Post by adayinthelife on May 11, 2005 17:51:14 GMT -5
Donovan, one of my favorite 60s artists, turns 59!
He was friends with the Beatles and went to india with them in 1968.
Donovan Philips Leitch (usually known simply as Donovan) (born May 10, 1946) is a British musician. Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan shot to fame in Britain in early 1965 after a series of showcase TV performances. His success was initially restricted to Britain, but after signing with the American Epic Records label and joining forces with producer Mickie Most, he developed an eclectic but very successful style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia and world music.
Donovan quickly rose to become one of the most famous and popular British recording artists of his day, producing a string of trans-Atlantic hit albums and singles between 1966 and 1970. He also became a close friend of The Beatles and was one of the few artists to collaborate on songs with them. Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after he parted ways with Most in 1969, and although he continued to perform and record sporadically in the Seventies and Eighties he gradually fell from favor, with his gentle musical style and 'hippie' image increasingly scorned by critics, especially after the advent of punk rock. Donovan withdrew from performing and recording several times during his long career, but underwent a strong revival of interest in the 1990s with the emergence of the rave scene in Britain. Late in the decade he recorded a successful album with noted rap producer and longtime fan Rick Rubin.
He was friends with the Beatles and went to india with them in 1968.
Donovan Philips Leitch (usually known simply as Donovan) (born May 10, 1946) is a British musician. Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan shot to fame in Britain in early 1965 after a series of showcase TV performances. His success was initially restricted to Britain, but after signing with the American Epic Records label and joining forces with producer Mickie Most, he developed an eclectic but very successful style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia and world music.
Donovan quickly rose to become one of the most famous and popular British recording artists of his day, producing a string of trans-Atlantic hit albums and singles between 1966 and 1970. He also became a close friend of The Beatles and was one of the few artists to collaborate on songs with them. Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after he parted ways with Most in 1969, and although he continued to perform and record sporadically in the Seventies and Eighties he gradually fell from favor, with his gentle musical style and 'hippie' image increasingly scorned by critics, especially after the advent of punk rock. Donovan withdrew from performing and recording several times during his long career, but underwent a strong revival of interest in the 1990s with the emergence of the rave scene in Britain. Late in the decade he recorded a successful album with noted rap producer and longtime fan Rick Rubin.
