Kellie While
Encyclopedia
Kellie While is a British singer-songwriter considered to have one of the outstanding voices of her generation. She has been a member of some of the most influential and innovative British folk groups of her era, is a much sought after contributor to the work of major artists and has emerged in recent years as a solo performer.
in Lancashire
, she is the daughter of singer-songwriter Chris While
and pianist-songwriter Joe While. She began performing with her mother in local folk clubs
while still a teenager and became lead singer with the Sefton Youth Jazz Big Band. She began to write her own songs and to learn to play the guitar while still at school and continued to perform in local clubs.
at the age of only nineteen. Kellie took over guitar playing and vocal duties for the band for five years and contributed to two albums. On Happy Accident (1998) she was officially a guest vocalist on three tracks and gained a writing credit with Hutchings on ‘Pear Tree’. She did not appear on the 1999 release Before us Stands Yesterday, but was a full member of the band for Road Movies (2001), contributing guitars and vocals. She penned the song ‘Home Straight’ with Joe Broughton and was the sole composer of ‘Pieces of Me’. One highlight was her vocal performance on the Broughton/Hutchings penned ‘When my son is Grown’. After the official break-up of the Albion Band in 2002 Kellie continued to record and tour with the seasonal project The Albion Christmas Band, contributing to four albums of traditional and new seasonal music.
formed out of the breakup of festival favourites Edward II. This resulted in two albums Shift (2001), and If Not Now (2003) on which Kellie took the main vocal duties and which were very well received in the folk and roots press. The band toured for three years with this lineup.
, who wrote the title track ‘Tenacious Girl’ for Kellie based on a description of her by her mother. The album contained a familiar mix of traditional and modern songs and was highly rated by the folk and roots press.
, beside musicians Maartin Allcock
; John Kirkpatrick
, Robbie McIntosh
, Michael McGoldrick
and Simon Swarbrick in the Reel and Soul Association. The project mixed American soul and British Folk music. The groups eponymously titled album gained considerable mainstream attention which resulted in numerous TV and radio appearances including the BBC's Top of the Pops 2.
’.
, Roy Bailey, Chris While and Julie Matthews, Kate Rusby
and Martin Simpson
. She has also been a backing vocalist for Eddi Reader
and Beth Nielsen Chapman
and has taken part in live collaborations with Pete Morton
, Fairport Convention
, Emily Slade and Mike Silver. In July 2009 Kellie performed as part of the All-Star Fairport Convention
concert at The Barbican
. The concert featured surviving original Fairport members Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings
, Simon Nicol
, Dave Mattacks, Iain Matthews and Judy Dyble
as well as a host of guest vocalists including Chris While
, Teddy Thompson
and Linde Nijland
.
The Albion Band
e2K
The Reel and Soul Association
Chris and Kellie While
The Albion Christmas Band
As Guest Vocalist
Early career
Born in Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, she is the daughter of singer-songwriter Chris While
Chris While
Chris While is an award-winning songwriter, singer and musician, known particularly for her powerful and moving vocals and the quality of her compositions and live performances. She has enjoyed success both as a solo artist, a songwriter and as a member of a number of notable and influential...
and pianist-songwriter Joe While. She began performing with her mother in local folk clubs
Folk clubs
A folk club is a regular event, permanent venue, or section of a venue devoted to folk music and traditional music. Folk clubs were primarily an urban phenomenon of 1960s and 1970s Great Britain and Ireland, and vital to the second British folk revival, but continue today there and elsewhere...
while still a teenager and became lead singer with the Sefton Youth Jazz Big Band. She began to write her own songs and to learn to play the guitar while still at school and continued to perform in local clubs.
