In Celebration of Joan Armatrading

As one of the first Black British female singer-songwriters to achieve international success armed with little more than a guitar and self-belief, Joan Armatrading has cut a unique path in the music world for over 50 years. 

Born on the island of St Kitts in 1950, Armatrading moved to Birmingham with her family at seven years old where she began writing songs and limericks as a teenager on the piano her mother bought to decorate the living room. 

Her style melded the genres of folk, pop, blues, rock, funk and pop, creating a feel-good, soft-rock blend that allowed her to appeal as much to middle American truck drivers as she did to Greenham Common feminists.

While in 1983's The Key gave the world the powerpop singalong number "Drop The Pilot".

Later in the decade, she strove to expand beyond the guitar sound she was known for, experimenting with synths and eventually producing all of her own records.

A prolific songwriter, Armatrading never slowed down over the decades and recently brought out her twentieth studio album, 2021's Consequences.

Looking back on her career, her influence on later generations is clear to see. Although she rarely spoke about her sexuality (she celebrated a civil partnership with partner Maggie Butler in 2011)...