Donovan is 71 years old today.
Born Donovan Phillips Leitch, he is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist.
Initially labelled as an imitator of Bob Dylan,... he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia and world music (notably calypso).
Born Donovan Phillips Leitch, he is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist.
Initially labelled as an imitator of Bob Dylan,... he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia and world music (notably calypso).
He has lived in Scotland, London, California and Ireland with his family.
Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan shot to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the pop TV series, Ready Steady Go!.
Having initially signed with Pye Records in 1965, he recorded a handful of singles and two albums in the folk music vein, but after signing a new contract with U.S. CBS/Epic Records his popularity spread to other countries.
After extricating himself from his original management contract, he began a long and successful collaboration with Mickie Most, one of the leading British independent record producers of the era.
He scored a string of hits in the United States, the UK, Australia and other countries.
His most successful singles in the 1960s included the early UK hits "Catch the Wind,” "Colours” and “The Universal Soldier” in 1965.
"Sunshine Superman" topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and "Mellow Yellow" reached U.S. #2 the following year, with "Hurdy Gurdy Man" reaching the Top 5 in both the U.S. and UK in 1968.
He was the first artist signed to CBS/Epic Records by Clive Davis, the then-new administrative vice president. Donovan and Most collaborated on a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970. He became a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones and The Beatles. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968.
Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after parting with Most in 1969, and he left the industry for a time.
Donovan continued to perform and record sporadically in the 1970s and 1980s. His musical style was scorned by critics, especially after the advent of punk rock.
He withdrew from performing and recording several times during his career, but he underwent a revival in the 1990s with the emergence of the rave scene in Britain.
In 1996, Donovan recorded the album, Sutras, with producer and long-time fan Rick Rubin. In 2004, came Beat Cafe, and, in late 2010, he released the double CD, Ritual Groove.
Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan shot to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the pop TV series, Ready Steady Go!.
Having initially signed with Pye Records in 1965, he recorded a handful of singles and two albums in the folk music vein, but after signing a new contract with U.S. CBS/Epic Records his popularity spread to other countries.
After extricating himself from his original management contract, he began a long and successful collaboration with Mickie Most, one of the leading British independent record producers of the era.
He scored a string of hits in the United States, the UK, Australia and other countries.
His most successful singles in the 1960s included the early UK hits "Catch the Wind,” "Colours” and “The Universal Soldier” in 1965.
"Sunshine Superman" topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and "Mellow Yellow" reached U.S. #2 the following year, with "Hurdy Gurdy Man" reaching the Top 5 in both the U.S. and UK in 1968.
He was the first artist signed to CBS/Epic Records by Clive Davis, the then-new administrative vice president. Donovan and Most collaborated on a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970. He became a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones and The Beatles. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968.
Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after parting with Most in 1969, and he left the industry for a time.
Donovan continued to perform and record sporadically in the 1970s and 1980s. His musical style was scorned by critics, especially after the advent of punk rock.
He withdrew from performing and recording several times during his career, but he underwent a revival in the 1990s with the emergence of the rave scene in Britain.
In 1996, Donovan recorded the album, Sutras, with producer and long-time fan Rick Rubin. In 2004, came Beat Cafe, and, in late 2010, he released the double CD, Ritual Groove.
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