Heidi Talbot

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Heidi Talbot

| image = HeidiPress 2-1.jpg

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| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1980|05}}

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| origin = County Kildare, Ireland

| instrument = Voice, Guitar, Ukulele

| genre = Folk music

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| associated_acts = Cherish the Ladies, John McCusker, Mark Knopfler, Roddy Woomble, Kris Drever, Eddi Reader, Boo Hewerdine

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Heidi Talbot (born 1980) is an Irish folk singer from Kill, County Kildare, Ireland. Talbot is a former singer of Irish-American musical group Cherish the Ladies.

Early life and education

Born in the rural village of Kill, County Kildare, Ireland, Talbot began singing in the church choir run by her mother. At sixteen, she enrolled at Dublin's Bel Canto singing school, studying for the next year and a half under its founder and director Frank Merriman.

Singing career

When she was 18, Heidi moved to New York, where she spent two years working in bars and clubs before being invited to join Cherish the Ladies in 2002. In between the band's touring schedule, Talbot continued to develop her solo work, releasing Distant Future on Nashville roots label Compass Records. Produced by John Doyle, the record featured such guests as multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell,{{cite web |title=Heidi Talbot releases 'Empty Promise Land' ft. Mark Knopfler & Dirk Powell |url=https://spiralearth.co.uk/heidi-talbot-releases-empty-promise-land-ft-mark-knopfler-dirk-powell/ |website=Spiral Earth |access-date=21 April 2024 |date=11 March 2022 |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205144932/https://spiralearth.co.uk/heidi-talbot-releases-empty-promise-land-ft-mark-knopfler-dirk-powell/ |url-status=live }} concertinist John Williams and fiddler Rayna Gellert. Three years later, the recording of In Love and Light coincided with her decision to leave Cherish the Ladies at the end of 2007.

After the launch of In Love and Light at Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival in January 2008, Talbot featured as a guest on albums by Radiohead drummer Philip Selway, and the new trio collaboration of John McCusker, Kris Drever and Roddy Woomble. She has also sung on records by Eddi Reader, Boo Hewerdine,{{cite web |title=Heidi & Boo set to offer sublime evening of song at Mareel |url=https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2023/11/29/heidi-boo-set-to-offer-sublime-evening-of-song-at-mareel/ |website=Shetland News |access-date=21 April 2024 |date=29 November 2023 |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205174031/https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2023/11/29/heidi-boo-set-to-offer-sublime-evening-of-song-at-mareel/ |url-status=live }} and Idlewild. Heidi's album 'Angels Without Wings', is an album of original folk songs with guest contributions from Mark Knopfler,{{cite web |last1=Dongray |first1=Emily |title=New single from Heidi Talbot features Mark Knopfler, album date announced |url=https://americana-uk.com/new-single-from-heidi-talbot-features-mark-knopfler-album-date-announced |website=Americana UK |access-date=21 April 2024 |date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205144934/https://americana-uk.com/new-single-from-heidi-talbot-features-mark-knopfler-album-date-announced |url-status=live }} Jerry Douglas, King Creosote,{{cite web |last1=Ball |first1=James |title=Collaborations, Family And Folk: Stereoboard Chats To Heidi Talbot |url=https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/180490/9 |website=Stereoboard |access-date=21 April 2024 |language=en |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205144931/https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/180490/9 |url-status=live }} Julie Fowlis,{{cite web |title=An Interview with Heidi Talbot |url=https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2013/02/an-interview-with-heidi-talbot/ |website=KLOF Mag |access-date=21 April 2024 |date=8 February 2013 |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205173844/https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2013/02/an-interview-with-heidi-talbot/ |url-status=live }} and Tim O'Brien.

Awards

In Love and Light won an Indie Acoustic award for best album in 2008[http://www.indieacoustic.com/archives.html Indie Acoustic Awards website - list of winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423132637/http://www.indieacoustic.com/archives.html |date=2013-04-23 }} and was nominated for an Irish Music Award 2009 in the best female vocalist category.{{Cite web |url=http://www.irelandsmusicawards.com/nominees.php |title=Ireland Music Awards website - list of nominees |access-date=2009-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810021601/http://www.irelandsmusicawards.com/nominees.php |archive-date=2012-08-10 |url-status=dead }}

In 2023, Heidi Talbot won Composer of the Year at the prestigious Scots Trad Music Awards.{{Cite web |url=https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmusicawards/ |title=Scots Trad Music Awards website - list of winners |access-date=2023-12-05 |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205143649/https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmusicawards/ |url-status=live }}

Personal life

Talbot lives in the suburbs of Edinburgh. She was married to musician John McCusker for 11 years; they have two daughters, Molly Mae and Jessica. She remarried in May 2024.

Discography

=Solo albums=

Heidi Talbot (2002)
Distant Future (2004)
In Love and Light (2008)
The Last Star (2010)
My Sister the Moon EP (2012)
Angels Without Wings (2013){{Cite web |url=http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Heidi-Talbot-Angels-Without-Wings-Ltd-Autographed-Edition-146125 |title="Angels Without Wings" product details |access-date=18 January 2013 |archive-date=19 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119131458/http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Heidi-Talbot-Angels-Without-Wings-Ltd-Autographed-Edition-146125 |url-status=live }}
Here We Go 1, 2, 3 (2016)
Sing It for a Lifetime (2022){{cite web |last1=Talbot |first1=Heidi |title=Heidi Talbot - Store |url=https://heiditalbot.com/store |website=heiditalbot.com |access-date=21 April 2024 |archive-date=7 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207181755/https://heiditalbot.com/store |url-status=live }}