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Frankie Armstrong
Artist

Frankie Armstrong

Genre: International, Celtic, Traditional Folk, British Folk
Origin: England
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Biography

Frankie Armstrong revitalizes ancient British ballads through her commanding soprano voice, whether performing unaccompanied or supported by sparse instrumentation. Her interpretation of the feminist anthem "I'm Gonna Be an Engineer" by Peggy Seeger stands as her most recognized work, establishing her as a key figure in the English folk scene from 1962 onward. Having long participated in the Critic's Group led by the late Ewan MacColl, she has appeared regularly at folk festivals across Great Britain and the United States. Although her initial recordings centered on traditional ballads, Armstrong expanded her scope later on. She joined forces with Dave Van Ronk, the folk singer from Greenwich Village, in 1989 to produce the duo album Let No One Deceive You, which showcased compositions by Bertolt Brecht. The year 1997 marked her peak productivity, as she not only reissued the live recording Ways of Seeing but also put out Till the Grass O'ergrown the Corn, an album devoted to child ballads, alongside her solo effort The Fair Moon Rejoices. This last release incorporates her own compositions, pieces by Leon Rosselson, and William Blake poems adapted to music featuring saxophone and bagpipes by Peter Stacey.

Top Songs

  1. Lovely on the WaterThe Young Girl Cut Down in Her PrimeLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water3:27
  2. Lovely on the WaterLovely on the WaterLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:18
  3. Lovely on the WaterTarry TrousersLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water1:48
  4. Lovely on the WaterLow Down in the BroomLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:05
  5. Lovely on the WaterThe Maid on the ShoreLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water4:09
  6. Lovely on the WaterThe Frog and the MouseLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:30
  7. Lovely on the WaterThe Brown GirlLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water3:03
  8. Lovely on the WaterThe Unquiet GraveLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water3:18
  9. Lovely on the WaterThe Two SistersLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water4:57
  10. Till the Grass O'ergrew the CornHares on the MountainTill the Grass O'ergrew the Corn · 2016Till the Grass O'ergrew the Corn1:33
  11. Lovely on the WaterThe Green ValleyLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:19
  12. Lovely on the WaterThe Cruel MotherLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water4:32
  13. Lovely on the WaterThe Crafty Maid's PolicyLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:16
  14. Lovely on the WaterThe Saucy SailorLovely on the Water · 1972Lovely on the Water2:45
  15. Songs and BalladsLittle Duke Arthur's NurseSongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads3:28
  16. Songs and BalladsThe Pitmen's UnionSongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads3:13
  17. Songs and BalladsLady DiamondSongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads4:20
  18. Songs and BalladsLament for the Hull TrawlersSongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads3:59
  19. Songs and BalladsThe Month of JanuarySongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads3:52
  20. Songs and BalladsThree Drunken MaidensSongs and Ballads · 2016Songs and Ballads1:42

Albums

Cats of Coven Lawn

Cats of Coven Lawn

2021
Cats of Coven Lawn
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 2021
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  1. Bread and RosesFrankie Armstrong2:40
  2. Cats of Coven LawnFrankie Armstrong3:06
  3. Something SingsFrankie Armstrong1:58
  4. Lizzie WanFrankie Armstrong4:43
  5. We Are WomenFrankie Armstrong2:09
  6. Four SeasonsFrankie Armstrong1:44
  7. YoiksFrankie Armstrong1:57
  8. Where I Live on the MapFrankie Armstrong3:58
  9. IndianoFrankie Armstrong1:55
  10. Willow SongFrankie Armstrong4:20
  11. Marcy's Guest HouseFrankie Armstrong4:40
  12. Earth, Air, Fire and WaterFrankie Armstrong3:22
  13. Song of StrengthFrankie Armstrong1:57
  14. EncouragementFrankie Armstrong2:29
  15. Dead FunnyFrankie Armstrong2:32
  16. Life Lived WellFrankie Armstrong4:10
The Garden of Love

The Garden of Love

2016
The Garden of Love
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 2016
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  1. The Garden of Love / All That Is DifferentFrankie Armstrong5:33
  2. Barbara AllenFrankie Armstrong5:38
  3. The RideFrankie Armstrong4:25
  4. Kemp OwenFrankie Armstrong6:30
  5. The Devil and the Farmer's WifeFrankie Armstrong3:11
  6. IdumeaFrankie Armstrong1:56
  7. Thou Man of GriefFrankie Armstrong2:05
  8. To the BeggingFrankie Armstrong2:52
  9. Small ChangeFrankie Armstrong4:25
  10. The False Lover Won BackFrankie Armstrong6:01
  11. Leap YearFrankie Armstrong3:36
  12. Thomas of WelshburyFrankie Armstrong3:47
  13. The CuckooFrankie Armstrong3:08
  14. The Laird O' DrumFrankie Armstrong4:56
  15. The May Morning DewFrankie Armstrong3:30
  16. Green Groweth the HollyFrankie Armstrong2:16
  17. The Voice That Lives Inside YouFrankie Armstrong3:18
Till the Grass O'ergrew the Corn

