Arguably the pre-eminent British folk-rock singer/songwriter of her time,
Sandy Denny was a highly influential solo performer, as well as an integral force behind the work of pioneering groups like
the Strawbs,
Fairport Convention, and
Fotheringay. The haunting, spectral presence of
Denny's powerful and penetrating alto voice seemed to bring the mythology of English moors and folktales to life in contemporary, 20th century settings. Her landmark 1967 song "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" is considered a classic, having been recorded by her with
Fairport Convention on 1969's
Unhalfbricking and also made famous as a cover by
Judy Collins. Prior to her tragic death from a fall in 1978 at age 31,
Denny guested on
Led Zeppelin's 1971 song "The Battle of Evermore" and released a handful of solo albums in the '70s, including
The North Star Grassman and the Ravens,
Sandy,
Like an Old Fashioned Waltz, and
Rendezvous.
Sandy Denny was born Alexandra Elene McLean Denny in 1947 in Wimbledon, London. She took classical piano lessons as a child and became interested in singing at a young age. However, it was while studying to be a nurse that she began to pursue music seriously in the mid-'60s, partially at the encouragement of the then-struggling
Simon & Garfunkel, whom she met when they were still unknown. She was also friendly with the American folksinger
Jackson Frank, and recorded a couple of his songs on her first album (now available as The Original Sandy Denny). While this solo acoustic recording was her most traditional folk effort, it showed considerable potential, which she came closer to realizing on the 1967 album she recorded as a member of
the Strawbs. This found her singing with fuller folk-rock arrangements, and also included her first recorded composition, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes." The song gave
Denny her first international recognition when
Judy Collins recorded it in 1968.
Denny was tapped to replace
Judy Dyble in
Fairport Convention in 1968, and is prominently featured on their late-'60s albums What We Did on Our Holidays,
Unhalfbricking, and
Liege and Lief. These are not only recognized as
Fairport's best work but as some of the finest British folk-rock records of all time. Although
Denny shared the lead vocal chores with other members of the group, it was her singing that highlighted the best tracks, such as "Tam Lin," "Fotheringay," and "Autopsy" (the last two of which she wrote).
Denny left
Fairport Convention in 1970 and formed the short-lived
Fotheringay, which also included her future husband,
Trevor Lucas, on guitar. However, following the release of their eponymous 1970 debut, the group disbanded, leaving a second LP uncompleted.
Denny signed with Island Records and made her solo debut with 1971's
The North Star Grassman and the Ravens, which featured instrumental and production contributions by
Richard Thompson. It reached number 31 on the U.K. Albums chart. Also that year, she duetted with
Robert Plant on the song "The Battle of Evermore" off
Led Zeppelin's
Led Zeppelin IV.
More albums followed including 1972's
Sandy and 1974's
Like an Old Fashioned Waltz. However, label issues interfered with
Denny's tour plans and she and
Lucas rejoined
Fairport Convention, appearing on a live album and the group's 1975 studio session
Rising for the Moon. Leaving
Fairport Convention for a second time the following year, she returned to solo work with 1977's
Rendezvous. Produced by
Lucas, the album featured more of a contemporary pop/rock sound than her previous music. It included a cover of
Elton John's "Candle in the Wind."
Denny, who suffered from depression and substance abuse, died on April 21, 1978, from injuries sustained in a fall down a flight of stairs.
In 1998, Island released
Gold Dust, a recording of her final live performance taped at London's Royalty Theatre on November 27, 1977. A four-disc anthology, Live at the BBC, arrived in 2007 compiling all of her solo recordings for the corporation, including a DVD of her live performances on the 1971 program One in Ten. In 2010, the singer's estate and Island Records commissioned singer/songwriter
Thea Gilmore to take some of
Denny's unpublished lyrics and songs and rework them into a finished album. It was released in 2011 as Don't Stop Singing. ~ Matt Collar & Richie Unterberger