Brenda Wootton

She sang this so beautifully...

Recently come to light... Brenda in one of her legendary pantomimes at Sennen... with the frankly awesome Donald Jarvis - and is that Jacqueline Oliver? Late 1960s...

On one of our lovely picnics...

In case you missed the promo page from the publishers of Brenda's biography, TJInk, this is it...

Here is the article written by Philip Rush for his Japanese university's Arts publication - with a lovely story about Brenda: "Brenda Wootton - by Philip RUSH Brenda Wootton: the "Cornish Nightingale". An imposing figure, with a voice so powerful that it could make the room shake, or so pure, sweet and gentle that it seemed impossible for such a delicate sound to come from such a generously proportioned body. She could belt out a jazz standard, a rousing folk song, or the m...ost ethereal of ballads with equal facility. She sang in Cornish as well as in English, French and Breton. One of her songs was in French: "Ma Chere Cornouailles" (My Dear Cornwall), a poignant lament from an exiled Cornishman far from home and longing to see his native fields again. I heard it at a live performance she made at a local folk club. I was soon to take a group of my students to Brittany, and this song seemed to be a great choice to teach the students and to perform while we were there. However, there was no professionally recorded version available. Brenda had a concert near my home-town: what could I lose by asking? I arrived at her dressing room early, gathered my courage, and knocked on the door. She was graceful enough to invite me in. I explained who I was, and why I was there. I had brought my tape recorder, and was going to ask her permission to record that one song at the concert if she was planning to sing it. She wasn't. Then, in an act of generosity that quite overwhelmed me, she offered to sing it to me then and there. I fiddled with the buttons, and my heart raced as the sweet sounds of her singing filled that tiny room. The song ended: it was time for her concert. I played back the tape: disaster! In my haste I had forgotten to release the pause button. It was time for her to go. She looked at me, smiled, and sang it all the way through again. What an amazing lady. We learned the song, took it to France, and spread a little bit of Cornwall abroad. I will never forget her incredible act of kindness nor her patience. Brenda died in 1994; sadly missed, but never forgotten."
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I had a lovely email today from a Brenda fan in Japan who'd just bought her CDs from me. He had this to say: "I returned to Cornwall this February for the first time since the book was published, so could at last pick it up from my mother's in Camborne. I just finished reading it yesterday! It brought back a lot of memories of places and people. I admire you for giving such a no-holds-barred appraisal of your mother's life and career. She comes out of it as so much more huma...n, I feel. I guess that now at least one copy of the book is in Japan, you can style yourself as an internationally acclaimed writer now! I put a short piece about Brenda in my university's Arts publication last year. Hope you like it." I certainly do Philip! I'll post it shortly... and don't forget, you can buy Brenda's CDs, a few of her original LPs and her new Biography from my website here: www.brendawootton.org
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Just found this on another thread - from Harvey Andrew's great blog on music from the south west, posted in 2013 https://sentinelrecords.blogspot.com/…/ pasties-cream-in-cor…

Gwenno (big fan of Brenda) in South Australia... https://m.facebook.com/groups/54339033572 2263?view=permalink&id=2237935036267 776

The swede/turnip debate rumbles on... here's a posting Tasmin Betty put on Nostalgic Penzance and Newlyn earlier... scroll down through the outraged comments for the answer to the great conundrum ie: why would I have used 'swede' instead of turnip?.

For anyone who has tried to buy the Brenda biography from the Brenda website, and read that it was 'out of stock'... all is now well... it was a small (*ahem*) administrative error. 'FOR THE LOVE OF CORNWALL...' is now BACK IN STOCK on the website: https://www.brendawootton.org/…/brenda- for-the-love-of-corn…

Brenda Wootton & John the Fish mentioned on Round Britain Quiz https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00024p c Listen again at approximately 9 minutes into the programme.

Look out for Frank Ruhrmund's review of Brenda's biography in the WESTERN MORNING NEWS (WMN2) this Saturday, 12/1/19... and I thought you'd like to see a photo of Brenda, the Mermaid, which only came to light after the book was published - with her schoolfriend, Beryl Richards, on the beach at Porthcurno... I loved it so much I've had it framed ;)

LAST DAY for UK posting to arrive in time for Christmas!! Get on it now if you want the Brenda biography - or any of the CDs) as a Christmas present... however, we will continue to post out right up to Christmas Eve, so if your deadline is a little looser - no problem!
And don't forget you can use the coupon code on the listing to get FREE UK POSTAGE!
https://www.brendawootton.org/…/brenda- for-the-love-of-corn…

BRENDA BIOGRAPHY - CHRISTMAS SPECIAL OFFER: A double whammy for you - not only can you now get a Brenda CD at HALF PRICE on the Brenda website, for all UK orders of the Biography - now there's FREE POSTAGE as well!! (NB Had some bother setting up the Free UK Shipping - have now added a Coupon Code, should work! Look on the Biography page...) https://www.brendawootton.org/…/brenda- for-the-love-of-corn…

Wonderful review of Brenda's Biography in the St Ives Times & Echo today, written by the ever-lovely Des Hannigan!!
"Ellery-Hill does not sing, but her book does." - Wow... thanks Des!!
"CORNWALL'S FIRST LADY OF SONG: BRENDA WOOTTON BIOGRAPHY...
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Gwenno is a huge fan of Brenda - and I am a huge fan of Gwenno. She is a superb musician, and a marvellous advocate for Cornwall and it's culture, and for Brenda in particular - and is really just a lovely person. What a fabulous tribute... http://artcornwall.org/interviews/Gwenno/ Gwenno.htm…

People have been saying some lovely things about the new Brenda biography!