Lydia Pense

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Lydia Pense
Born (1947-12-14) December 14, 1947 (age 77)
Origin San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres Rock, soul, jazz
OccupationSinger
Instrument Vocals
Years active1969–present
Labels Reprise (1972); Warner Bros. Records (1974); ABC (1976); Dig Music (2005)
Website http://www.lydiapense.com/

Lydia Jane Pense (born December 14, 1947 in San Francisco, California) is an American rock-soul-jazz singer who, since 1969, has performed with the band Cold Blood. Critics have compared her style to powerful singers including Janis Joplin [1] and Aretha Franklin.

Contents

History

Pense's family moved to Redwood City when she was 10. [2] At age 14, while attending Sequoia High School, Pense started singing with a band called the Dimensions, with guitarist Fred Tatman, Larry Hatch, and Kerry Yates. [2] She was a fan of Brenda Lee and was singing her songs, but the band encouraged her to sing R&B in the style of James Brown, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Ray Charles.

Joplin had recommended Pense to the music promoter Bill Graham to audition for the band Cold Blood. [1] Pense joined Cold Blood in 1968, and the band was one of the earliest music groups to be signed by Graham's Fillmore Records. [3]

The band Cold Blood separated in the late 1970s. Pense suspended her music career in the early 1980s to raise her daughter, Danielle before reforming the group in 1988. [4] The band continues to record, tour and perform.

Discography

Their initial four albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste of Sin (produced by Donny Hathaway), and Thriller remain the band's best-known work.

Albums

YearAlbum nameBandNotes
1969 Cold Blood Cold Blood
1971SisyphusCold Blood [5]
1972Lights Out San Francisco (Voco Presents The Soul Of The Bay Area)Various artistsPerformed with the band Tower of Power. [6]
1972 First Taste of Sin Cold Blood
1973 Thriller Cold Blood
1974LydiaCold Blood
1975The Best of Cold BloodCold Blood
1976Lydia Pense & Cold BloodLydia Pense and Cold BloodThe last album before the band's hiatus. [4]
2001Vintage Blood: Live! 1973Live album
2005TransfusionLydia Pense and Cold Blood
2008Lydia Pense & Cold Blood: Live Blood "Live Album"Lydia Pense and Cold Blood
2011The River City SessionsLydia Pense and Cold Blood
2015Soul Of The GypsyLydia Pense and Cold Blood [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Vitt, Janet (2017-04-30). "Lydia Pense lends her powerful voice to fundraiser at Harlow's". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  2. 1 2 "Lydia Pense: hot sounds with Cold Blood". The Mercury News. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  3. ↑ "Lydia Pense and Cold Blood". SFMuseum.org. The Millard Agency. 1969. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  4. 1 2 "Lydia Pense & Cold Blood - Back Here Again". Paste Magazine. 1998-06-12. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  5. ↑ "Cold Blood - Sisyphus". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  6. ↑ "Various - Lights Out: San Francisco (Voco Presents The Soul Of The Bay Area)". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  7. ↑ "Lydia Pense & Cold Blood* - Soul Of The Gypsy". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.


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