Licorice McKechnie

Christina 'Licorice' McKechnie
Birth name Christina McKechnie
Also known as Likky Lambert, Likky McKechnie
Born 2 October 1945
Edinburgh, Scotland
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1967 to 1977
Associated acts The Incredible String Band
Robin Williamson and his Merry Band
Woody Woodmansey

Christina 'Licorice' McKechnie (born 2 October 1945 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish musician. She was a singer and songwriter in the Incredible String Band between 1968 and 1972.

After reading her poetry at folk clubs in Edinburgh, she met musician Robin Williamson, but left home in her teens with the intention of marrying Bert Jansch. The banns were published but the wedding never took place. Jansch left her behind to travel to Morocco in 1963, and, according to Williamson, "she fell into [my] arms". In 1966 she travelled to Morocco with Williamson, and was later involved in the Incredible String Band's recordings. Her first contribution to the band came in the form of backing vocals on the 1967 album The 5000 Spirits or the Layers of the Onion on the track "Painting Box". By 1968, she was regarded as a fully-fledged member of the band, usually as a backing singer and percussionist. She appeared with them when they played at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969, but left in 1972 after the end of her relationship with Williamson.[1]

In 1974, McKechnie appeared onstage at a Scientology benefit in East Grinstead with Mike Garson, Woody Woodmansey, Leonard Halliwell and others, before moving to California and joining the Silver Moon Band. She married musician Brian Lambert and later appeared with Robin Williamson with his Merry Band in 1977 (she is credited as Likky Lambert on the 1977 album Journey's Edge) before joining Woody Woodmansey's band U-Boat. She and Lambert later divorced.[1]

McKechnie has not been heard from since 1990, when her elder sister Frances reports receiving a letter which she says was 'certainly from Sacramento'—her last verified location. Postings in discussion forums in 2008, by someone investigating her disappearance, described her as "alive.. and hiding in plain sight" in California. "As far as I can tell, she doesn't really want to be found, so I'm not going to give away anything about her whereabouts on a public forum, but I'm pretty confident that I've located her. Unless I'm quite mistaken, she's still living in California, and quite content with her obscurity. Hopefully she will find her way here one day". On another website the same or another person said: "I have looked into this matter and, using resources available to the public, I have satisfied myself that she is alive, (and presumably well) and hiding in plain sight, so to speak. She has either broken with her family and the folks associated with ISB or they are compliant with her decision to remain out of the limelight. Some people just prefer their privacy."[2][3] However, unverifiable online forum postings aside, music journalist Mark Ellen wrote a lengthy retrospective for the Incredible String Band for MOJO magazine in 2000, which stated:

LICORICE McKECHNIE: Last seen in 1987 hitchhiking across the Arizona Desert. Not even her family has heard from her since. Rose (Simpson): " . . . There's a possibility she may be dead." [4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Adrian Whittaker (ed.), Be Glad: The Incredible String Band Compendium, 2003, ISBN 1-900924-64-1
  2. ↑ My "pet" Cold Case...a 60s Folkie gone for 20 years
  3. ↑ Ex Scientologist Message Board: Licorice McKechnie
  4. ↑ Mark Ellen, “Supertroupers—The Incredible String Band,” MOJO, August 2000, Issue 81, EMAP Metro, London, p.46

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