AltScene

Donovan

Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch, 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music (notably calypso). He has lived in Scotland, Hertfordshire (England), London, California, and since at least 2008 in County Cork, Ireland, with his family. Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan reached fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with live performances on the pop TV series Ready Steady Go!.

Having signed with Pye Records in 1965, he recorded singles and two albums in the folk vein for Hickory Records (US company), after which he signed to CBS/Epic Records in the US – the first signing by the company's new vice-president Clive Davis – and became more successful internationally. He began a long and successful collaboration with leading British independent record producer Mickie Most, scoring multiple hit singles and albums in the UK, US, and other countries.

His most successful singles were the early UK hits "Catch the Wind", "Colours" and "Universal Soldier" in 1965, written by Buffy Sainte-Marie. In September 1966 "Sunshine Superman" topped America's Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week and went to number two in Britain, followed by "Mellow Yellow" at US No. 2 in December 1966, then 1968's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" in the Top 5 in both countries, then "Atlantis", which reached US No. 7 in May 1969.

He became a friend of pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones and the Beatles. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968 that Lennon employed in "Dear Prudence", "Julia", "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and other songs. 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 and hippie image were scorned by critics, especially after punk rock. His performing and recording became sporadic until a revival in the 1990s with the emergence of Britain's rave scene. He recorded the 1996 album Sutras with producer Rick Rubin and in 2004 made a new album, Beat Cafe. Donovan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014.

PEOPLE WHO LIKE DONOVAN

MadHatter Oates

Florida
United States

Mar 28, 2024 06:09

Denizen

Tyne and Wear
United Kingdom

Mar 20, 2024 22:38

Stitches

Oregon
United States

Mar 19, 2024 17:36

Lily

Monmouthshire
United Kingdom

Oct 18, 2023 23:56

garrr_1

Merseyside
United Kingdom

Sep 21, 2023 16:30

Rei

California
United States

Sep 8, 2023 00:17

Spoon

Minnesota
United States

Aug 24, 2023 15:08

Gelon

Florida
United States

Feb 3, 2023 23:00

Arkmundy

California
United States

Aug 9, 2021 02:43

akuariuz

Devon
United Kingdom

Jul 8, 2020 16:18

Krrrusty

Texas
United States

Jun 10, 2019 00:36

Marcus Lopez Arguello

California
United States

Dec 17, 2018 07:10

Psychotic_Reaction

Texas
United States

Apr 2, 2018 04:17

LipsOfDeceit

Tyne and Wear
United Kingdom

Nov 26, 2017 22:50

i hate doing this

surrey bc
Canada

Jan 22, 2017 22:24

Golddust

London
United Kingdom

Jan 18, 2017 14:00

IfItMovesKissIt

London
United Kingdom

Aug 14, 2016 13:28

AntiWarhol

Pennsylvania
United States

Aug 14, 2014 03:51

Satur9

Lincolnshire
United Kingdom

Apr 15, 2014 22:36