Fotheringay
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Defunct | 1971 (initially) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Fotheringay was a short-lived British folk rock ensemble established in 1970 by singer-songwriter Sandy Denny following her departure from Fairport Convention. The group took its name from Denny's 1968 composition "Fotheringay." They produced one eponymous album before disbanding in early 1971 as Denny embarked on a solo path. In 2015 and 2016, the original surviving members reunited, supplemented by additional musicians, for a series of tours.
Career
The band’s roster featured former Eclection members—guitarist Trevor Lucas and drummer Gerry Conway—alongside guitarist Jerry Donahue and bassist Pat Donaldson, both previously of Poet and the One Man Band. Their debut record showcased Denny’s original songs such as "Nothing More," "The Sea," and "The Pond and The Stream," complemented by covers including Gordon Lightfoot’s "The Way I Feel" and Bob Dylan’s "Too Much of Nothing." Despite reaching number 18 on the UK Albums Chart and earning spots in UK music publications’ Top 20 lists, the album achieved only modest commercial success, which contributed to mounting pressure for Denny to pursue a solo career. Notably, she had been recognized as Britain's premier vocalist in Melody Maker's readers poll for two years running.
A live recording from their concert at Gruga-Halle in Essen, Germany, on 23 October 1970 was later remastered by Donahue and issued in 2011.
Fotheringay came to an end in January 1971 amid work on a second album after Denny declared her intention to leave and producer Joe Boyd moved to Warner Brothers in California. Denny later cited Boyd’s antagonism toward the group as a factor contributing to their split.
Tracks planned for the second album were eventually featured on Denny’s 1971 solo debut, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. In 1972, Lucas, Conway, and Donahue joined Fairport Convention, participating on the Rosie album, which incorporated some material originally developed by Fotheringay. Conway contributed to three songs before transitioning into session work; both he and Donaldson collaborated with Fairport’s Richard Thompson. Lucas and Donahue remained members of Fairport through the release of the 1973 Nine album. Denny rejoined Fairport in 1974; this lineup produced Fairport Live Convention (released in the US as A Movable Feast) along with Rising for the Moon. In December 1975, Denny, Donahue, and Lucas departed from Fairport. Conway returned to a reformed Fairport lineup in 1997.
In 2007, Donahue completed the unfinished second Fotheringay album using archived session recordings. This release, titled Fotheringay 2 and issued by Fledg'ling Records in September 2008, reignited interest in the band’s legacy.
A detailed four-disc anthology entitled Nothing More: The Collected Fotheringay was released in March 2015. This compilation includes studio albums, demo tracks, a full live performance from Rotterdam (1970), BBC session recordings, and a DVD featuring four appearances on the German "Beat-Club" television program.
In June 2015, original members Donahue, Conway, and Donaldson reunited for a UK tour supported by vocalists Kathryn Roberts, Sally Barker, and PJ Wright who filled roles formerly held by Denny and Lucas. The tour extended into Germany and the Netherlands in September 2016.
Discography
- Fotheringay (Island/A&M, 1970)
- Fotheringay 2 (Fledg'ling Records, 2008)
- Fotheringay Essen 1970 (Thor's Hammer Records, 2011)
- Nothing More: The Collected Fotheringay (Universal Music, 2015)