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ARTIST WEB LINKS ::
Joan Armatrading website

Joan Armatrading

The world may wonder what happened to Joan Armatrading, but the truth is, she never went away. After releasing her outstanding debut recording “Whatever’s for Us” in the early ‘70s, and scoring hits with “Love and Affection,” “Down to Zero,” “Drop the Pilot” and “Me Myself and I,” Armatrading spent two decades constantly reinventing herself in not only the pop category, but rock, folk, jazz and reggae, and now, the blues.

After some 18 recordings, Armatrading released “Into the Blues” in May of this year, a foray into the subtle and sublime aspects of this traditional music. It caps a career that spans Brit and Grammy awards, scores of industry accolades, work with the world’s best musicians and producers, a performance for Nelson Mandela, her patronage of various charities, and her continued academic studies. As well as the honorary degree she was given by the John Moores University of Liverpool, she has also received a Doctorate in Music from the University of Birmingham, been made an Honorary Fellow of Northampton University and received an Honorary degree from Aston University in 2006. She’s also earned a BA Honours 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).