Margret RoadKnight was an activist in the women's liberation movement in Australia during the 1970s. She began her singing career in Melbourne in 1963. In 1973 she supported a women's liberation initiative, the She Concerts, which were held in Sydney and Melbourne. She was well-known for her song 'Girls in Our Town' which was one of the first songs to explore the isolation of young Australian married women living in suburbia. She has performed solo and in collaboration with many local and overseas performers, singing jazz, blues, folk, gospel and songs raising issues of social justice, both in Australia and overseas.
View the full record at
Australian Women's Register
Margret RoadKnight made her professional debut in Melbourne in 1963, singing at the Emerald Hill Theatre. She spent much of her early career performing at folk venues in Melbourne and Sydney. From the mid-1960s RoadKnight guested on numerous television programmes including Folkmoot, hosted by Leonard Teale. In 1974 she first toured to America on an Australia Council grant, and in 1976 she released the charting single Girls in Our Town.
RoadKnight's performances are renowned for their musical diversity and her repertoire draws from contemporary, jazz, folk, blues and gospel music. She has performed topical songs for much of her career and is a noted social and political activist. Social issues such as women's and human rights are regularly addressed in her performances and recordings. RoadKnight has released ten albums since 1973 and appeared on many others, including performances with Ted Egan and the Bulgarian choir Martenitsa. She has also contributed theme songs to two films. Since 1974 she has toured internationally in the USA, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, China, South Korea, Tonga, Vanuatu and New Zealand. She has performed and recorded with many internationally renowned musicians including Taj Mahal, Bert Jansch, Ani DeFranco, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Pete Seeger.
RoadKnight presented five theatre productions with the South Australian Theatre Company and co-produced a production with the Sydney Puppet Theatre. She has been a musical director and a cabaret and comedy performer. RoadKnight has taught song writing, guitar and singing, and lectured on folk, black and women's music. For a decade RoadKnight toured with Musica Viva In Schools, presenting multicultural and African music to students across Australia. RoadKnight has worked on various arts advisory committees and was an overseas correspondent on gospel music. She was the first singer added to the Montsalvat Jazz Festival Honour Roll and was the Port Fairy Folk Festival Artist of the Year in 1998.
Show comments and reviews from Amazon users