Till the Grass O'ergrew the Corn

2016
Till the Grass O'ergrew the Corn
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 2016
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  1. The Broomfield HillFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick4:22
  2. Lady DiamondFrankie Armstrong5:27
  3. Hares on the MountainFrankie Armstrong and Maddy Prior1:33
  4. Fair LizzieFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick5:08
  5. Young OrphyFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick9:10
  6. The Proud GirlFrankie Armstrong5:50
  7. The Lover's GhostFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick4:23
  8. The Wife of Usher's WellFrankie Armstrong6:13
  9. John BluntFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick2:01
  10. Child WatersFrankie Armstrong11:19
  11. The Well Below the ValleyFrankie Armstrong and Maddy Prior3:32
  12. Clerk ColvenFrankie Armstrong and John Kirkpatrick8:06
Encouragement

Encouragement

2016
Encouragement
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 2016
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  1. EncouragementFrankie Armstrong3:11
  2. William TaylorFrankie Armstrong5:46
  3. Effects of LoveFrankie Armstrong3:30
  4. Anti CarolFrankie Armstrong3:43
  5. MadeleineFrankie Armstrong4:32
  6. Tam LinFrankie Armstrong9:57
  7. Holy ThursdayFrankie Armstrong3:29
  8. The Poet, the Wife and the MonkeyFrankie Armstrong5:08
  9. Demon LoverFrankie Armstrong5:20
  10. My Personal RevengeFrankie Armstrong4:48
  11. Polly Garter's SongFrankie Armstrong3:59
  12. PartingFrankie Armstrong3:36
  13. Fair AnnieFrankie Armstrong8:26
Songs and Ballads

Songs and Ballads

2016
Songs and Ballads
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 2016
Play
  1. Little Duke Arthur's NurseFrankie Armstrong3:28
  2. The Pitmen's UnionFrankie Armstrong3:13
  3. Lady DiamondFrankie Armstrong4:20
  4. Lament for the Hull TrawlersFrankie Armstrong3:59
  5. The Month of JanuaryFrankie Armstrong3:52
  6. Three Drunken MaidensFrankie Armstrong1:42
  7. Jack the LadFrankie Armstrong3:10
  8. The Whore's LamentFrankie Armstrong1:54
  9. Little MugraveFrankie Armstrong6:09
  10. The Collier LassFrankie Armstrong3:05
  11. The Female DrummerFrankie Armstrong5:13
I Heard A Woman Singing

I Heard A Woman Singing

1984
I Heard A Woman Singing
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 1984
Play
  1. Cattle CallFrankie Armstrong1:43
  2. Mr. FoxFrankie Armstrong4:12
  3. Come Geordie, Hold The BairnFrankie Armstrong2:37
  4. My Daughter, My SonFrankie Armstrong2:58
  5. Nothing Between Us NowFrankie Armstrong4:12
  6. New BootsFrankie Armstrong2:19
  7. MillworkerFrankie Armstrong3:11
  8. Lady MargaretFrankie Armstrong1:57
  9. Tam LinFrankie Armstrong7:33
  10. Taken By SurpriseFrankie Armstrong2:59
  11. The Ballad Of Erica LevineFrankie Armstrong3:44
  12. I Don't Want Your Red, Red RosesFrankie Armstrong2:31
And The Music Plays So Grand

And The Music Plays So Grand

1981
And The Music Plays So Grand
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 1981
Play
  1. The Outlandish KnightFrankie Armstrong4:59
  2. Boys Will Be BoysFrankie Armstrong2:39
  3. The Factory GirlFrankie Armstrong4:00
  4. Winnie And SamFrankie Armstrong4:42
  5. The Moving On SongFrankie Armstrong3:40
  6. The Devil And The Farmers WifeFrankie Armstrong2:59
  7. The Banks Of Green WillowFrankie Armstrong3:59
  8. Nothing To SayFrankie Armstrong3:28
  9. A Woman's WorkFrankie Armstrong3:08
  10. The Doffing MistressFrankie Armstrong1:30
  11. The Bosses DarlingFrankie Armstrong1:38
  12. The Female DrummerFrankie Armstrong4:47
Lovely on the Water

Lovely on the Water

1972
Lovely on the Water
Frankie Armstrong · Album · 1972
Play
  1. Tarry TrousersFrankie Armstrong1:48
  2. The Green ValleyFrankie Armstrong2:19
  3. Low Down in the BroomFrankie Armstrong2:05
  4. The Cruel MotherFrankie Armstrong4:32
  5. The Crafty Maid's PolicyFrankie Armstrong2:16
  6. The Maid on the ShoreFrankie Armstrong4:09
  7. The Frog and the MouseFrankie Armstrong2:30
  8. Lovely on the WaterFrankie Armstrong2:18
  9. The Brown GirlFrankie Armstrong3:03
  10. The Young Girl Cut Down in Her PrimeFrankie Armstrong3:27
  11. The Unquiet GraveFrankie Armstrong3:18
  12. The Saucy SailorFrankie Armstrong2:45
  13. The Two SistersFrankie Armstrong4:57