Nancy Whiskey
Encyclopedia
Nancy Whiskey was a Scottish folk
singer, best known for the 1957 hit song, "Freight Train
".
She was born Anne Alexandra Young Wilson, at Bridgeton, Glasgow
, Scotland. While attending art school in Glasgow, Wilson performed on the local folk club circuit where she met fellow singer and guitarist Jimmie MacGregor
who introduced her to blues
and hillbilly music. She took her stage name
from a Scottish folk song, "The Calton Weaver", which has a chorus of: "Whisky, whisky, Nancy whisky, Whisky, whisky, Nancy-O".
She was signed to Topic Records
and moved to London in 1955. Although reluctant to surrender her reputation as a solo performer, she was persuaded to join the Chas McDevitt
Skiffle Group to record Elizabeth Cotten
's song "Freight Train". The record made the top five in the UK Singles Chart
in 1957, and she also toured the United States with McDevitt’s group. "Freight Train" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
After a second, smaller hit, "Greenback Dollar", Whiskey left the group to resume a solo career and marry musician Bob Kelly, who became a member of her backing group, the Teetotallers. By the 1970s, she had largely retired from the music industry.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer, best known for the 1957 hit song, "Freight Train
Freight Train (song)
Freight Train is a song on the 1989 album by Nitro, O.F.R.. In the video for Freight Train, Michael Angelo Batio uses the one-of-a-kind quad guitar, which is a guitar with 4 necks. The top two necks have 7 strings and the bottom 2 have 6 strings. Unfortunately, that guitar was stolen after the...
".
She was born Anne Alexandra Young Wilson, at Bridgeton, Glasgow
Bridgeton, Glasgow
Bridgeton is a district to the east side of Glasgow city centre. It is bounded by Glasgow Green to the west, Dalmarnock to the east and south and Calton to the north-west at Abercromby Street/ London Road...
, Scotland. While attending art school in Glasgow, Wilson performed on the local folk club circuit where she met fellow singer and guitarist Jimmie MacGregor
Jimmie MacGregor
Jimmie Macgregor is a Scottish folksinger and broadcaster.He was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art, becoming a potter and teacher....
who introduced her to blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and hillbilly music. She took her stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
from a Scottish folk song, "The Calton Weaver", which has a chorus of: "Whisky, whisky, Nancy whisky, Whisky, whisky, Nancy-O".
She was signed to Topic Records
Topic Records
Topic Records is a British folk music label, which played a major role in the second British folk revival. It began as an offshoot of the Workers' Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world.-History:...
and moved to London in 1955. Although reluctant to surrender her reputation as a solo performer, she was persuaded to join the Chas McDevitt
Chas McDevitt
Chas McDevitt is a British musician, one of the leading lights of the skiffle genre which was highly influential and popular in the United Kingdom in the mid-to-late 1950s....
Skiffle Group to record Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten was an American blues and folk musician, singer, and songwriter.A self-taught left-handed guitarist, Cotten developed her own original style. Her approach involved using a right-handed guitar , not re-strung for left-handed playing, essentially, holding a right-handed...
's song "Freight Train". The record made the top five 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 ...
in 1957, and she also toured the United States with McDevitt’s group. "Freight Train" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
After a second, smaller hit, "Greenback Dollar", Whiskey left the group to resume a solo career and marry musician Bob Kelly, who became a member of her backing group, the Teetotallers. By the 1970s, she had largely retired from the music industry.