Sandy Denny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sandy Denny
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Denny at Island Records, 1972
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny |
| Born | 6 January 1947 Merton Park, Surrey, England |
| Died | 21 April 1978 (aged 31) Wimbledon, London, England |
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| Years active | 1965–1978 |
| Labels | Island Records |
Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny (born January 6, 1947 – died April 21, 1978) was a talented English singer and songwriter. She was best known as the lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. Many people called her the most important British folk rock singer of her time.
Sandy Denny briefly worked with a band called the Strawbs. Then, in 1968, she joined Fairport Convention and stayed with them until 1969. In 1970, she started her own band, Fotheringay, but it didn't last long. After that, she focused on her solo music career.
Between 1971 and 1977, Sandy released four solo albums. She also sang a duet with Robert Plant (from Led Zeppelin) on the song "The Battle of Evermore" in 1971. This song was on Led Zeppelin's famous album Led Zeppelin IV. Sandy Denny passed away in 1978 at the age of 31.
Music magazines like Uncut and Mojo have called Sandy Denny Britain's best female singer-songwriter. Her song "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" has been sung by many famous artists. These include Judy Collins, Eva Cassidy, and Nina Simone. Her music has been re-released many times since she died. In 2010, a huge 19-CD collection of her work came out. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked her among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
Contents
Sandy Denny's Early Life and Musical Start
Sandy Denny was born on January 6, 1947, in Merton Park, London. Her parents were Neil and Edna Denny. As a child, she learned to play the classical piano.
Her grandparents on her father's side were from Scotland. Her grandmother even spoke Scottish Gaelic and sang traditional Gaelic songs. Sandy loved singing from a young age. However, her parents were strict and didn't think she could make a living from music. She went to Coombe Girls' School. After school, she started training to be a nurse.
Discovering Her Musical Path
Sandy's nursing career was very short. In September 1965, she started studying at Kingston College of Art. There, she became involved with the college's folk music club. Other students there included John Renbourn, who later joined the band Pentangle.
After her first public performance, Sandy started singing in folk clubs at night. She sang American folk songs by artists like Tom Paxton. She also sang many traditional folk songs. Sandy first performed for the BBC in December 1966. She sang two traditional songs while playing her guitar.
Her first professional recordings were made in 1967. These recordings featured traditional songs and covers by other folk artists. One of these was Jackson C. Frank, who was her boyfriend at the time. These songs were released on albums like Alex Campbell and His Friends and Sandy and Johnny. Later, some of these songs were re-recorded for the 1970 album It's Sandy Denny.
By this time, Sandy had left art college to focus on music full-time. A member of the Strawbs heard her sing at a folk club. In 1967, she was asked to join their band. She recorded one album with them in Denmark. It was released later in 1973 as All Our Own Work. This album includes an early version of her famous song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" A demo of this song reached American singer Judy Collins. Judy decided to record it as the title track of her own album in 1968. This helped Sandy become known internationally as a songwriter.
Joining Fairport Convention and Fotheringay
After recording with Alex Campbell and Johnny Silvo, Sandy wanted to join a band. She hoped to use her voice more and reach a bigger audience. She also wanted to share her own songs. Sandy felt the Strawbs couldn't give her this chance, so she left them.
Becoming a Folk Rock Pioneer
Fairport Convention was looking for a new singer in May 1968. Their previous singer, Judy Dyble, had left. Sandy Denny was the perfect choice. A band member, Simon Nicol, said she stood out from other singers.
Sandy recorded three albums with Fairport Convention in the late 1960s. The first was What We Did on Our Holidays. Sandy encouraged the band to explore traditional British folk songs. This is why she is seen as a very important person in the creation of British folk rock. She brought many traditional songs she knew from the clubs. One of these was "A Sailor's Life", which appeared on their second album, Unhalfbricking. The band's electric playing around Sandy's singing of this song inspired their next album, Liege & Lief (1969). This album became very influential.
In December 1969, Sandy left Fairport Convention. She wanted to focus more on her own songwriting. She then formed her own band, Fotheringay. Her future husband, Trevor Lucas, was also in this band.
They released one album, also called Fotheringay. It included a long version of the traditional song "Banks of the Nile." It also had several of Sandy's original songs, like "The Sea" and "Nothing More." "Nothing More" was her first song written on the piano. The piano then became her main instrument. Fotheringay started recording a second album in late 1970. But it was never finished because Sandy decided to leave the group.
Sandy Denny's Solo Career and Later Years
After Fotheringay, Sandy started recording her first solo album. It was called The North Star Grassman and the Ravens and came out in 1971. This album was known for its unique lyrics and unusual melodies. Important songs included "Late November," inspired by a dream and the death of a Fairport band member.
Sandy, her second solo album, came out in 1972. It had a cover photo by the famous photographer David Bailey. This was the first of her albums produced by Trevor Lucas. It included eight new songs she wrote. It also had her last recording of a traditional song, "The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood."
