Eddi Reader serenades Robbie Burns in the Octagon
yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
It was
Perfect in Dunedin for Scottish songstress
Eddi Reader MBE yesterday.
The former Fairground Attraction lead vocalist is in Dunedin
for her New Edinburgh Folk Club concert at the Otago Settlers
Museum tomorrow night.
"It's my first time in Dunedin.
"Everyone's been telling me there was a wee Edinburgh here
and I thought they were pulling my chain. It's gorgeous; just
like home," Reader (50) said yesterday.
"It's fantastic here. Whenever I've played in this part of
the world, people have said to me: `You've got to see
Dunedin. It's Scotland in miniature'."
Reader was born Sadenia Reader as the eldest of a musical
family of seven bairns.
"In our neighbourhood, we had parties for everything - New
Years, christenings, communions, if someone bought a new car
or a new colour telly - there'd be a party," she said.
"Uncle Frank would be doing Frank Sinatra and Dad would be
doing Elvis, while Mum was a huge Nat King Cole and Peggy Lee
fan."
Reader started learning guitar at 10 and was soon busking in
Glasgow, London and around Europe.
She went on to sing with the Eurythmics, the Waterboys and
Alison Moyet, before forming Fairground Attraction in 1987
with guitarist and songwriter Mark Nevin.
Within a year, the band had released Perfect, which
became a UK No 1 hit and won best single at the 1989 Brit
Awards, while the album, The First of a Million
Kisses, reached No 2 in the UK charts and won best album
at the Brit Awards.
Fairground Attraction was disbanded in 1990 and Reader has
since forged a solo career, regularly touring with the Jools
Holland band and the Scottish National Orchestra.
She also recently appeared in the new Richard Linkater film
Me and Orson Welles.
Reader now lives in Irvine, North Ayrshire, southwest of
Glasgow, which isabout half the size of Dunedin.
She released The Songs of Robert Burns Deluxe Edition
in January last year to commemorate the 250th anniversary of
the Bard's birth.
"I got a real affection for him, because he was born in
Ayrshire.
He lived in Irvine for a couple of years from when he was
21," she said.
"I've been touring since January and we've got four days here
in Dunedin, so I'm treating it like a bit of a holiday break
and I'm going to have a good look around," she said, smiling.
"I've already had the best whitebait I've ever tasted, at
Scotia."
Reader will be accompanied by Irish virtuoso Aland Kelly and
guitarist and songwriter Boo Hewerdine.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.