You know, I knew in 1965 when we met that he and I were similar. "John asked me to teach him some new chord structures and how to do finger-style guitar. As Donovan told David Marchese for a 2016 article in Vulture, he and Lennon were kindred spirits: It was during this famous visit to India that Donovan taught John Lennon the finger picking guitar style he used on The White Album. In February of 1968, Donovan travelled with The Beatles to Rishikesh in northern India to attend a training session in Transcendental Meditation, held at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In 1966, he became the first British pop singer to be arrested for possession of marijuana. His lyrics were obscure and thought to include drug references. Donovan also scored big with "Sunshine Superman" (1967) and "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (1968). It was Dylan who introduced Donovan to the Beatles in 1965.Įpic Records released Donovan's hit single "Mellow Yellow" on October 24, 1966. He ended up hanging out with such luminaries as Joan Baez and Bob Dylan himself. In those days, he came across as Bob Dylan-type folksinger and he enjoyed early success with hits in the United Kingdom - "Catch the Wind," "Colours," and Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Universal Soldier." His voice was soft and expressive and soulful. Brian walked into one of Donovan's demo recording sessions in London and later told Ready Steady Go! that if they didn't have Donovan on their show, they'd be sorry.Īs a result, Donovan landed his first television performance before he had even released a single. rock/pop TV series Ready Steady Go! His first appearance on the show was due to Brian Jones, founder of The Rolling Stones. He briefly attended an art school, but dropped out to go on the road.ĭonovan Leitch arrived on the British music scene in early 1965 with his performances on the U.K. Their home had always been filled with a love of music and Donovan learned how to play the guitar at the age of 14. The Leitch family eventually moved to the town of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. '"Īs a child in Glasgow, Donovan contracted polio and was left with a limp. "There's that Beatles line: 'For the benefit of Mr. "We get something from the music halls," he stated. In 2016, he told The Guardian that his sense of humour comes from his Irish side. He is of Scottish and Irish descent (his grandmothers were Irish). He grew up in a Glasgow tenement, the son of Donald Leitch, an engineer, and Winifred (née Phillips) Leitch, a factory worker. He embodied the hippie era with a unique musical style that combined folk, pop, jazz, psychedelia and calypso.ĭonovan Phillips Leitch was born on in an area of Glasgow, Scotland known as Maryhlll. This Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist and harmonica player was the consummate flower child. We infused it with the spirit of that time."ĭuring the 1960s, Donovan was a gentle troubadour with an impressive array of hit songs. What happened in the 60s gave a new voice to that tradition: the bohemians and the eccentrics, people like me and George Harrison going through the old bardic books. And Scottish folk music, which was liberating, humorous, real. I grew up with poetic influences – what I know from my background is the bardic poetry, which came down through oral tradition. The songs I write and sing try to say important things with a lightness." "It wasn’t all just fun and games, the 1960s, but I have a light touch.
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