Sometimes you need to step back in order to go forward. Female singer-songwriter and icon, Joan Armatrading, became a major artist in the 70s and 80s both here and in the US. The third of six children, she was born in St Kitts and emigrated to Birmingham with her family aged 3. During her teens, she honed her playing skills and songwriting chops on a cheap guitar and slowly worked her way into clubs and festivals around the country. Despite signing to major label A&M, it took a while for her to breakthrough despite her obvious talents. It was only after teaming up with uber-producer Glyn Johns (Eagles, Stones, Beatles) that her self-titled second solo album, Joan Armatrading, exploded into the Top 20 and spawned the Top 10 hit single “Love and Affection”.
