Elaine "Lal" Waterson was an English folk singer and songwriter.
10 Facts About Lal Waterson
1.
2.
Lal Waterson sang with, among others, The Watersons, The Waterdaughters and Blue Murder.
3.
Lal Waterson was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire.
4.
Lal Waterson was the sister of Norma Waterson and Mike Waterson, the aunt of Eliza Carthy and the sister-in-law of Martin Carthy.
5.
Lal Waterson was married to George Knight and had two children, Oliver Knight and Maria Gilhooley, with both of whom she recorded albums.
6.
Lal, Norma, and Mike Waterson were orphans and brought up by their grandmother who was of part gypsy descent.
7.
Always very close, they began singing together, with cousin John Harrison, in the 1950s, with Lal 'singing unexpected harmonies.
8.
In 1976 all three Lal Waterson siblings moved to Kirk Moor on the edge of the North York Moors and re-formed the group, with Martin Carthy taking over for John Harrison.
9.
Lal Waterson left The Watersons in 1990 for health reasons, staying at Robin Hood's Bay, still writing and painting, and recorded her songs at home with her son Oliver Knight, who was a producer, guitarist, and songwriter.
10.
Jo Freya's album "Lal Waterson" is another tribute to her.