Gerry Conway (musician)
Encyclopedia
Gerald Conway is an English
folk
and rock
drummer
/percussionist, best known for having performed with the backing band for Cat Stevens
in the 1970s, Jethro Tull
during the 1980s, and currently a member of Fairport Convention
as well as his side projects. Conway has done a considerable amount of work as a session musician
.
as well as for Eclection
(other members included Kerrilee Male, Georg Kajanus
[as George Hultgreen], Michael Rosen and Trevor Lucas
). In their early years, Steeleye Span
also drafted in the services of Conway, who was a friend of the band. Conway played on their now-classic song "Dark-Eyed Sailor" from their first album, Hark! The Village Wait
(1970). His studio works also include the debut solo albums of Sandy Denny
and Shelagh McDonald
and appearances on albums by Wizz Jones
, John Cale
, Jim Capaldi
and others. He toured and recorded as a member of Cat Stevens
' band for six years.
Conway was a consistent member of the close knit Cat Stevens
backing band throughout the mid 1970s. When Stevens gave up his pop music career at the close of the decade, Conway performed on Daydo; the short-lived solo album of singer-songwriter
Alun Davies
, another long-term member of Stevens' band.
Conway has secured the drummer's position in Fairport Convention
(on a regular basis since 1998) and Pentangle
(occasionally). In the years since 2006, Davies has re-joined with Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam). Both Conway and Davies additionally play in a side project called "Good Men in the Jungle", which features Davies' daughter, Becky Moncurr.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
/percussionist, best known for having performed with the backing band for Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
in the 1970s, Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
during the 1980s, and currently a member of Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
as well as his side projects. Conway has done a considerable amount of work as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
History
Prior to his association with Jethro Tull, Gerry Conway was the drummer for the band FotheringayFotheringay
Fotheringay was a short-lived British folk rock group, formed in 1970 by singer Sandy Denny on her departure from Fairport Convention. The band drew its name from her 1968 composition "Fotheringay" about Fotheringhay Castle, in which Mary, Queen of Scots had been imprisoned...
as well as for Eclection
Eclection
Eclection were a British-based folk rock band, originally formed in 1967 in London by Norwegian-born Georg Kajanus , Canadian Michael Rosen, Australians Trevor Lucas and Kerrilee Male, and Britisher Gerry Conway...
(other members included Kerrilee Male, Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus is a Norwegian composer and pop musician, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the British pop group, Sailor.-Early years:...
[as George Hultgreen], Michael Rosen and Trevor Lucas
Trevor Lucas
Trevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
). In their early years, Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
also drafted in the services of Conway, who was a friend of the band. Conway played on their now-classic song "Dark-Eyed Sailor" from their first album, Hark! The Village Wait
Hark! The Village Wait
Hark! The Village Wait was the 1970 debut album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span. The album is the only one to feature the original lineup of the band, as they broke up and reformed with a slightly altered membership immediately after its release, without having ever performed live...
(1970). His studio works also include the debut solo albums of Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny , born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the lead singer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention...
and Shelagh McDonald
Shelagh McDonald
Shelagh McDonald is a Scottish folk singer, song-writer and guitarist who released two albums before her abrupt and mysterious disappearance in 1971...
and appearances on albums by Wizz Jones
Wizz Jones
Raymond Ronald Jones better-known as Wizz Jones is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 1965 to the present...
, John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
, Jim Capaldi
Jim Capaldi
Nicola James "Jim" Capaldi was an English musician and songwriter. His musical career lasted more than four decades. He co-founded Traffic in Birmingham with Steve Winwood, and the band's psychedelic rock was influential in Britain and the United States...
and others. He toured and recorded as a member of Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
' band for six years.
Conway was a consistent member of the close knit Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
backing band throughout the mid 1970s. When Stevens gave up his pop music career at the close of the decade, Conway performed on Daydo; the short-lived solo album of singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Alun Davies
Alun Davies (guitarist)
Alun Davies is a Welsh guitarist, studio musician, recording artist, and composer who rose to fame primarily with his supporting guitar work and backing vocals as accompanist for English musician Cat Stevens, from early 1970 to 1977...
, another long-term member of Stevens' band.
Conway has secured the drummer's position in Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
(on a regular basis since 1998) and Pentangle
Pentangle (band)
Pentangle are a British folk rock band with some folk jazz influences. The original band were active in the late 1960s and early 1970s and a later version has been active since the early 1980s...
(occasionally). In the years since 2006, Davies has re-joined with Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam). Both Conway and Davies additionally play in a side project called "Good Men in the Jungle", which features Davies' daughter, Becky Moncurr.
With Cat Stevens
- 1971: Teaser and the FirecatTeaser and the FirecatTeaser and the Firecat is an album released by Cat Stevens in 1971. It contains 10 songs including hits such as "Morning Has Broken," "Moonshadow," and "Peace Train." It is also the title of a children's book written and illustrated by Stevens...
- 1972: Catch Bull at FourCatch Bull at FourCatch Bull at Four is an album by Cat Stevens. It was Stevens' most successful album in the United States, holding the top spot on Billboards chart for three consecutive weeks...
- 1973: ForeignerForeigner (Cat Stevens album)Foreigner is an album released by English singer-songwriter, Cat Stevens in July 1973. In addition to the minor hit "The Hurt", which received a moderate amount of airplay, Foreigner also included such songs as "100 I Dream" and the 18-minute-long "Foreigner Suite", which took up the entirety of...
- 1974: Buddha and the Chocolate BoxBuddha and the Chocolate BoxBuddha and the Chocolate Box is a 1974 album by Cat Stevens. The title came to Stevens when he was travelling to a gig on a plane with a Buddha in one hand and a box of...
- 1974: SaturnightSaturnightSaturnight is a 1974 live album by Cat Stevens. It was released only in Japan, to support UNICEF.-Side one:#"Wild World" – 3:28#"Oh Very Young" – 2:27#"Sitting" – 3:14#"Where Do the Children Play?" – 3:38...
- 1975: NumbersNumbers (Cat Stevens album)Numbers is concept album by singer/songwriter Cat Stevens released in November 1975. Subtitled "A Pythagorean Theory Tale", it is a concept album based on a fictional planet in a far-off galaxy named Polygor and the "Polygons" who inhabit its palace...
- 1978: Back to EarthBack to Earth (Cat Stevens album)Back to Earth is a 1978 album released by the British singer/songwriter Cat Stevens. It was the only album he recorded using the name Cat Stevens after his conversion to Islam in December 1977...
- 2004: MajikatMajikatMajikat is a live album and DVD by British singer/songwriter Cat Stevens. It was recorded during the US leg of Stevens' Earth Tour 1976, but was not released until 2004, by which time the artist was known as Yusuf Islam.-Track listing:...