Camborne Band has been invited to perform in a special anniversary concert to commemorate Brenda Wootton on October 20th in Perranporth.
She was known to all as Cornwall's First Lady of Song, yet since her death in 1994 Brenda Wootton's contribution to Cornish culture has been largely overlooked. With a multi-octave voice capable of melting the hearts and swelling the pride of Cornish men and women across the globe, Brenda's distinctive vocal style is to be celebrated again later this month.
With concert appearances from Australia to Europe and no less than 19 albums to her name, she became a household name in Cornwall throughout the 1970s and 1980s. But in recent years, her status as one of Cornwall's greatest vocalists has faded. Now that may be about to change.
A concert dedicated to her life and work is being staged at the Lowender Peran Festival in Perranporth, on October 20.
A concert dedicated to her life and work is being staged at the Lowender Peran Festival in Perranporth, on October 20.
A group of young singer-songwriters and folk musicians have joined forces with Camborne Band – which worked with the Newlyn-born singer on several occasions – to mark what would have been Brenda's 85th birthday. There will also be a rare screening of archive footage from some of Brenda's live performances both at home and abroad.
Perranporth will come alive with colour, costume, music and dance during Lowender Peran, as more than 300 performers from Brittany, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Cornwall descend on the village from October 16 to 20. As well as music, there will be demonstrations of shinty, an ancient Celtic game, and a range of talks, including an update on plans to uncover St Piran's Oratory.
The Brenda Wootton concert has been made possible with funding from Feast and support from Cornwall Music Forum. It will take place on Sunday, October 20 at 2pm in Perranporth's Ponsmere Hotel. The archive film screening begins there at 1.30pm.