Melody Maker magazine readers voted her the "Best British Female Singer" in 1970 and 1971. She also joined a special project called the Bunch. They recorded an album of rock and roll songs called Rock On.
In 1971, Sandy sang with Robert Plant on "The Battle of Evermore" for Led Zeppelin's album Led Zeppelin IV. She was the only guest singer ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin album. In 1972, Sandy also had a small part in a rock opera called Tommy. She sang the part of The Nurse in the song "It's a Boy."
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In 1973, Sandy married Trevor Lucas, her long-time boyfriend and producer. She then recorded her third solo album, Like an Old Fashioned Waltz. The songs on this album talked about her personal thoughts. These included feelings of loss, loneliness, and the passing of time. The album had one of her most loved songs, "Solo."
In 1974, Sandy rejoined Fairport Convention. Her husband, Trevor, was also a member by then. They went on a world tour and released a studio album, Rising for the Moon, in 1975. Sandy wrote or co-wrote seven of the eleven songs on this album.
Sandy and Trevor left Fairport Convention at the end of 1975. Sandy then started working on her final album, Rendezvous. It was released in 1977. The album did not sell well, and her record label, Island Records, dropped her. Sandy and Trevor had moved to a village called Byfield. In July 1977, Sandy gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Georgia.
Sandy's last public performances were during a UK tour in autumn 1977. The final show was recorded for a live album, Gold Dust. This album was released later in 1998.
Sandy Denny's Final Days
In late March 1978, Sandy was on holiday with her parents and baby Georgia. She was injured when she fell down a staircase. After this, she had severe headaches. On April 1, she performed a charity concert in Byfield. The last song she sang was "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"
At some point in April 1978, Sandy had another fall at her home. On April 13, Trevor Lucas left the UK with their daughter, Georgia, and went to Australia. Sandy then went to stay with a friend. She made an appointment to see a doctor about her headaches. On April 17, Sandy was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase. She was taken to Queen Mary's Hospital.
On April 19, she was moved to Atkinson Morley Hospital. Trevor Lucas returned from Australia. Doctors told him that Sandy's condition was very serious and she would not get better. Sandy Denny passed away on April 21, 1978, without waking up. She was 31 years old. Her funeral took place on April 27, 1978, at Putney Vale Cemetery.
Sandy Denny's Lasting Legacy
Even though Sandy Denny didn't become a huge pop star during her life, her music has become very popular since her death. Many of her recordings have been released over the years.
Her Music Lives On
In 1985, a four-album collection called Who Knows Where the Time Goes? was released. It included many rare and unreleased songs. This showed that there was a lot of her music that had not been heard before.
Many other collections of her music have come out. These include live recordings from her concerts and BBC radio shows. In 2004, a five-CD box set called A Boxful of Treasures was released. It had many unreleased recordings, including a whole disc of acoustic songs. Fans loved these acoustic versions because they showed the true beauty of her voice and songs.
In 2010, a very large 19-CD collection called Sandy Denny was released. It included almost all of her studio recordings. This set also had many unreleased songs, demos, and interviews. It received great reviews from music critics.
In 2011, a singer named Thea Gilmore wrote music for some of Sandy's unfinished lyrics. The album, Don't Stop Singing, was released and also received good reviews.
Tributes to Sandy Denny
Many tributes have been made to Sandy Denny since she passed away. Other musicians have written songs about her. These include "Song for Sandy" by Dave Pegg and "Ringing Down the Years" by Dave Cousins. Kate Bush even mentioned Sandy in her song "Blow Away (For Bill)."
Many artists have covered Sandy's songs. Some famous ones include Cat Power, Judy Collins, and Nina Simone.
Several radio shows have been made about Sandy's life and music. In 2007, her song "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" won a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for "Favourite Folk Track of All Time." In 2010, she was honored in NPR's "50 Great Voices" series.
Tribute concerts have also been held. In 2008, a concert called The Lady: A Tribute to Sandy Denny featured many famous folk and rock artists. In 2012, this concert was expanded into a UK tour. The concerts were filmed for BBC4 and shown as a program called The Songs of Sandy Denny.
In April 2016, Sandy Denny was added to the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Hall of Fame. Her music continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans.
Discography
Solo Studio Albums
- The North Star Grassman and the Ravens (1971)
- Sandy (1972)
- Like an Old Fashioned Waltz (1974)
- Rendezvous (1977)
Solo Live Albums
- Gold Dust (1998) (recorded live in 1977)
- Live at the BBC (2007) (a 4-disc collection)
With Other Bands
Sandy also recorded many songs with other groups. These include The Strawbs, Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, and The Bunch. You can find more details about these and other releases on her main discography page.
Images for kids
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Denny in a trade ad for Fairport Convention's A Moveable Feast, 1974
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Sandy Denny's grave at Putney Vale Cemetery, London, in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Sandy Denny para niños
