Brian Bedford (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Brian Bedford is a song writer, singer and studio recording engineer.
, Yorkshire
, Brian Bedford was educated at the Oaks County Secondary Modern School, Huddersfield School of Music and Bretton Hall College of Education. He took up cello whilst still at school, deciding music lessons were more appealing that spending cold playtimes outdoors. His then cello teacher, Eric Cooper, recognised and nurtured a spark of talent and encouraged him to apply for music college, something very few youngsters from his educational background did at the time.
After achieving a Diploma in Music from Huddersfield
(1969-1972), Brian completed a post graduate teaching certificate at Bretton Hall College in Wakefield (1972-3) and went on to teach primary children for sixteen years at Crofton in Wakefield at both Crofton Shay Lane Junior and Infants and later Crofton Shay Lane Infants where he was deputy head until 1989.
In 1985 Brian was one of the founder members of the vocal harmony trio, Artisan (group)
, continuing to teach until Artisan's workload forced the decision to leave teaching in 1989 and become a full-time musician. He began writing songs and became Artisan's primary songwriter with the release of the album, Breathing Space with all songs by Brian.
His best known and most popular singe remains "What's the Use of Wings" from Artisan's 1991 CD Rocking at the End of Time. In addition to Artisan's own version the song has been covered by artists as diverse as Vin Garbutt
, the late John Wright
and the Phiadelphia Gay men's Choir.
Brian owns the copyrights and publishing rights to all his own songs. He is both a writer member and a publisher member of PRS and MCPS. His publishing company and recording label is Bedspring Music.
Brian is married to fellow Artisan member and SF writer Jacey Bedford and they have two children together.
Brian is now a studio recording engineer at Park Head Studio.
Biography
Born 7 August 1949 in BarnsleyBarnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Brian Bedford was educated at the Oaks County Secondary Modern School, Huddersfield School of Music and Bretton Hall College of Education. He took up cello whilst still at school, deciding music lessons were more appealing that spending cold playtimes outdoors. His then cello teacher, Eric Cooper, recognised and nurtured a spark of talent and encouraged him to apply for music college, something very few youngsters from his educational background did at the time.
After achieving a Diploma in Music from Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
(1969-1972), Brian completed a post graduate teaching certificate at Bretton Hall College in Wakefield (1972-3) and went on to teach primary children for sixteen years at Crofton in Wakefield at both Crofton Shay Lane Junior and Infants and later Crofton Shay Lane Infants where he was deputy head until 1989.
In 1985 Brian was one of the founder members of the vocal harmony trio, Artisan (group)
Artisan (group)
Artisan were an English vocal harmony trio, who sang a cappella from 1985 to 2005. They consisted of songwriter Brian Bedford, his wife Jacey Bedford, and Hilary Spencer.-History:...
, continuing to teach until Artisan's workload forced the decision to leave teaching in 1989 and become a full-time musician. He began writing songs and became Artisan's primary songwriter with the release of the album, Breathing Space with all songs by Brian.
His best known and most popular singe remains "What's the Use of Wings" from Artisan's 1991 CD Rocking at the End of Time. In addition to Artisan's own version the song has been covered by artists as diverse as Vin Garbutt
Vin Garbutt
Vin Garbutt , though second generation Irish, is an English folk singer and songwriter...
, the late John Wright
John Wright
-Arts:* John Buckland Wright , New Zealand illustrator* John C. Wright , science fiction and fantasy writer* John Henry Wright , American classical scholar...
and the Phiadelphia Gay men's Choir.
Brian owns the copyrights and publishing rights to all his own songs. He is both a writer member and a publisher member of PRS and MCPS. His publishing company and recording label is Bedspring Music.
Brian is married to fellow Artisan member and SF writer Jacey Bedford and they have two children together.
Brian is now a studio recording engineer at Park Head Studio.
Awards
- 1997 Nomination for "Best Folk Song" award by the Contemporary A Cappella SocietyContemporary A Cappella SocietyThe Contemporary A Cappella Society , or CASA, is a 501 charitable organization dedicated to fostering and promoting a cappella music of all styles around the world. CASA was cofounded in 1991 by Deke Sharon by incorporating the first a cappella directory, The List, founded in 1988 & distributed...
at the Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards (CARAs) for the song "Lest We Forget", from the Our Back Yard album. - 1998 "Best Folk Song" award, at the CARAs, for the song "Mabel" from the Driving Home album.
- 1999 Nomination for the "Best Holiday Album" award at the CARAs, for Paper Angels. Album included 7 Brian Bedford songs.
- 2001 they won "Best Folk/World Album" award at the CARAs, for Dancing With Words. All tracks were written by Brian Bedford.
Discography
As a member of Artisan Brian recorded the following albums all with songs written by him.- Three Piece Sweet (1986)
- Searching for Yordale (1988)
- Driving Home (1989)
- The Season of Holly and Ivy (1990)
- Rocking At The End Of Time (1991)
- Breathing Space (1993)
- Bygone Christmas (1994)
- Our Back Yard (1996)
- Paper Angels (1999)
- Dancing With Words (2000)
- Christmas Is Come In (2002)
- Silver And Gold (2003)
- Artisan Live (2005)
- (DVD) Artisan at the Paramount (2006) (This is a recording of Artisan's last ever concert on 20 November 2005)
Sources
- Music Hound Folk - The Essential Album Guide ed Neal Walters & Brian Mansfield. Published 1998 Visible Ink Press, ISBN 1-57859-037-X
- CARA awards 1998
- CARA awards 2001
External links
- http://www.parkheadstudio.co.uk
- The official Artisan website
- Huddersfield School of Music
- Concert footage from the Kennedy Center Washington DC, December 2003