In 1968 they stopped touring and became geographically separate for the first time – Norma went to Montserrat, and Lal to Leeds where her husband George lived, while Mike stayed in Hull.
[3] Her songs sometimes echoed traditional material but also involved a variety of other influences – 'some veered towards jazz and ragtime, others like Winifer Odd had a quirky charm worthy of The Beatles, but with bleak lyrics added.
She left The Watersons in 1990 for health reasons, staying at Robin Hood's Bay, still writing and painting, and recorded her songs at home with her son Oliver Knight, who was a producer, guitarist, and songwriter.
[4] Migrating Bird: The Songs of Lal Waterson (2007) is a tribute album, with contributions from James Yorkston, Alasdair Roberts, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Vashti Bunyan, Victoria Williams and others.
Her songs have been covered by a series of singers including June Tabor, Billy Bragg, The Fatima Mansions, Lady Maisery and The Unthanks.
Rachel Unthank: "Her lyrics are so descriptive and evocative,... the melodies twist and turn in ways I wouldn't expect, and yet each line seems to melt into each other.." Bright Phoebus, released in 1972 by Lal and Mike Waterson, was reissued in 2017 by Domino.