PAT DONALDSON info


Pat Donaldson (bass)

Veteran musician from the folk-rock scene.

He was a member of The Jury for a few months, during Summer 1962:

Albert Lee (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Roy Mills (drums)
They recorded a single backing Jackie Lynton, in September 1962. Next month, Albert and Pat form a new band, The Nightsounds:
? (vocals)
Albert Lee (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Ricky Barnes (sax)
John Puddy (sax)
Tony Middleton (drums)
The group life was very short, until November 1962.

Later, he joined one of the latest lineups of Zoot Money's Big Roll Band:

Zoot Money (vocals, keyboards)
Paul Williams (vocals)
Andy Summer (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Dave Castle (sax)
Colin Allen (drums)
It has been recently released an album by this lineup, It should've been me.

After that, in July 1967, Zoot Money changed his band into Dantalian's Chariot, and Pat followed him:

Zoot Money (vocals, keyboards)
Andy Summer (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Colin Allen (drums)
They only released a single, before splitting in April 1968. But in 1995, it has appeared a complete album with unreleased tracks, Chariot rising.

In May 1968, Pat rejoins old bandmate Albert Lee in a new band, Country Fever:

Albert Lee (guitar, vocals)
John Derek (guitar, vocals)
Gerry Hogan (pedal steel guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Jed Kelly (drums)
Pat and Albert dissolved the band in April 1969. Many years later, in 1991, an album with recordings by Country Fever has finally been released. Credited to Albert Lee, the album title is Black Claw & Country Fever (the names of two bands by Albert Lee), but it seems it was recorded with studio musicians, thus Pat (as most of the real members) not playing there.

Pat's next project was called Poet & The One Man Band:

Tony Colton (vocals)
Ray Smith (guitar)
Jerry Donahue (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Mike O'Neill (keyboards)
Pete Gavin (drums)
+ Albert Lee (guitar)
Albert Lee played with them some times, but in May 1969, the band morphed into Head Hands & Feet, without Pat.

He was a founder member of Fotheringay in March 1970:

Sandy Denny (vocals)
Jerry Donahue (guitar, vocals)
Trevor Lucas (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Gerry Conway (drums)
After releasing a self-titled album (with help on backing vocals by Linda Peters and Tod Lloyd), they split in January 1971, while they were recording what was to be their 2nd album, finally never released. Everyone but Sandy and Trevor came to play for Mick Greenwood:
Mick Greenwood (vocals)
Jerry Donahue (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Gerry Conway (drums)
Mick Cox (keyboards)
They released one album, Living game.

But when Sandy start toured, she was surrounded by his old bandmates and friends:

Sandy Denny (vocals)
Richard Thompson (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Timi Donald (drums)
+ John 'Rabbit' Bundrick (keyboards)
+ Dave Swarbrick (violin)
In 1972, there was a mega project with the luminaries from folk-rock scene. They were called The Bunch. Be ready for the impressive lineup:
Sandy Denny (vocals)
Richard Thompson (vocals, guitar)
Linda Thompson (vocals)
Ashley Hutchings (vocals)
Trevor Lucas (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Ian Whiteman (keyboards)
Tony Cox (keyboards)
Malcolm Duncan (sax)
Roger Ball (sax)
Mike Rosen (trumpet)
Gerry Conway (drums)
Dave Mattacks (drums)
As we can see, they were members of Eclection, Fotheringay, Fairport Convention, and some assorted bands. They released one album called The Bunch rock on. There were expectations for a The Bunch tour, but this never happened. Instead, Sandy Denny toured with her usual friends:
Sandy Denny (vocals)
Richard Thompson (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Timi Donald (drums)
On June 1973, Pat almost joined Sharks, the band led by guitar genius Chris Spedding. They recorded some tracks (some with Pat, some with Ric Grech), but they still remain unreleased. Finally, Pat didn't join the band (anyway, he went to play with Spedding two years later, as we're going to read).

This was the live lineup for Sandy Denny in November 1973:

Sandy Denny (vocals)
Hughie Burns (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Willie Murray (drums)
On September 1974, he played some live gigs for Ashton & Lord. A live album was released in 1992, featuring this superb lineup:
Tony Ashton (vocals, keyboards)
Jon Lord (keyboards)
+
Ray Fenwick (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass)
Max Middleton (keyboards)
Howie Casey (sax)
Dick Parry (sax)
Dave Caswell (trumpet)
Michael Davis (trumpet)
John Mumford (trombone)
Carmine Appice (drums)
+
Madeline Bell (backing vocals)
Tony Ferguson (backing vocals)
Grahame White (backing vocals)
Joanne Williams (backing vocals)
Roger Willis (backing vocals)
+
Bernie Marsden, Paul Martinez, Ian Paice in other tracks
Later, he formed the band Home with some of his friends:
Simon Nicol (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass, vocals)
Simon Roussel (keyboards)
Gerry Conway (drums)
This lineup joined the great Al Stewart for some tours around 1975 or so (can someone confirm me the year, please?):
Al Stewart (vocals, guitar)
Simon Nicol (guitar, vocals)
Pat Donaldson (bass, vocals)
Simon Roussel (keyboards)
Gerry Conway (drums)
On April 1975, he tours with John Cale to promote the brand new album Slow Dazzle (where he appears). Pat had already appeared in Cale's previous album, Helen of Troy. This was the live lineup:
John Cale (vocals, keyboards, viola)
Chris Spedding (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass, vocals)
Chris Thomas (keyboards)
Timi Donald (drums)
In November 1975, Pat left John cale, and joined Chris Farlowe's band for a short tour in November and December 1975: He also played with a different lineup for Chris Farlowe, but I don't know the period. Help, please! On June 1976, he joins Chris Spedding Band:
Chris Spedding (guitar, vocals)
Simon Nicol (guitar)
Pat Donaldson (bass, vocals)
Timi Donald (drums)
Sadly, they split very soon, after recording just one single two months later.

In 1977, he toured with Joan Armatrading:

Around November 1977, he toured again with his old friend Sandy Denny (sadly, she died soon after, on April 21, 1978): Sandy's last concert was finally released in June 1998, in the album Gold dust - Live at the Royalty. But, as there were some problems in the music tracks, some overdubs were added by Jerry Donahue (guitar) and Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie (backing vocals).

And now, I need help on later live ventures featuring Pat. Help, please!!

In December 1990, Pat is touring with John Hiatt, under the band nickname The Fugitive Popes:

Some years later, it was released a live album from these concerts, called The wild blue yonder.

Albums with Zoot Money's Big Roll Band:

Albums with Dantalian's Chariot: Albums with Poet & The One Man Band: Albums with Fotheringay: Albums with Mick Greenwood: Albums with Sandy Denny: Albums with The Bunch: Albums with John Cale: Albums with Ashton & Lord: Albums with Chris Farlowe: Albums with John Hiatt: Other sessions:
Related links:

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Page created by Miguel Terol on: 08/November/1999. Last modified on: 11/April/2002.
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