[1] Heywood's first performance took place around 1968 in the Eglinton Folk Club in Irvine, Scotland.
Inspired by Martin Carthy, Lizzie Higgins and Jeannie Robertson among others, she progressed to bookings as a solo artist for a number of Scottish clubs.
She remained a solo artist for most of her career except for one tour of Brittany with the band The Clutha during the absence of their singer Gordeanna McCulloch.
[2][3] Heather Heywood is best known for ballads and is quoted to be "not so taken with lighter numbers.
"[2] In 1970, Williamson married Peter Heywood, a folk music activist and publisher of The Living Tradition magazine.