She went to St Hugh's College, Oxford University. In 1968 she was on the TV show "University Challenge", as captain of the college team. She joined the Heritage Society at Oxford University. She sang with a group called "Mistral". One of her first recordings was in 1972 on a collection called "Stagfolk Live". She became famous in 1976 when she made the album "Silly Sisters" with Maddy Prior. She also made her first solo album, "Airs and Graces" in 1976. She recorded again with Prior, this time using the name Silly Sisters for their act together. In 1977 guitar player Martin Simpson worked with her in the recording studio for three albums. He moved to America in 1987. (Simpson has come back from America to be a guest player on her albums in the 2000s.) After he left, she worked with piano player Huw Warren.