Julie Covington
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Julie Covington (born 11 September 1946) is an English singer and actress, best known for
recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, re ...
the original version of " Don't Cry for Me Argentina", which she sang on the 1976 concept album '' Evita''.


Early life

Julie Covington was born in London. Her parents were Ernest Gladden and Elsie Gladden (née Moody). Her parents divorced and her mother married Leslie Covington in 1957. She attended the girls'
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
Brondesbury and Kilburn High School in Kilburn, northwest London, then studied at Homerton College, Cambridge. She started acting at school, and performed both acting and singing at two Edinburgh festivals. She won the first
Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...
Best Actress Award.


Career

Covington started singing songs written by Pete Atkin and
Clive James Clive James (born Vivian Leopold James; 7 October 1939 – 24 November 2019) was an Australian critic, journalist, broadcaster, writer and lyricist who lived and worked in the United Kingdom from 1962 until his death in 2019.Footlights The Cambridge Footlights, commonly referred to simply as Footlights, is a student sketch comedy troupe located in Cambridge, England. Footlights was founded in 1883, and is one of Britain's oldest student sketch comedy troupes. The comedy so ...
while still at teachers' training college in Cambridge. She toured North America with the Oxford and Cambridge Shakespeare Company and appeared on stage in numerous Footlights related programs. She also collaborated with Atkin and James on two private-press recordings. In 1967, she was invited to sing on
David Frost Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was an English television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...
's television show. The strength of her recordings secured Atkin, James and Covington, along with frequent collaborator Russell Davies, two television programs for
London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT; now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV (TV network), ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00&nbs ...
: ''The Party's Moving On'' and ''What Are You Doing After the Show?''. As record producer Don Paul was developing Pete Atkin's first solo album, he pitched Covington to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
, which agreed to fund a series of well-received singles, followed by Covington's first professionally-released album, '' The Beautiful Changes'' in 1971. In 1971, she was cast in the original London production of ''
Godspell ''Godspell'' is a musical in two acts with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew, interspersed with music mostly set t ...
'' at
The Roundhouse The Roundhouse is a performing arts and concert venue at the Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England. The building was erected in 1846–1847 by the London & North Western Railway as a roundhouse, a circ ...
, alongside David Essex,
Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons (; born 19 September 1948) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards, ...
and
Marti Webb Marti Webb (born 1943) is an English actress and singer. She appeared on stage in '' Evita'' before starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one-woman show '' Tell Me on a Sunday'' in 1980. This included her biggest hit single, " Take That Look Off Yo ...
. A recording of the production, featuring Covington's lead vocal on the track "Day by Day", was released in 1972. This was followed by a role in the hit Australian comedy film, '' The Adventures of Barry McKenzie''. She was then cast as Janet Weiss in the original production of ''
The Rocky Horror Show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to various B movies associated with the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror genres from the 193 ...
'' in 1973. Between 1974 and 1984 Covington appeared regularly in the companies of the National Theatre and the
Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...
, creating such roles as Alice in '' Plenty'', Vivienne Eliot in '' Tom & Viv'' (for which she received an
Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...
nomination) and Edward in the original production of
Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.
's '' Cloud Nine''. During the early 1970s she appeared in and sang in the children's television programme '' Play Away''. She starred in the BBC's 1975 Christmas production ''Great Big Groovy Horse'', a rock opera based on the story of the Trojan Horse, shown on BBC2. (It was repeated on BBC1 in 1977.) 1976 and 1977 saw her appearing in both series of the primetime British television musical drama '' Rock Follies''. For this she was nominated for the
British Academy Television Award for Best Actress This is a list of the British Academy Television Awards for Best Actress. The British Academy Television Awards began in 1955. The Best Actress award was initially given as an "individual honour", without credit to a particular performance, until ...
. In 1976, the composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...
saw her perform in cabaret, and recognising her from ''Rock Follies'', suggested to lyricist
Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ''Jesus C ...
that she might be the actress to play the title role in their original studio recording of their musical '' Evita''. The singer
Elkie Brooks Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder; 25 February 1945) is an English Rock music, rock, blues and jazz singer. She was a vocalist with the bands Dada and Vinegar Joe (band), Vinegar Joe, and later became a solo artist. She gained her biggest su ...
had previously turned down an offer. Covington's recording of the song " Don't Cry for Me Argentina" reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1977. Later offered the opportunity to originate the role in the stage production of ''Evita'', she declined, which led to
Elaine Paige Dame Elaine Jill Paige (born Elaine Jill Bickerstaff, 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Chipping Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, m ...
being cast. Speaking in 1985, Covington expressed some regret at this decision, but explained that she did not like Eva Perón and that without some positive feeling for the person she preferred to turn the role down. As ''Evita'' opened in 1978, she instead appeared with the
English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is a British opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in E ...
as Anna in '' The Seven Deadly Sins''. Paige's successor in ''Evita'',
Marti Webb Marti Webb (born 1943) is an English actress and singer. She appeared on stage in '' Evita'' before starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one-woman show '' Tell Me on a Sunday'' in 1980. This included her biggest hit single, " Take That Look Off Yo ...
, later also played Anna in the ENO's production of ''The Seven Deadly Sins''. In 1978, Covington performed the role of Beth, wife of Parson Nathaniel (
Phil Lynott Philip Parris Lynott (, ; 20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive ...
), on the recording of "The Spirit of Man" from '' Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds''. Covington achieved chart success with a
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
Alice Cooper Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
's " Only Women Bleed", which reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. It is included on reissues of her eponymous 1978 album. After recording a second solo album and guesting on other artists' albums, she returned to the theatre, starring in the 1982 National Theatre production of ''
Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Run ...
'', playing Sister Sarah opposite
Ian Charleson Ian Charleson (11 August 1949 – 6 January 1990) was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell in the Academy Award, Oscar-winning 1981 film ''Chariots ...
's Sky Masterson. Russell Davies said that her performance "is of such a special timbre that she isn't easily matched." In 1989 she took part in a British television special with Colm Wilkinson, Carol Woods and Paul Jones called ''Let's Face the Music of Lennon and McCartney''. Her solo performances of " If I Fell" and "
In My Life "In My Life" is a song by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles, released on their 1965 studio album, ''Rubber Soul''. Credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership, the song is one of only a few in which there is dispute ...
" are available on
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.


