Nancy Whiskey

{{Short description|Scottish folk singer (1935–2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Nancy Whiskey | image = | caption = | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Anne Alexandra Young Wilson | alias = Nancy Wilson | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1935|03|04}} | birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2003|02|01|1935|03|04}} | death_place = Leicester, England | instrument = Vocals | genre = Folk, skiffle | occupation = Singer | years_active = c.1954–1999 | label = Topic, Oriole | website = }}

'''Nancy Whiskey''' (born '''Anne Alexandra Young Wilson'''; 4 March 1935 – 1 February 2003) was a Scottish folk singer, best known for the 1957 hit song "Freight Train".<ref name="Larkin50"/>

==Life and career== Nancy Wilson was born in Dalmarnock, Glasgow, Scotland,<ref name="Larkin50"/> and learned guitar as a child.<ref name=guardian>[https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,3604,891378,00.html Dean Steel, "Obituary: Nancy Whiskey"], ''The Guardian'', 8 February 2003. Retrieved 8 January 2014</ref> While attending art school in Glasgow, she performed on the local folk club circuit where she met fellow singer and guitarist Jimmie Macgregor who introduced her to blues and hillbilly music.<ref name=guardian/> She took her stage name from a Scottish folk song, "The Calton Weaver",<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-songs-with-chords/Calton%20Weaver.htm|title=The Calton Weaver|website=Tradionalmusic.co.uk|accessdate=October 29, 2019}}</ref> which has a chorus of: "Whisky, whisky, Nancy whisky, Whisky, whisky, Nancy-O".<ref name="Larkin50">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2002|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-937-0|page=489}}</ref>

She formed a relationship with jazz pianist Bob Kelly, and they moved to London in 1955.<ref name=scotsman>[http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/nancy-whiskey-1-544321 Obituary: Nancy Whiskey], ''The Scotsman'', 2003. Retrieved 8 January 2014</ref> On MacGregor's recommendation, she was signed by Topic Records and, although reluctant to surrender her reputation as a solo performer, was persuaded to join the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group to record Elizabeth Cotten's song "Freight Train".<ref name=guardian/> The group had already recorded the song, with McDevitt singing, but re-recorded it with Nancy Whiskey's vocals.<ref name=scotsman/> The record made the top five in the UK Singles Chart in 1957,<ref name="Larkin50"/> and she also toured the United States with McDevitt's group and appeared on the ''Ed Sullivan Show''.<ref name=scotsman/> "Freight Train" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold record award.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/96 96] | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 | url-access= registration | url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/96 }}</ref> A dispute over the rights to the song, which had been introduced to Britain by Peggy Seeger, was eventually settled out of court.<ref name=scotsman/>

After a second, smaller hit, "Greenback Dollar", Whiskey left the group.<ref name="Larkin50"/> She disliked the skiffle style which she was obliged to perform with McDevitt, and her outspoken comments, together with the fact that she was expecting a child with Bob Kelly, a married man, offended some fans.<ref name=guardian/> She resumed a solo career and — after his divorce — married Kelly, who became a member of her backing group, the Skifflers, who later renamed themselves as the Teetotallers. She also recorded several singles for Oriole Records in the late 1950s, and released an album, ''The Intoxicating Miss Whiskey''.<ref name=scotsman/>

She and Kelly moved to Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, around 1958 after the birth of their daughter (named Yancey Anne in tribute to pianist Jimmy Yancey). Although by the 1970s she had largely retired from the mainstream music industry, she continued to perform occasionally in folk clubs, and at other events such as a 1997 gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall billed as "The Roots Of British Rock".<ref name=scotsman/>

Bob Kelly died in 1999, and she died in 2003 in Leicester, aged 67.<ref name=scotsman/>

The song "Freight Train", sung by Nancy Whiskey with the Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, appears in full in the Bermondsey Town Hall concert sequence at the end of the 1957 film ''The Tommy Steele Story''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Steel |first=Dean |date=2003-02-08 |title=Nancy Whiskey |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/feb/08/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries |access-date=2024-04-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Also, in 2023, "Freight Train", sung by Whiskey, was featured in Wes Anderson's film ''Asteroid City''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Starkey |first=Adam |date=2023-06-23 |title=Here’s every song on the 'Asteroid City' soundtrack |url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/heres-every-song-asteroid-city-soundtrack-3459663 |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Discography== * ''Nancy Whiskey Sings'' (1957, Topic 7T10)<ref name="NWSings">{{cite web |url = https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/nancywhiskey.html |title = ''Nancy Whiskey Sings'' |website = Mainlynorfolk.info |accessdate= 13 May 2016}}</ref> * ''The Intoxicating Miss Whiskey''

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirc/chasm.htm More information] *[http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/blsongs_nancy.htm Traditional Scottish Songs - Nancy Whisky ]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiskey, Nancy}} Category:1935 births Category:2003 deaths Category:Musicians from Glasgow Category:20th-century Scottish women singers Category:Scottish folk singers Category:Skiffle musicians Category:Bridgeton–Calton–Dalmarnock