Carol Lloyd (Australian singer)
Carol Ann Lloyd, born as Carol Ann Cramb, was an Australian singer, songwriter, composer, and advertising executive. She was described as "Australia's original rock chick" for her role in the Brisbane-based bands Railroad Gin and Carol Lloyd Band, as well as her solo career. She was recognised for her long, curly red hair, which was insured with Lloyd's of London for $100,000. Carol Ann Lloyd died on 13 February 2017 due to complications from her interstitial pulmonary fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diagnosed four years earlier.
Early years
Lloyd was born as Carol Ann Cramb on 17 October 1948 at the Fermoy Private Hospital, Auchenflower, Queensland to D and E Cramb of nearby Taringa. She had two older brothers. Lloyd attended Rocklea State School.Musical career
1970s
Lloyd became the lead singer of Brisbane soul and R&B group, Railroad Gin, in September 1971. By 1973 the line-up was Lloyd alongside Bob Brown on percussion, Gary Evans on drums, Peter Evans on flute, saxophone and percussion, Dim Jansons on bass guitar, Phil Shields on lead guitar, trombone and percussion, and Laurie Stone on keyboards, vocals, saxophone and percussion. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, observed " was the band's focal point with her commanding stage presence, husky blues voice and wild mane of red hair."In 1973 Railroad Gin performed a Rock Mass with the Queensland Youth Orchestra at St John's Cathedral in Brisbane. The band were signed to PolyGram and had three singles that reached the top of the local charts, "A Matter of Time", "Do Ya Love Me?" and "You Told the World". "A Matter of Time" was co-written by Lloyd and Stone. They were the support act for Suzi Quatro at Festival Hall, Brisbane in May 1974.
Their debut album, A Matter of Time, appeared late in 1974. McFarlane described it as "a mixture of Shocking Blue, Jethro Tull and Steely Dan elements with its hard guitar/flute-driven sound." AllMusic's reviewer felt the group's "music was a mixture of covers and originals written by Stone and was busy, brassy, percussive rock with a funk-jazz feel. But most important was the stunning voice of Carol Lloyd - a voice that was raw, stretched and soared in a manner comparable to Janis Joplin." Two of their cover versions were The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" and The Beatles' "Come Together".
In August 1975 Lloyd left Railroad Gin due to throat problems and to pursue her solo career. By the end of the year she had formed Tonnage, which was soon renamed as the Carol Lloyd Band. The line-up was Lloyd on lead vocals and percussion, Gary Broadhurst on bass guitar, Peter Harvey on keyboards, Mark Moffatt on lead guitar and pedal steel guitar, and Danny Simpson on drums. They signed a worldwide recording contract with EMI Records - a first for an Australian artist. They had a hit in Queensland with "Storm in My Soul" and released an album, Mother Was Asleep at the Time, on 18 October 1976.
Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times was impressed by Lloyd " is a blues singer and, being part of the seventies, she's singing in the most acceptable blues style of today; the southern US sound pioneered by the Allman Brothers Band." The album was produced by Clive Shakespeare, Catterall observed "on many of the 10 tracks – refusing to let her be out front where a blues shouter belongs or by use of double tracking or echo chamber. The resultant sound isn't exactly displeasing, but it isn't true, either... her power and that of her band, has been too often diluted on 'Mother' by Shakespeare's wrong-headed approach."
1980s
Carol Lloyd issued a solo album, Take It or Leave It, in 1980 on RCA, which provided the title track as its lead single in January of the following year. Lloyd was co-writer of the theme song for World Expo 88, "Together, We'll Show the World".2010s
Lloyd performed a series of shows at the Brisbane Powerhouse: "It Takes Two, Baby" with Sue Ray in January 2014, "It Takes Two Baby" with Pearly Black in July 2014, and "It's Time: the No.1 hits of Railroad Gin and The Carol Lloyd Band" in December 2014, at which the All The Good Things live album was recorded.A benefit show was held for Lloyd at QPAC on 20 October 2016 to assist with medical expenses and artists including Katie Noonan, Alison St Ledger, Yani, Ellen Reed, Troy Cassar-Daley, Peter Harvey, Annie Petersen and Leah Cotterell donated their performances. The show was named Goodbye Ruby Tuesday after the Rolling Stones song frequently covered by Lloyd, and she made an appearance on stage in a decorated wheelchair to join Ellen Reed in performing it.
Personal life
Carol Cramb had married Donald Lloyd and took his last name, but they separated by 1972, "I’d been married, my marriage had broken up, and I'd found my way back to where I was in my teens when I thought I was the only gay woman in the world." Prior to joining Railroad Gin she had worked in advertising, which had taken her to London.Lloyd was diagnosed with a terminal illness, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in January 2013. In December 2014 she described her symptoms "I have difficulty breathing if I get too excited. The disease was halfway up my lungs when I was diagnosed 18 months ago, probably more now. It creeps up your lungs and creates this crackling." Lloyd and her domestic partner, Annie, held a commitment ceremony on 10 August 2013 at The Edge, Queensland State Library, Brisbane during an event, "The Party of a Lifetime".
Carol Ann Lloyd died on 13 February 2017 at the Wesley Hospital, Auchenflower – due to complications from her fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Awards
| 2008 | Plaque for Railroad Gin mentioning Carol Lloyd on Brisbane's Walk of Fame |
| 2010 | Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award, Q Song Awards |
In 2016 it was announced that the Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Government were creating an award in Carol's name to honour her lifetime achievements and support of up-and-coming female artists. The Carol Lloyd Award is worth $15,000 and was to be presented for the first time in 2017. The inaugural award was presented on 30 May 2017 to Georgia Potter, who described herself as "a genuine Carol Lloyd fan", having attended Women In Voice concerts. In 2018 the winner of the Carol Lloyd Award was Leanne Tennant and in 2019 it was received by Sahara Beck.
Achievements
| 1974 | #1 hit single in Brisbane: Do Ya Love Me/Academy Rock, Railroad Gin |
| 1974 | #1 hit single in Brisbane: You Told The World, Railroad Gin |
| 1974 | #1 hit single in Brisbane: A Matter Of Time, Railroad Gin |
| 1975 | #1 hit album: A Matter of Time, Railroad Gin |
| 1976 | First rock band to play the Sydney Opera House |
| 1976 | Hit album : Mother Was Asleep At The Time, Carol Lloyd Band |