MARGARET KITAMURA

Margaret Kitamura a part Japanese folk singer grew up on a cattle station so remote that her early musical experiences were confined to listening to the family’s antique gramophone and selection of Melba and Gilbert & Sullivan 78s or picking up occasional songs from the station-hands. She was well into her teens before she first heard the radio or popular music. Kitamura started singing to student audiences at El Toro in Sydney in the early 60s before moving north, where she was a regular at the Brisbane Folk Centre. Her repertoire evolved from child ballads (a la Joan Baez) to political and topical songs (by Don Henderson, et al), delivered in a piercing soprano which tended to waver dangerously off-key when she was nervous (viz, her rendering of ''Blowin’ In The Wind'' on the album 'Australian Folk Festival') but made her songs compelling listening when she was in top form. 

She supported American folk trio The New Lost City Ramblers when they toured Australia in 1965. In the same year she appeared on Dave Gaurd's TV folk show Dave's Place singing ''Mary Ann''. Tasmanian singer Ian Clarke cites hearing Kitamura’s distinctive version of Sydney Carter’s anti-war lullaby ''The Crow On The Cradle'' as an influence on his own decision to become a performer. Sean Cullip (from Sean and Sonja fame), remembers Kitamura with affection as a vibrant, striking and extremely witty woman, given to wearing white make-up and (Dietrich-like) a man’s tuxedo, with a rose at the lapel. In 1968 she recorded her only album 'Margaret Kitamura' on Union Records. Kitamura lost her voice in later years, left Australia, and found work with a drive-in church in the United States.

ALBUMS

'Margaret Kitamura' 1968 Union

References

http://www.warrenfahey.com.au/early-sydney-part4/