For Christmas Eve I thought I'd choose an artist that was part of what many people think the best of all the Christmas songs.
Kirsty Anna MacColl was born in Britain in 1959 and was sadly killed in a boating accident aged 41 years in December 2000 while on holiday in Mexico with her family.
She was brought up in Croydon South London daughter of Dancer Jean Newlove and Folk Singer Ewan MacColl so had plenty of showbiz encouragement.
At an early age she started to write and perform music in her own Folk/Pop/NewWave style and first released a single she had written herself "They don't know" in 1979. However despite plenty of radio airtime a record producers strike at the time stopped it ever charting. However the song was performed four years later by Tracy Ullman and became a success for that lady.
She first hit the British charts in 1981 with that song with the short title "There is a Man works down the Chip Shop thinks he's Elvis", great song though :-
MacColl eventually made the top 10 of the British charts with the classic "New England" in 1985.
In 1986 Stiff records who MacColl recorded with went bust and nobody came in to buy her contract from the reciever so she was unable to record. Her recording engineer husband Steve Lillywhite (whom she divorced in 1994) arranged for her to do some vocals for a few other artists including, The Smiths, Talking Heads & Big Country.
Kirsty Anna MacColl was born in Britain in 1959 and was sadly killed in a boating accident aged 41 years in December 2000 while on holiday in Mexico with her family.
She was brought up in Croydon South London daughter of Dancer Jean Newlove and Folk Singer Ewan MacColl so had plenty of showbiz encouragement.At an early age she started to write and perform music in her own Folk/Pop/NewWave style and first released a single she had written herself "They don't know" in 1979. However despite plenty of radio airtime a record producers strike at the time stopped it ever charting. However the song was performed four years later by Tracy Ullman and became a success for that lady.
She first hit the British charts in 1981 with that song with the short title "There is a Man works down the Chip Shop thinks he's Elvis", great song though :-MacColl eventually made the top 10 of the British charts with the classic "New England" in 1985.
In 1986 Stiff records who MacColl recorded with went bust and nobody came in to buy her contract from the reciever so she was unable to record. Her recording engineer husband Steve Lillywhite (whom she divorced in 1994) arranged for her to do some vocals for a few other artists including, The Smiths, Talking Heads & Big Country.
In 1987 she scored her biggest hit when she teamed up with Punk Group "The Pogues" to make the Christmas Classic "Fairytale of New York". Many people regard this as the best Christmas song ever and it is a great performance (isn't Shane MacGowan lovely girls). The song peaked at No2 in the UK chart kept from top spot by The Pet Shop Boys "Always on my mind".
Her life came to a tragic end in December 2000 while taking a well earned holiday in Cuzumel Mexico. MacColl was skuba diving with her two young sons in a designated "No Boats Area" when she saw a speedboat enter the area heading straight for her group. The boat was going to miss Louis but hit her youngest son Jamie so MacColl went to push him out of the boats path and was struck herself, she died at the scene.
The boat was owned by a Mexican supermarket millionaire Guillermo Gonzalez Nova who many witnesses claim was at the wheel at the time of the accident. However one of his workers took the wrap and was sentenced to 2years 10 months for manslaughter but was released by someone paying a fine.
And we can't finish without that song and this is today's Christmas offering :-
RIP Kirsty
1 comment:
Kirsty MacColl has a special place in my heart as my youngest daughter was named after her.
When I was heavily pregnant with my youngest, I was a bit depressed and felt like a double decker bus. One night I switched on Top of the Pops and their was Kirsty MacColl singing her hit 'A New England' Looking like a double decker bus! She was heavily pregnant too and it made me feel so much better to see her just the same as me!
So when I had my daughter I called her Kirsty.
It's such a shame when someone passes so tragically, but she wont be forgotten by me or my daughter. :)
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