The Albion Band
In 1997, after the departure of her mother and Julie Matthews from the Albion Band she was asked to join by Ashley HutchingsAshley Hutchings
Ashley Stephen Hutchings is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founder member of three of the most noteworthy English folk-rock bands in the history of the genre; Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band...
at the age of only nineteen. Kellie took over guitar playing and vocal duties for the band for five years and contributed to two albums. On Happy Accident (1998) she was officially a guest vocalist on three tracks and gained a writing credit with Hutchings on ‘Pear Tree’. She did not appear on the 1999 release Before us Stands Yesterday, but was a full member of the band for Road Movies (2001), contributing guitars and vocals. She penned the song ‘Home Straight’ with Joe Broughton and was the sole composer of ‘Pieces of Me’. One highlight was her vocal performance on the Broughton/Hutchings penned ‘When my son is Grown’. After the official break-up of the Albion Band in 2002 Kellie continued to record and tour with the seasonal project The Albion Christmas Band, contributing to four albums of traditional and new seasonal music.
e2K
In January 2000, while still with the Albions, Kellie joined in the World/Folk band e2KEdward II (band)
Edward II is an English band named for King Edward II, which play a fusion of world music, English folk and reggae. Active from 1985, the band broke up after losing several key members in 1999, relaunching as "e2K" in 2000...
formed out of the breakup of festival favourites Edward II. This resulted in two albums Shift (2001), and If Not Now (2003) on which Kellie took the main vocal duties and which were very well received in the folk and roots press. The band toured for three years with this lineup.
Tenacious
In 2001 Kellie released her first solo album Tenacious, co-produced by Chris While’s long time musical collaborator Julie MatthewsJulie Matthews
Julie Matthews is an award-winning singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. She has been a member of some of the most influential British folk duos and groups and is acknowledged internationally as a major songwriter, with her work being covered by a wide range of artists and...
, who wrote the title track ‘Tenacious Girl’ for Kellie based on a description of her by her mother. The album contained a familiar mix of traditional and modern songs and was highly rated by the folk and roots press.
Reel and Soul Association
In 2002 Kellie shared lead vocals with Thea GilmoreThea Gilmore
Thea Eve Gilmore is a British female singer-songwriter. She began her career working in a recording studio, where she was discovered by her now long-time collaborator, producer and sometime co-songwriter Nigel Stonier, whom she married in October 2005.-Career:Gilmore was born in Oxford to Irish...
, beside musicians Maartin Allcock
Maartin Allcock
Maartin Allcock , also known as Martin Allcock, is a multi-instrumentalist musician and record producer.-Biography:...
; John Kirkpatrick
John Kirkpatrick
John Kirkpatrick is an English player of free reed instruments.-In London :John Kirkpatrick was born 8 August 1947 in Chiswick, west London. As a child he sang in the choir and played piano. In 1959 he joined the Hammersmith Morris Men, in the second week of their existence, beginning a...
, Robbie McIntosh
Robbie McIntosh
Robbie McIntosh is an English guitarist. McIntosh is well known as a session guitarist and member of The Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney joining his band full time until early 1994...
, Michael McGoldrick
Michael McGoldrick
Michael McGoldrick is a flute and tin whistle player. He also plays the Uilleann pipes and low whistle. He is well known for his ability to skate switch and regular with the same level of ability.-Bands:...
and Simon Swarbrick in the Reel and Soul Association. The project mixed American soul and British Folk music. The groups eponymously titled album gained considerable mainstream attention which resulted in numerous TV and radio appearances including the BBC's Top of the Pops 2.
Chris and Kellie While
In 2004 Kellie collaborated with her mother to produce the album Chris and Kellie While in 2004, notable for its strong harmonies and emotional delivery of standards and some of Chris’ best songs. Since then they have toured together regularly, producing a second album, Too Few Songs, in 2006, which showcased some of the best songwriting available from writers including David Francey, Ron Sexsmith and Mike Silver. The album received widespread critical acclaim, as the review in the Daily Telegraph put it ‘each song remains a showcase for the delicate, complementary powers of expression of two expert vocalists, truly living up to the “more like sisters” description of one admirer, Ralph McTellRalph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
’.
