emotion

1978 To the Limit

1979 How Cruel

1979 Steppin' Out

1980 Me Myself I

1981 Walk Under Ladders

1983 The Key

1985 Secret Secrets

1986 Sleight of Hand

1988 The Shouting Stage

1990 Hearts and Flowers

1992 Square the Circle

1995 What's Inside

2003 Lovers Speak

2004 Live All the Way from America

2007 Into The Blues

2010 This Charming Life

2011 Live at Royal Albert Hall

2012 Starlight

Director

Joan Armatrading: All the Way from America (video) (2004)

Actress

Joan Armatrading: All the Way from America (video) (2004)

Producer

Joan Armatrading: All the Way from America (video) (producer) (2004)

Appearances

Breakfast (TV series) (2 episodes, 2003-2010)

Live from Abbey Road (TV series) (1 episode, 2008)

Later with Jools Holland (TV series) (2 episodes, 1995-2007)

The Heaven and Earth Show (TV series) (1 episode, 2007)

The Last of the Gentleman Producers (video documentary short) (2004)

Today with Des and Mel (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

Live with Kelly (TV series) (1 episode, 2003)

The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV series) (1 episode, 1996)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV series) (1 episode, 1992)

Brit Awards 1989 (TV special) (1989)

Late Night with David Letterman (TV series) (1 episode, 1988)

Wired (TV series) (1 episode, 1988)

French and Saunders (TV series) (1 episode, 1987)

The Secret Policeman's Third Ball (documentary) (1987)

Top of the Pops (TV series) (1 episode, 1983)

The Prince's Trust Rock Gala (documentary) (1982)

Saturday Night Live (TV series) (1 episode, 1977)

Brit Awards

1996 Nominated Brit Award Best British Female Artist

1983 Nominated Brit Award Best British Female Artist

BASCA Awards

2011 Won BASCA Gold Badge Award

British Folk Festival Awards

2012 Won Lifetime Achievement Award

Grammy Awards

2007 Nominated Grammy Award Best Contemporary Blues CD

1986 Nominated Grammy Award Best Female Artist

1980 Nominated Grammy Award Best Female Artist

Ivor Novello Award

1996 Won Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contemporary Song Collection

Member of The British Empire

2001 Awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire Honour List for her services to music

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Joan Armatrading was born in Basseterre, on the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts, as the third of six children. Her mother was born in Antigua and her father was from Saint Kitts. When she was three, her parents moved with their two eldest boys to Birmingham, England, and she lived with her grandmother on Antigua. She joined her parents in a district of Birmingham in early 1958, at the age of seven.

She left school at the age of 15 to support her family, and her first job was at Rabone Chesterman, an engineering tool manufacturer in Hockley, Birmingham. She was released from the job because she brought her guitar to work and played it during breaks.

In 1968, Armatrading joined a repertory production of the stage musical Hair. There she met the lyricist Pam Nestor in 1970, and they worked together on Armatrading's debut album Whatever's for Us, released by Cube Records in 1972. Nestor wrote the lyrics to eleven of the fourteen songs on the album, while Armatrading wrote the lyrics to three of them, performed all the vocals, wrote all the music and played an array of instruments on the album. Although Nestor was credited as co-lyricist, Cube considered Armatrading to be the more likely star material. These events produced a tension which broke up the partnership.

She gained her BA Honours after studying history from the Open University – a feat very few other working artists would attempt, let alone while on tour (she took her final exam the day after the last gig of her 2000 dates).

She has performed for Nelson Mandela, twice. Joan performed on his 70th birthday at Wembley. Then again in 2001 she was asked by the LSE, to perform “The Messenger” the tribute song she had been invited to compose for him. Mr. Mandela danced throughout the performance.

In 2008, one month from her 58th birthday, Joan ran her first marathon. She ran the New York marathon of 26.24 miles and helped to raise £76,000 for her chosen charity.

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