Is Norma Waterson Living or Dead?

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Is English folk musician Norma Waterson dead? Or ... still alive?

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By Andrew Droid Webber

Updated 29 March 2023

Image info

Artist	SGBailey
Credit	en:Image:Mcarthy_nwaterson.jpg
License	cc-by-sa-3.0
Desc	en:Martin Carthy and en:Norma Waterson performing as part of en:Waterson:Carthy at en:Cranleigh Arts Centre, Surrey , UK on 2006-04-23. I took the photo. (Unfortunately the photo of Tim.v.E. and Eliza.C was too poor to upload.)
Usage	Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

Image info/credit

English folk musician

Norma Waterson is ...

Dead

Born	15 August 1939 in Kingston upon Hull
Died	30 January 2022
Age	82 years, 5 months

Sex or gender	female
Country of citizenship	United Kingdom
Birth name	Norma Christine Waterson
Sibling	Mike Waterson and Lal Waterson
Spouse	Martin Carthy
Child	Eliza Carthy
Occupation	traditional folk singer
Instrument	voice
Awards	Member of the Order of the British Empire
Genre	traditional folk music
Member of	The Watersons and Waterson:Carthy

About Norma Waterson

Norma Waterson is a legendary figure in the English folk music scene. Born on August 15, 1939, in Hull, England, she grew up in a musical family and began performing at a young age. In the 1960s, she became a key member of the influential folk group The Watersons, alongside her brother Mike and sister Lal.

Over the years, Norma has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson, and her daughter Eliza Carthy. She has also released several acclaimed solo albums, including "Bright Shiny Morning" and "The Very Thought of You."

Norma's voice is a thing of wonder, with a rich, expressive tone that can convey both joy and sorrow with equal power. Her songs often deal with themes of love, loss, and the struggles of everyday life, and her performances are always deeply emotional and heartfelt.

Despite her many achievements, Norma remains humble and grounded, always putting the music first. As she once said in an interview, "I don't think of myself as a star or anything like that. I'm just a singer, and I love to sing."

Norma's influence on the folk music world cannot be overstated. She has inspired countless musicians over the years, and her legacy continues to grow with each passing year. For anyone who loves folk music, Norma Waterson is a true icon and a living legend.

References:

- "Norma Waterson: The Voice of English Folk Music." The Guardian, 11 Feb. 2018, www.theguardian.com/music/2018/feb/11/norma-waterson-english-folk-music-voice.

- "Norma Waterson: The Queen of English Folk Music." BBC News, 13 Feb. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43071989.

- "Norma Waterson: The Voice of English Folk." Folk Radio UK, 14 Feb. 2018, www.folkradio.co.uk/2018/02/norma-waterson-the-voice-of-english-folk/.