Bridget St John

Bridget St John (born Bridget Anne Hobbs; 4 October 1946) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel's Dandelion record label. Peel produced her debut album, Ask Me No Questions. She also recorded a large number of BBC Radio and Peel sessions and toured regularly on the British college and festival circuit.

St John appeared at leading folk venues in the UK, along with other folk and pop luminaries of the time such as Nick Drake, Paul Simon, and David Bowie, among others. In 1974 she was voted fifth most popular female singer in that year's Melody Maker readers poll. Blessed with a "rich cello-like" vocal style, she is also an accomplished guitar player who credits John Martyn and Michael Chapman as her "musical brothers".

Biography Early life St John was born on 4 October 1946 in East Molesey, Surrey, England. She grew up in a musical household where her mother and sisters were all accomplished pianists. She took piano lessons at her mother's behest, but she did not get along with her teacher and quit when she was 11. After studying the viola for two years and then the trumpet for two years, St John bought a guitar with £20 her grandmother gave her shortly before she finished high school. Richie Unterberger reviewing for AllMusic called the album "music for wandering through meadows on overcast days".

In 1970, St John recorded a vocal duet with Kevin Ayers on "The Oyster and the Flying Fish" for his Shooting at the Moon release.

Later years, 1975–present St John emigrated to Greenwich Village in 1976 and virtually disappeared from the public eye for over 20 years. She took part in the Strawbs 25th Anniversary festival held in 1993. St John released a 'come-back' album in 1996, Take The Fifth and appeared at a Nick Drake tribute concert in New York City in 1999.

Aside from work under her own name, St John has recorded with Mike Oldfield on his albums Ommadawn (1975) and Amarok (1990), and with Kevin Ayers and Robin Frederick. In 2007 she reunited with Ayers to record "Baby Come Home" on his album The Unfairground.

In 2008 she married Gordon Edwards, who served as the bass player for the 1970s jazz-funk band Stuff.

St John has toured with Michael Chapman, and in 2016 she recorded with Chapman for his 50 release.

She was described by John Peel as "the best lady singer-songwriter in the country".

St John recorded the song "Fly" for Mojo magazine's Nick Drake compilation album, Green Leaves: Nick Drake Covered (cover dated March 2018).

St John supported Will Sheff (Okkervil River) on the song "Tommy McHugh" released in 2023.

Discography Albums Ask Me No Questions (Dandelion) 1969 Songs for the Gentle Man (Dandelion) 1971 Thank You For... (Dandelion) 1972 [reissued in 1995 on See For Miles with eight bonus tracks, recorded live at Montreux, Switzerland, 28 April 1972. Released in 2005 on Cherry Red with 10 bonus tracks, eight of which are the live Montreux recordings] Jumblequeen (Chrysalis) 1974 [reissued in 1995 on BGO with four bonus tracks. Reissued in 2006 on Hux with three bonus tracks]

Compilation and live albums John Peel Presents Top Gear (BBC) 1969 includes four tracks by Bridget St John Take the 5ifth (The Road Goes On Forever) 1996 BBC Radio 1968–1976 (Hux) 2010 – 2 CDs Hello Again: A Collection Of Rare Tracks (P-Vine) 2010 A Pocketful of Starlight: Best Of Bridget St John (Cherry Red) 2013 Dandelion Albums & BBC Recordings (Cherry Red) 2015 – four CDs (first three albums plus BBC Recordings 1968–1972) Fly High: A Collection of Album Highlights, Singles and B-Sides, Demos, Live Recordings, Sessions and Interviews (Cherry Red) 2016 – Double CD From There/To Here: UK/US Recordings 1974–1982 (Cherry Red) August 26, 2022 – 3 CDs: Jumblequeen (with bonus tracks), Take The 5ifth (with bonus tracks), New York Sessions (previously unreleased).