Background
Blair was born Margaret J. Waugh in India and educated in England and West Africa.
Blair was born Margaret J. Waugh in India and educated in England and West Africa.
After finishing school Blair took up a scholarship at The Royal Academy of Music with singing as her principal study. Her professional debut was as a mezzo-soprano with Glyndebourne Festival Opera. She later joined the Sadlers Wells Opera, which became the English National Opera.
In 1972 she established Music and Musicians Artists" Management, an operatic and concert agency in London.
Sir Colin Davis and Sir Charles Groves became joint presidents of the Trust and for 13 years international musicians, singers and actors took part in its concerts, raising money to provide equipment, specialised transport, holidays and leisure activities to children with disabilities. The Trust, with support from British Steel, helped to finance and develop the Quinville caliper for disabled children, which was used at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Much of the money raised was donated to the newly founded National Aids Trust. Following the Paris gala, Blair was asked, as representative of the Association of Artists Against Aids to organise a Royal Gala at the Drury Lane Theatre benefit for the National Aids Trust.
Blair devoted the gala to the music of Stephen Sondheim, who attended as guest of honour.
The show, named "Being Alive", featured international artists, film stars, musicians, television personalities, opera singers and conductors and raised substantial funds for the Milestone Aids Hospice in Edinburgh. Blair subsequently organised five other major fundraisers and the recording of An Anthology of English Song by major artists from the Royal Opera House to support the Milestone Aids Hospice. Blair also raised funds for Great Ormond Street Children"s Hospital and for Queen Charlotte"s Children"s Hospital, serving for three years (one as vice-president) on the organising committee for the Queen Charlotte"s Birthday Balliol