Donovan in The 1960s (Decades)

Jeff Fitzgerald

Softcover | 14.8 x 1.1 x 21 cm | 134 pp

Sonicbond | 2022 | 9781789522334

The Decades series looks at a specific decade in the life of a band or artist.

Donovan is one of the musicians who defined the 1960s. From his humble, working-class roots as a teenager with big dreams, he rose to become an icon of the times, the troubadour of the flower power generation. His story is one filled with tales of romance, legendary friendships, and screaming fans. But it’s also the story of a spiritual journey and of a personal mission to bring his message of love to the world. Most of all, though, it’s about the music.

Defying the press who dubbed him a mere Dylan imitator, Donovan found his own unique voice and produced some of the most creative and enduring music of the ‘60s; songs that captured the imagination with memorable melodies and poetic, thought-provoking lyrics. He transcended his folk roots to blend in rock, pop, jazz, classical and world music elements like no one had done before. The mythical, magical decade of the 1960s was the time that Donovan made his mark on the world. This book tells his story through a deep dive into the music he created in those times, including new insights from John Cameron, who arranged and played on many of Donovan’s classic songs of the era.

About the Author
Jeff Fitzgerald started as a radio DJ in the 1980s, producing such weekly music programmes as Electronic Realizations and Canadian Rock. More recently, he was the host of the River Gibbs FM show Prog World. Artists he has interviewed include Saga, Triumph, Suzanne Ciani, Damo Suzuki, King Black Acid and Nash the Slash. Jeff is a musician himself and has also been writing about music for over 20 years for online webzines such as Aural Innovations and his own blog, Psychedelic Waves. He lives in Edmonton, Canada, with his wife Stephanie and their cat Maya.