Eddi Reader

Honey-voiced Eddi Reader has been around several blocks, musically speaking. A native of Glasgow, she has been well-known and loved in Britain for years. Oddly enough, Reader jumped right into her performing career in the early ’80s by traveling through Europe with a circus troupe. Shortly after, she decided to settle in London and become a session vocalist. Her choice proved fruitful as her book soon filled up and she landed work with the Eurythmics, the Waterboys, and Gang of Four. None seemed like the right setting for Reader. Then she found her place in the spotlight with Fairground Attraction. The band’s debut, First of a Million Kisses, hit the British charts in 1988, along with the single “Perfect.” Reader gained a good bit of recognition, both critical and popular, and was able to launch her solo career from that platform, although it did not happen immediately. Her solo debut, Mirmama, saw daylight in 1992 and found Reader’s lovely pipes wrapped around some fine tunes. Although it was a limited release, it caught the ear of the folks at Warner Bros, who followed it in 1994 with her self-titled album. This second effort included more Reader originals amid the slick production. Despite touring in its support, she still managed to contribute to recordings by Thomas Dolby, Liberty Horses, and others. When things didn’t pan out with her major label, Reader returned to her independent roots and issued Candyfloss & Medicine in 1996 and Angels & Electricity in 1999 through Blanco y Negro, all the while perfecting her brand of smooth acoustic folk-pop. Finding herself with yet another musical home, Compass Records re-released both Mirmama and Angels & Electricity in the United States and allowed Reader the chance to put forth her most organic offering to date with Simple Soul in 2001. Seventeen Stories: The Best of Eddi Reader and the all-new Driftwood arrived in 2002, followed by Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns in 2003 and Peacetime in 2007. The following year saw Reader make a foray into film with an appearance in Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Wells. In 2009 she commemorated the 250th anniversary of Scottish poet Robert Burns’ birth with the release of a deluxe edition of The Songs of Robert Burns, which featured additional material. That same year she also put out new music in the form of her ninth studio album, Love Is the Way. Save for a live record, which appeared in 2010, Reader took an extended break from recording, returning in 2014 with Vagabond. There was only a slightly lesser gap between albums with her 12th studio record appearing in 2018. Cavalier was recorded in Glasgow and produced by Reader and her husband John Douglas. ~ Kelly McCartney