OUR STORIES

Sally Barker

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In 2020 Sally released her re-imagining of the Tom Jones song 'It's Not Unusual' to celebrate the venerable singer's 80th Birthday. So far it has racked up over 5.8 million views on YouTube and divides opinion amongst fans of the Welshman's classic - you can see it here. This slowed down version highlights the mournful and yearning lyrics to give the song new meaning.

The significance of this recording?
Sally was Tom's finalist on The Voice UK in 2014 and although people mistakenly think she won, such was the impact she had on that show, Sally walked away without the main prize, coming in joint 2nd and then walked away from a record deal for an album of mainstream cover
songs offered on the strength of her performances.
Sally's appearance as Sir Tom Jones' finalist in the Voice UK 2014 belies a long career in music - one that wasn't spent only singing pop covers for a light entertainment audience but fashioned in the folk clubs of the British Isles. In a career spanning the best part of 40 years, English singer/songwriter Sally has released a string of solo albums and been a part of dozens more, notably with fem-folksters The Poozies.

“You have the most beautiful voice that has ever been on this show.”

Sir Tom Jones on The Voice UK

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In her time Sally has supported (amongst many others) Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Jools Holland and Sir Tom himself, worked with inspirational musicians such as maverick double bass genius Danny Thompson, country folk-rock guitarist Jerry Donahue, the mercurial accordionist Karen Tweed and legendary drummer Dave Mattacks.
Sally's musical journey has been a long and sometimes tortuous one. In the early 90s she had solo singer/songwriter success in Germany and toured relentlessly. Her 2nd album “This Rhythm Is Mine” received a 4* review from Q Magazine. Her 'difficult' 3rd album was less well received than the previous two and, as a founder member of the female folk band the Poozies, Sally diversified, splitting her time between mainland Europe and UK festivals and arts centres.
Things became busier when she and her husband had two sons but she continued to record and tour until her train was derailed by her husband's cancer diagnosis. By August 2003 Sally was a widow with two small children.

 

During the following years single parenthood took over but Sally managed to complete a degree in Music Technology and continued to tour when possible. By now teenagers, it was her sons Dillon and Ben who persuaded her to apply for The Voice UK. She became Sir Tom's finalist on the BBC TV programme in 2014, reducing him, and viewers alike, to tears with her flawless performances.

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“Sally changes the atmosphere in a room when she sings“

Virgin Radio's Chris Evans

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This nationwide exposure thrust Sally back on the road with the Poozies with their 'Into The Well' release and the offer to be part of the re-formed Fotheringay (singing the songs of the legendary Sandy Denny) alongside original members Jerry Donohue, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway, and including guitarist PJ Wright, to promote the 'Nothing More' 2015 released box set.
This 'new' Fotheringay, the brain-child of guitarist Jerry, was enthusiastically received by the public and Jerry began talking about a new Fotheringay album. Unfortunately, this revival was derailed when Donahue suffered a paralyzing stroke in July 2016.

Sally's solo album, 'Ghost Girl' was released to coincide with Sally as Special Guest on Fairport Convention's Winter tour 2017, as they celebrated 50 years on the road. Warmly received by critics and fans alike, FRoots Magazine said “Sally returns with a classy new solo album full of her matchless singing and exceptional writing couched in contemporary folk, pop, jazz and R&B stylings”.

Also in 2017 Sally released a duo album with long-time collaborator Vicki Genfan.

 

'In the Shadow of a Small Mountain' (Small Mountain Records) is the fruit of a collaboration between Britain’s Sally Barker, formerly of the Poozies, and the US guitar wizard and songwriter Vicki Genfan. Its warm, low-key storytelling sits somewhere between Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris and Sandy Denny and is every bit as accomplished as that comparison suggests.”

James Miller, Morning Star, Wed 4th October 2017.

2017 saw Sally’s friendship with talented musicians and songwriters Marion Fleetwood and Anna Ryder evolve into an exciting new partnership. Sally felt herself immensely lucky to partner with such talented multi-instrumentalists and their mix of sublime harmonies, humour, poignant songs and whacky sense of humour converged to form the fabulous new band, IOTA .
First performing in the BBC tent at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival in 2017, IOTA launched their debut album ‘O Yeh Yeh!’ the following summer before embarking on an exciting series of gigs through 2018-19.
In September 2019 Sally released another duo album, this time with multi-instrumentalist Anna Ryder (from IOTA). A glut of original songs led the girls to the studio and the making of their CD, 'When I Wake Up' on which they explore themes of love, nature, gannets, Alderney, football, sea nymphs, St Luke and imagery from fact and fiction.

Sally also continued to play live regularly through 2019 debuting a solo show called 'Joni, Sandy & Me'. In this show Sally brought some of the songs of both Joni Mitchell and Sandy Denny to the stage, interspersed with some of her own, to explore the inspirational singer/songwriter
legacy that was forged in the early 1970s.
From March 2020, Sally, like her fellow musicians, remained at home surviving, creating and occasionally live streaming during the pandemic. One of her recordings, the reimagining of the
Tom Jones song 'It's Not Unusual' celebrated the venerable singer's 80th birthday and was released as a download single and YouTube video .
During 2022, Sally spent most of her time performing rescheduled concerts and rebuilding after the covid pandemic, re-assessing where the world stood post-covid.
In June 2023, Sally embarked on a trail-blazing artistic journey, with Vicki Genfan (USA) and Ali Tod (Scotland) to compose and record an album, inspired by places of historic and natural beauty, while vanning across America. This 'Monumental Journey' began on the west coast and included performances in Virginia City, Montana, West Virginia, and finally a Homecoming concert back in North Carolina. Vicki, Ali and Sally continued to write and record creating a body of work, with contributions from Jennifer Batten (electric guitar), Marion Fleetwood (strings) and others. 'Monumental Journey' was mixed by Nico Bolas (Grammy Award Winning producer/engineer). In December 2025, the album had a limited release.
Between June 2023 and early 2026 Sally has continued to tour in the States as a duo with Vicki Genfan, as well as performing in the UK with her show 'Joni, Sandy & Me'. 

After the demise of the Fotheringay experience, PJ Wright and Sally put together a new band, calling it The Sandy Denny Project, (including the wonderful Marion Fleetwood with her fiddle, guitars and voice) to continue playing Sandy's wonderful songs in a band context.

On the cusp of 2026 a new project emerges – a duo with the afore-mentioned multi-instrumentalist Marion Fleetwood. New music is coming!

 

“The emotion and passion in her voice, the vulnerability and fragility of her vocal is an art that not too many singers can master” Maverick Magazine

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