Session work and live appearances
Kellie has been a much sought after contributor to other people’s projects. These include contributions to albums by Helen WatsonHelen Watson (singer-songwriter)
Helen Watson is an English singer-songwriter. Her music encompasses blues, soul, jazz, pop and folk.-Biography:Watson began performing on the folk-club circuit during the late 1960s whilst working as a teacher in Manchester...
, Roy Bailey, Chris While and Julie Matthews, Kate Rusby
Kate Rusby
Kate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
and Martin Simpson
Martin Simpson
Martin Simpson is an English folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. His music reflects a wide variety of influences and styles, rooted in the British Isles, America and beyond.-Biography:...
. She has also been a backing vocalist for Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
and Beth Nielsen Chapman
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Beth Nielsen Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, mostly known for her numerous hits recorded by country and pop music performers.-Early history:...
and has taken part in live collaborations with Pete Morton
Pete Morton
Pete Morton is a folk singer-songwriter who currently lives in London, England.-Biography:Morton was born in Leicester, England on July 30, 1964, and was educated at Countesthorpe Community College where he spent most of his time in the music block learning guitar and playing new wave and punk songs...
, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
, Emily Slade and Mike Silver. In July 2009 Kellie performed as part of the All-Star Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
concert at The Barbican
The Barbican
Barbican is a type of fortified building.Barbican may also refer to:*Willoughby House, also known as the Barbican, London* Barbican , a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe* Barbican , a thoroughbred horse...
. The concert featured surviving original Fairport members Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Stephen Hutchings is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founder member of three of the most noteworthy English folk-rock bands in the history of the genre; Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band...
, Simon Nicol
Simon Nicol
Simon John Breckenridge Nicol is a guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founder member of British folk rock, or electric folk group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band...
, Dave Mattacks, Iain Matthews and Judy Dyble
Judy Dyble
Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble , is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she was very briefly with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which evolved into...
as well as a host of guest vocalists including Chris While
Chris While
Chris While is an award-winning songwriter, singer and musician, known particularly for her powerful and moving vocals and the quality of her compositions and live performances. She has enjoyed success both as a solo artist, a songwriter and as a member of a number of notable and influential...
, Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson is a British folk and rock musician. He is the son of folk-rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother of singer Kamila Thompson...
and Linde Nijland
Linde Nijland
For 15 years Linde Nijland was part of harmony singing folk duo Ygdrassil. 2007 marked the preliminary end of the group and Linde continued her career as a solo singer/songwriter. She has toured The Netherlands, UK, Austria, Belgium and Germany...
.
Discography
As Solo Artist- Tenacious (Mother Records, 2001)
The Albion Band
- Happy Accident (Topic, 1998)
- Road Movies (Topic, 2001)
e2K
- If Not Now (2001, Topic, 2001)
- Shift (Topic, 2003)
The Reel and Soul Association
- The Reel and Soul Association (Flying Sparks Records, 2002)
Chris and Kellie While
- Chris and Kellie While (Fat Cat Records, 2004)
- Too Few Songs (Fat Cat Records, 2006)
The Albion Christmas Band
- An Albion Christmas (Talking Elephant Records, 2005)
- Winter Songs (Talking Elephant Records, 2006)
- Christmas Album (Talking Elephant Records, 2007)
- Snow on Snow (Talking Elephant Records, 2008)
As Guest Vocalist
- Helen Watson, Somersault (Fledg’ling, 1997)
- Emily Slade, Fretless (Rustic Thorn, 2003)
- Ashley Hutchings and Friends, Human Nature (Talking Elephant, 2003)
- While & Matthews, Perfect Mistake (Fat Cat, 2004)
- Kate Rusby, The Girl Who Couldn't Fly (Pure Records, 2005)
- Various Artists, The Songs Of The BBC Radio Ballads (BBC, 2006)
- Martin Simpson, Prodigal Son (Topic, 2007)
- Fairport Convention, Live At Cropredy 2008 (Matty Grooves, 2008)
- Martin Simpson, True Stories (Topic, 2009)