Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch, 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist. Initially labelled as an imitator of Bob Dylan, Donovan quickly developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music (notably calypso). He has variously lived in Scotland, London, California and Ireland, and currently lives with his family in County Cork in Ireland.
Emerging from the British folk scene, Donovan shot to fame in the United Kingdom in early 1965 with a series of live performances on the pop TV series, Ready Steady Go!. Initially signing with the British label Pye Records in 1965, he recorded a handful of singles and two albums in the folk music vein, but after signing a new contract with the US label Epic Records his popularity rapidly spread to the US and other countries. After extricating himself from his original management contract, he began a long and successful collaboration with Mickie Most, one of the leading British independent record producers of the era, scoring a string of hits in the UK, the US, Australia and other countries. His successful records in the 1960s included the UK hits "Catch the Wind" and "Colours" in 1965, while "Sunshine Superman" topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart the following year, and reached #2 in Britain. Donovan was the first artist to be signed to CBS/Epic Records by then-new Administrative Vice President Clive Davis, who later became head of the CBS Record empire.
Donovan and Most collaborated on a series of hit albums and singles between 1965 and 1970. He became a friend of leading pop musicians including Joan Baez, Brian Jones, and The Beatles. He taught John Lennon a finger-picking guitar style in 1968. Donovan's commercial fortunes waned after he parted ways with Mickie Most in 1969, and he left the music industry for a time.
He continued to perform and record sporadically in the 1970s and 1980s, but gradually fell from favour. His gentle musical style and hippie image was scorned by critics, especially after the advent of punk rock. Donovan withdrew from performing and recording several times during his career, but he underwent a revival in the 1990s with the emergence of the rave scene in Britain. Late in the decade, he recorded the 1996 album Sutras with producer and long-time fan Rick Rubin and in 2004 released a new album, Beat Cafe. Donovan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Studio
1965. Fairytale {2001, UK, Castle CMRCD 360}
1965. What's Bin Did And What's Bin Hid {2007, UK, Sanctuary SMBCD428}
1966. Sunshine Superman {5 releases}
1967. Mellow Yellow {2005, EU, EMI 7243 8 73567 2 6}
1968. A Gift From A Flower To A Garden {1993, UK, BGO BGOCD194}
1968. Hurdy Gurdy Man {1990, US, Epic EK 26420}
1969. Barabajagal {1990, US, Epic EK 26481}
1973. Cosmic Wheels {1994, UK, Epic 477378-2}
1973. Essence To Essence {1988, UK, Epic 489443 2}
1996. Sutras {2 releases}
2002. Pied Piper {2002, US, Music For... R2 78290}
Live & Compilations
1965. Catch The Wind {1988, US, Garland GRZ-016}
1968. Donovan In Concert {2006, EU, EMI 094635410020}
1970. Donovan's Greatest Hits {1999, EU, Epic 450601 2}
1971. Golden Hour Of Donovan {1990, France, Knight KGH CD 107}
1984. Catch The Wind Live {1999, UK, Hallmark Music 311712}
1989. Greatest Hits...And More {1989, UK, EMI, CDP793 1462}
1991. Sunshine On The Mountain {1991, US, Sony A 22595}
1995. Definitive Collection {1995, EU, Epic 480552 9}
1998. The Best Of Donovan {2988, Germany, Pegaus PEG CD 109}
2000. Summer Day Reflection Songs {2005, UK, Sanctuary SMEDD219}
2002. Sunshine Superman The Best Of Donovan {2006, UK, EMI 371 8282}
2004. The Essential Donovan {2012, US, Epic 88691958682}
2005. The Very Best Of The Early Years {2005, UK, Metro METRCD155}
2008. Playlist The Very Best Of Donovan {2008, US, Legacy 88697 27286 2}