Albums


Solo albums

* '' While the Music Lasts'' (1967) * ''The Party's Moving On'' (1969) * '' The Beautiful Changes'' (1971) * '' Julie Covington'' (1978) * ''The Beautiful Changes Plus'' (1999) * ''Julie Covington Plus'' (2000)


Cast recording A cast recording is a recording of a stage Musical theatre, musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the ...
s and
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
s

* ''Godspell: Original London Cast Recording'' (1972) * ''The Adventures of Barry McKenzie'' (1972) * ''
The Rocky Horror Show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to various B movies associated with the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror genres from the 193 ...
'' (1973) * ''Hey You! Songs from Play Away'' (1975) * '' Evita: An Opera Based on the life of Eva Peron (1919–1952)'' (1976; re-released 1996) * '' Rock Follies'' (1976) * ''The Mermaid Frolics'' (1977) – benefit for
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
* '' Rock Follies of '77'' (1977) * '' Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds'' (1978; remastered 2005) * ''Guys and Dolls: National Cast Recording'' (1982) * ''The Wildcliffe Bird (audio book)'' (1991) * ''Guys and Dolls'' (1992)


Singles


Awards

* Britannia Awards 1977 – "Best British Female Newcomer"


References


External links

*
The Beautiful Changes - The unofficial Julie Covington Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Covington, Julie 1946 births Living people English stage actresses English television actresses Brit Award winners Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge Actresses from London Singers from London 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers