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Jane Relf | |
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| Birth name | Jane Relf |
| Born | 7 March 1947 Richmond, Surrey, England |
| Genres | Progressive rock |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1969–2001 |
Jane Relf (born 7 March 1947) is a British singer, best known as the original vocalist for the progressive rock band Renaissance. She is the younger sister of Keith Relf of the Yardbirds.
In January 1969 Keith Relf and Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds formed Renaissance with pianist John Hawken and bassist Louis Cennamo. Despite having no previous experience, Jane was invited by her brother to be the new band's vocalist. [1] She subsequently appeared on the band's self-titled debut album later that year.
After Keith Relf, McCarty, and Cennamo left during the recording of the band's second album Illusion in 1970, Jane and John Hawken briefly continued Renaissance with a new lineup including Terry Crowe, Michael Dunford, Neil Korner, and Terry Slade. Jane also introduced lyricist Betty Thatcher to the band, who would continue to write songs for Renaissance until 1981. [1] After the recording of Illusion and the completion of a European tour in the autumn of 1970, Jane left the band and was replaced in the band by American singer Binky Cullom. [2]
In 1971 Jane released a solo single "Without a Song From You" b/w "Make My Time Pass By" and afterwards recorded many songs for use in commercials, including a promotional single "The Fishermen" for Findus Frozen Foods.
In 1976, Keith Relf was in the process of re-forming the original lineup of Renaissance, including Jane. Following Keith's accidental death by electrocution, Jane and the other surviving original members of Renaissance proceeded with the project and formed Illusion, with new members John Knightsbridge and Eddie McNeil, and Jane and McCarty as lead vocalists. Illusion recorded two albums, Out Of The Mist and Illusion, before disbanding in 1979.
Since the dissolution of Illusion, Jane Relf has sung on various Renaissance/Illusion related projects including two albums by McCarty and Cennamo's band Stairway and McCarty's solo album Out Of The Dark. In 1990, a collection of Illusion demos was released as the album Enchanted Caress, and in 2001, Jane along with the three other original members of Renaissance recorded the album Through The Fire under the name "Renaissance Illusion".
Solo
With Renaissance
With Illusion
With Stairway
Other appearances [3]
Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia", and "Ashes Are Burning". They developed a unique sound, combining a female lead vocal with a fusion of classical, folk, rock, and jazz influences. Characteristic elements of the Renaissance sound are Annie Haslam's wide vocal range, prominent piano accompaniment, orchestral arrangements and vocal harmonies.
Little Games is the fourth American album by the English rock band the Yardbirds. Recorded and released in 1967, it was their first album recorded after becoming a quartet with Jimmy Page as the sole guitarist and Chris Dreja switching to bass. It was also the only Yardbirds album produced by Mickie Most.
William Keith Relf was an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist and harmonica player for rock band the Yardbirds. He then formed the band Renaissance with his sister Jane Relf, the Yardbirds ex-drummer Jim McCarty and ex-The Nashville Teens keyboardist John Hawken.
Armageddon were an English hard rock band formed in 1974. Their self-titled debut, Armageddon, was recorded in England and released in the United States on A&M Records. The albums' original liner notes use the term "supergroup", as their personnel were drummer Bobby Caldwell, singer Keith Relf, guitarist Martin Pugh, and bassist Louis Cennamo.
Paul Granville Samwell-Smith is an English musician and record producer. He was a founding member and the bassist of the 1960s English rock band the Yardbirds, which launched leading guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page to fame.
"Shapes of Things" is a song by the English rock group the Yardbirds. With its Eastern-sounding, feedback-laden guitar solo and environmentalist, antiwar lyrics, several music writers have identified it as the first popular psychedelic rock song. It is built on musical elements contributed by several group members in three different recording studios in the US, and was the first Yardbirds composition to become a chart hit; when released as a single on 25 February 1966, the song reached number three in the UK and number eleven in the US.
Illusion were a British progressive rock band formed in 1977. They released two albums, Out of the Mist (1977) and Illusion (1978) on Island Records, before folding in 1979. A third release titled Enchanted Caress was released in 1990.
John Christopher Hawken was an English keyboard player, best known as a member of The Nashville Teens, Renaissance, and the Strawbs. He also played in Spooky Tooth, Third World War, Vinegar Joe and Illusion, as well as being a session musician.
James Stanley McCarty is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Yardbirds and Renaissance. Following Chris Dreja's departure from the Yardbirds in 2013, McCarty became the only founding member to still tour in the band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of the Yardbirds.
Louis David Cennamo is an English bass guitarist, who has recorded and/or toured with a number of important British rock/blues/progressive bands, including The Herd, Renaissance and Colosseum.
Steamhammer are an English rock band from Worthing, England, that were formed in 1968 by vocalist Kieran White, guitarists Martin Quittenton and Martin Pugh, bassist Steve Davy, and drummer Michael Rushton.
Armageddon was the only album released by British/American progressive rock group Armageddon in 1975. It features vocalist Keith Relf, Martin Pugh, Louis Cennamo, and Bobby Caldwell.
Renaissance is the debut album by the English progressive rock band Renaissance, released in November 1969.
Stairway was an English new-age music band, who have released a total of five albums and cassette tapes between 1986 and 1995.
Illusion is the second studio album by the English progressive rock band Renaissance, released in 1971. It was originally released only in Germany and did not receive a wider release until 1973. It was first released in the UK in 1977, with a cover that had the original front and rear cover artwork swapped.
Martin John Pugh is a British guitarist who came to prominence after joining blues-rock band Steamhammer in 1968, staying with that band through 5 years and 4 albums. The debut Steamhammer album, also known as Steamhammer, was released in 1969 and yielded a minor hit record in Europe, "Junior's Wailing". Pugh also played on the first Rod Stewart solo album, An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down.
Speech is the fourth album by the British rock band Steamhammer.
The Yardbirds are an English rock band, formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 greatest guitarists. The band's other members during 1963–1968 were vocalist/harmonica player Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, with Dreja switching to bass when Samwell-Smith departed in 1966. The band had a string of hits throughout the mid-1960s, including "For Your Love", "Heart Full of Soul", "Shapes of Things", and "Over Under Sideways Down".
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