Judy Dyble (Fairport Convention), RIP

Singer songwriter Judy Dyble, who was a founding member of Fairport Convention and Trader Horne — and briefly part of Giles, Giles and Fripp who would eventually turn into King Crimson — has died at age 71 after a battle with lung cancer. The news was confirmed by Big Big Train vocalist and collaborator David Longdon with whom she made new album, Between A Breath And A Breath, that is due out this fall. “It is with great sadness that I write to say that my dear friend Judy Dyble passed away this morning. Judy and I became friends during the writing and making of this album. Along the way, there was much laughter and joy – but also challenging moments. She was a woman of a certain age and she wrote articulately and unflinchingly about the autumn phase of her life.”

After making Fairport Convention’s 1968 debut album, and then Trader Horne’s 1970 debut album, she mostly gave up music, but reunited with Fairport Convention for their 30th anniversary in 1997. That sparked a new interest in music, which resulted in a number of solo albums over the 23 years, including 2017’s Summer Dancing (with Andy Lewis) and 2018’s Earth Is Sleeping, both of which were for the Acid Jazz label.

In accordance with her wishes, two unused songs from theA Breath And A Breath sessions — “Crossbones” and “The Daguerreotype” will be made available as free downloads with listeners being encouraged to make a donation to Judy’s chosen charity, the Barley Greyhound Sanctuary.

Rest in peace, Judy. Listen to some of her music, below.