Song:A Song For All Seasons
Album:Tales Of 1001 Nights Vol. 2
British progressive rock group Renaissance had a pretty good following back in the 70s & 80s. This comp covers their 80s music. Like The Moody Blues, Renaissance were actually two different bands. The band was founded by former Yardbirds Keith Relf, Jim McCarty & Paul Samwell-Smith with Keith's sister Jane Relf lead singer in 1969. They were looking to compose experimental rock music. But touring wore on them and all of them were gone by 1971. Later on the Relfs & McCarty would start a similar group called Illusion. Guitarist Michael Dunford started holding auditions for new members of Renaissance that reflected his classical training. The key addition was lead vocalist Annie Haslem (born June 8, 1944 in Bolton, England). She was trained in opera. Other members were John Tout on piano, Jon Camp on bass & Terence Sullivan on drums. That was the lineup through the 70s. Renaissance's mix of folk rock and classical led by Haslem's soaring vocals got them airplay on progressive rock radio stations in the US. They had some success in England and signed with Sire Records in 1977. They even toured the US with a full orchestra. Renaissance continued to record in the 80s though the group was starting to fall apart. Sullivan & Tout left and were replaced by Peter Barron & Peter Gosling. This is one of two comps released by Sire in 1990 that covers material from the late 70s-early 80s. Annie Haslem & Michael Dunford have reunited Renaissance occasionally. Annie Haslem first recorded as a solo artist in 1977. She lives in the US now and owns her own label. I guess Renaissance was one of the first groups to explore a classical rock fusion with a strong female vocalist so that makes them significant. Here's Renaissance performing A Song For All Seasons in Philadelphia 1981. The song cuts off at the end but the original video was like that.
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