Alexandra Denny was born in Wimbledon on June 6, 1947. Music
was a central part of her younger years and she had a natural
ease in leaming the guitar.
Sandy was studying at the Kensington Art College when she
made her debut at a London suburban folk club. In less than a
year she was getting regular work and decided to leave art college
to pursue a career in music.
For two years she worked solo, gained quite a reputation
on the British folk scene and then joined the early Strawbs She
made one album with them called 'All Our Own Work' During that
period she also made a solo album called simply 'Sandy Denny'.
In May 1968 Sandy joined Fairport Convention replacing Judy
Dyble. As lead singer for Fairport Convention she was instrumental
in introducing traditional folk songs into the group's repertoire
as well as some of her own material.
With the first Fairport album recorded with Sandy, 'What
We Did On Our Holidays', the direction she was leading them in
was already developing. Just before 'Unhalfbrickering' her second
album with the group was to be released, Martin Lamble their
rhythm guitarist died in an automobile accident. The album is
considered to be one of Fairport's better works. Fairport made
some line-up changes and then recorded 'Leige and Life' which
is their very best and is justifiably regarded as the most important
folk-rock album ever! While with Fairport Sandy had also strengthened
her songwriting reputation when American singer Judy Collins
recorded and had a hit with Sandy's 'Who Knows Where The Time
Goes' However, the time came, as it eventually does with talents
like Sandy's, that she outgrew Fairport Convention. She left
the group at the time of the group 's greatest national popularity
(late '69), to form her own band Fotheringay (named after one
of Sandy's old compossitions..
The group, consisting of bassist Pat Donaldson, guitarist
Jerry Donahue, guitarist Trevor Lucas {who she later married)
and drummer Gerry Conway, made one album together 'Fotheringay'.
It was a good album which promised great things but bad business
management forced the group to disband while in the throes of
recording a second album.
Sandy modestly began an extremely successful (from a critical
point of view) solo career.
Three albums followed 'The North Star Grassman And The Ravans',
'Sandy', and 'Like An Old Fashioned Waltz'. The first two were
folk rock and the third showed a definite change in direction
as Sandy risked doing several Fats Waller numbers but they all
met with critical and some commercial success.
In 1974 she rejoined Fairport Convention, which then included
Lucas and Donahue. She appeared with them on one studio album
'Rising For The Moon ' which again immediately established Sandy
as a vital memberof the group but arguments within the group
made her leave again in 1976.
Her career underwent a slump and it was rumoured her private
life did too. The album 'Rendezvous' therefore remained on the
shelf for about a year before it was f finally released in 1977.
Nevertheless the album is, in many aspects, of such high quality
that it is hailed as her best ever and can easily be considered
the best album ever made by any female recording artist.
An end came to Sandy's presumably rather tragic life on April
21st 1978. She fell down some steps while at a friend's house
and was immediately rushed to hospital where she lay in a coma
for a week before she died of a brain hemorrhage.
