Doreen Chanter

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Doreen Chanter is a British singer best known for her career as a member of the Chanter Sisters and for her work as a backing vocalist and session vocalist during the 1970s and 1980s.

[edit] Chanter Sisters

Chanter started as a member of a group called the Chanters in 1967 with her sister Irene Chanter and her five brothers, releasing 4 singles which failed to chart. In 1968, the Chanter sisters became a duo initially known as "Birds of a Feather".

The duo released 4 singles between 1967 and 1972 but none of them achieved chart success. Their first album was Birds of a Feather released in 1970 and featured Elton John playing piano. The Chanter sisters had appeared as backing singers for Elton John in a Radio 1 session.

Long John Baldry asked the sisters to join his live band in 1973. They also featured on June 1, 1974 a live album featuring Nico, Brian Eno, Kevin Ayers and John Cale and appeared on a Chris Farlowe album BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert. Both sisters are credited on the 1974 John Cale album, Fear.

In 1976, Polydor released their second album First Flight although it failed to make any lasting impression. They sang live with John Miles and appeared on a live album. The sisters released two albums in 1978 through Safari Records which failed to chart.

[edit] Solo Singer

In 1981, Chanter was part of a chorus that sang at The Secret Policeman's Ball with other chorus members including Phil Collins, Donovan, Sheena Easton, Bob Geldof, Midge Ure and Tom Robinson. She also wrote two singles for Kiki Dee released in 1981 and a song sung by Dee for the British television series Roll Over Beethoven in 1985.

Chanter was part of the touring bands for both Roger Waters and Van Morrison in 1984. She had sung on Waters' album The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking released in that year. She was also part of his live band on the Radio KAOS tour in 1997 and appeared on his Amused to Death album in 1992.

She also toured as part of Meat Loaf's backing band Neverland Express in 1984-85 and as part of Joe Cocker's touring band in 1989. Chanter featured on Cocker's live album Live released in 1990.

During the 1990s, Chanter appeared on several albums with Chris Farlowe and on a John Cale album Seducing Down the Door released in 1994.