The Singing Kettle
| The Singing Kettle | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Kingskettle, Scotland |
| Genres | Folk music, Comedy music, Children's songs |
| Years active | 1982–2015 |
| Labels | Kettle Productions |
| Associated acts | Motormark, FANGS, Funbox |
| Website | http://www.singingkettle.com |
| Past members | Cilla Fisher Artie Trezise Gary Coupland Jane Fisher Kevin McLeod Anya Scott-Rodgers |
| Notable instruments | |
| Accordion, Keyboard, Trombone, Guitar | |
The Singing Kettle were a BAFTA award-winningScottish folk music and entertainment group who were perhaps best known for performing traditional children's songs along with their various live theatre performances. Originally from the village of Kingskettle in Fife, Scotland, they were formed by established folk singers Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise, eventually being joined by musician Gary Coupland. In 2012, founding members Cilla and Artie retired from performing with the group, and three years later in 2015 the group performed their last live shows. For their services to the entertainment industry Cilla, Artie and Gary were all made MBEs.
Husband and wife Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise started touring as a folk singing duo in the mid-1970s.
The group name "The Singing Kettle" came about in 1982. Their first venture under this title was a children's album, featuring everything from traditional Scottish rhymes to songs learned on their folk tour of the USA. For certain tracks, real children were used, including their daughter Jane, creating the first set of "Kettle Kids".
The idea came of turning "The Singing Kettle" album into a show, as they were unimpressed by other, few, children's theatre shows at the time. The show toured to primary schools, with the idea of clues for songs found inside kettles, and for this they recruited their friend, musician Gary Coupland. The touring show eventually developed into a more plot-led piece of musical theatre and they began performing in large scale theatres across the country. Over the years the Singing Kettle have presented their own specially written shows including The Boogie Woogie Zoo, The Time Machine, Pirates, Wild West Show, Medieval Madness, World Tour, Funny Farm, and Homemade Band. Additionally some of their shows have raised awareness of important topics, notably road safety (Busy Road Show), good dental hygiene (Tooth Happy Songs) and pollution (one of the Adventures in Kettleland episodes).
They were joined for a time by Cilla and Artie's daughter, Jane, who left to be in the electro band Motormark, replaced by Kevin McLeod – the former company stage manager. In 2003 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released The Singing Kettle: Singalong Songs from Scotland, the group's first recording to be widely distributed outside the United Kingdom.
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