Cara Tivey
Encyclopedia
Cara Tivey is an English
pianist/keyboardist and vocalist who had mainly worked as a side musician. She is best known for her collaborations with Billy Bragg
. Tivey is also the cousin of Stephen
and Nick Duffy
of The Lilac Time
.
's 1986 album Baby the Stars Shine Bright
.
In 1988, she started working with Billy Bragg
on the Workers Playtime
album. She got a shared bill with Bragg on the song "She's Leaving Home
", which they recorded for the Beatles tribute Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father
compilation. The song eventually reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
as part of the double A side single along with Wet Wet Wet
's "With a Little Help from My Friends
".
Tivey performed on Bragg's 1990 album The Internationale
and on 1991's Don't Try This at Home, before he took a five year break in recording. Also in 1990 and 1991, Tivey contributed to The Lilac Time's Paradise Circus, & Love for All and Astronauts LPs.
During Bragg's hiatus, Tivey contributed to the Music In Colors album by Stephen Duffy
in 1993. She also became Blur
's live keyboardist during their Modern Life Is Rubbish
and Parklife
era.
Tivey reunited with Bragg for the final time on his 1996 album, William Bloke
.
, England. She is married to fellow musician Micky Harris, and they have two sons.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
pianist/keyboardist and vocalist who had mainly worked as a side musician. She is best known for her collaborations with Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
. Tivey is also the cousin of Stephen
Stephen Duffy
Stephen Anthony James Duffy is an English singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was a founding member and vocalist/bassist of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo performer under several different names, and is the singer and songwriter for The Lilac Time with his older brother...
and Nick Duffy
Nick Duffy
Nick Duffy is a musician, artist, illustrator, and filmmaker.Nick is the elder brother of singer/songwriter Stephen Duffy. They are both co-founders of the folk-pop group The Lilac Time. Nick is a multi-instrumentalist, and has been a frequent contributor to Stephen's solo recordings...
of The Lilac Time
The Lilac Time
The Lilac Time is a British alternative rock band that was originally formed in Herefordshire, England by Stephen Duffy, his brother Nick Duffy and their friend Michael Weston in 1986. The band's name was taken from a line in the Nick Drake song "River Man."...
.
Biography
Tivey got her first recording break by playing keyboards on Everything But The GirlEverything but the Girl
Everything but the Girl was a two-person English band, formed in Hull during 1981, consisting of lead singer and occasional guitarist Tracey Thorn and guitarist, keyboardist, and singer Ben Watt . They are currently inactive although vocalist Tracey Thorn hinted that they may reform someday...
's 1986 album Baby the Stars Shine Bright
Baby the Stars Shine Bright
Baby, the Stars Shine Bright is the third album by Everything but the Girl, released in 1986.- Track listing :All tracks composed by Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt; except where indicated# "Come on Home"# "Don't Leave Me Behind"# "A Country Mile"...
.
In 1988, she started working with Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
on the Workers Playtime
Workers Playtime (album)
Workers Playtime is a 1988 album by Billy Bragg. Originally released on the Go! Discs label, it is his fourth release but third full length album...
album. She got a shared bill with Bragg on the song "She's Leaving Home
She's Leaving Home
"She's Leaving Home" is a song credited to Lennon–McCartney and released in 1967 on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. McCartney wrote and sang the verse and Lennon the chorus...
", which they recorded for the Beatles tribute Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father
Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father
Sgt. Pepper Knew My Father is a 1988 multi-artist compilation of 1980s artists recording new versions of the songs on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album was produced by the New Musical Express to raise money for Childline, the charity founded by the now-defunct BBC...
compilation. The song eventually reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
as part of the double A side single along with Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
's "With a Little Help from My Friends
With a Little Help from My Friends
-Joe Cocker version:Joe Cocker's version was a radical re-arrangement of the original, in a slower, 6/8 meter, using different chords in the middle eight, and a lengthy instrumental introduction...
".
Tivey performed on Bragg's 1990 album The Internationale
The Internationale (album)
The Internationale is a 1990 album by Billy Bragg. Originally released on Bragg's short-lived record label, Utility Records, it is a deliberately political album, consisting mainly of cover versions and rewrites of left-wing protest songs...
and on 1991's Don't Try This at Home, before he took a five year break in recording. Also in 1990 and 1991, Tivey contributed to The Lilac Time's Paradise Circus, & Love for All and Astronauts LPs.
During Bragg's hiatus, Tivey contributed to the Music In Colors album by Stephen Duffy
Stephen Duffy
Stephen Anthony James Duffy is an English singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was a founding member and vocalist/bassist of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo performer under several different names, and is the singer and songwriter for The Lilac Time with his older brother...
in 1993. She also became Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
's live keyboardist during their Modern Life Is Rubbish
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Modern Life Is Rubbish is the second album by English alternative rock band Blur, released in May 1993. Although their debut album Leisure had been commercially successful, Blur faced a severe media backlash soon after its release, and fell out of public favour...
and Parklife
Parklife
Parklife is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band Blur, released in April 1994 on Food Records. After disappointing sales for their previous album Modern Life Is Rubbish , Parklife returned Blur to prominence in the UK, helped by its four hit singles: "Girls & Boys", "End of a...
era.
Tivey reunited with Bragg for the final time on his 1996 album, William Bloke
William Bloke
William Bloke is the fifth album by alternative folk artist Billy Bragg, released in 1996, five years after his last studio album.The lyrics to "A Pict Song" are by English poet Rudyard Kipling.-Track listing:#"From Red To Blue"#"Upfield"...
.
Personal life
Tivey currently works as a Music Lecturer at the Royal National College for the Blind in HerefordHereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, England. She is married to fellow musician Micky Harris, and they have two sons.