Maddy Prior
The vibrant, enduring voice of British folk rock who fronted Steeleye Span and brought traditional ballads to a mainstream rock audience.
Born 1947 (age 79)·English folk rock singer·Birthday: August 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Maddy Prior didn't just sing folk songs; she electrified them. Emerging from the vibrant British folk revival of the late 1960s, her clear, powerful voice became the defining instrument of Steeleye Span, a band that dared to plug in centuries-old ballads. With Prior at the front, they created a new, thrilling hybrid where mandolins met electric guitars and tales of myth and murder found a fresh, youthful audience. Her stage presence was kinetic, often dancing with a percussive energy that belied the material's ancient roots. Beyond Steeleye Span, she forged a parallel path with singer June Tabor as the duo Silly Sisters and maintained a prolific solo career, collaborating with musicians across genres. For over five decades, Prior has been a custodian of tradition and an innovator, ensuring the old songs not only survived but thrived in the modern world.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Maddy was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maddy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Maddy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the lead vocalist for the pioneering folk rock band Steeleye Span across multiple decades, starting in 1969.
- Recorded the UK Top 10 hit 'Gaudete' with Steeleye Span, a rare a cappella Christmas carol to chart.
- Formed the influential folk duo Silly Sisters with fellow singer June Tabor, releasing two acclaimed albums.
- Maintained a continuous and diverse recording output through solo projects and collaborations outside of her main band.
Did You Know?
Her father, Allan Prior, was a television writer and co-creator of the seminal BBC police drama 'Z-Cars'.
She is married to former Steeleye Span bassist Rick Kemp, and their daughter, Rose Kemp, is an alternative rock singer.
She developed and teaches a unique vocal technique called 'Circle Dancing', which combines singing with movement.
“The old ballads are tough; they've survived because they're about real things.”
