Two managers there to see the headliners took him aside and asked if he wanted to make some demos in London. The future appeared one night in Southend-on-Sea, when Donovan filled the interval between acts with a rendition of "San Francisco Blues". The British folk scene was brewing and Donovan took notes watching such greats as Bert Jansch, David Graham, John Renbourn and American imports like Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Back in Hatfield, Donovan continued his quest, hanging out in clubs in St Albans. Here he slept on the beach and learned the guitar. In St Ives they found other fledgling bohemians. Six years later, at 16, full of dreams about the Parisian "beat" scene of the 50s, and recognising in himself one of Colin Wilson's "outsiders", Donovan packed his rucksack and took to the open road with Dave. There he met his lifelong friend Gypsy Dave. In 1956, his family left Glasgow for the green of Hertfordshire. Dylan was already a name in the folk world but hadn't yet broken into pop soon enough the Dylan/ Donovan comparisons would occupy the music press.ĭonovan's break was precipitated by his plunge into bohemia, St Ives style. A few months later his first single, "Catch the Wind", was released and quickly found a number three slot in the UK charts similar success soon followed in the United States. He quickly realised he couldn't compete at that game: "I jist hiftae find anither way tae beat the boys." In 1965, at 18, when he was thrown into the spotlight on the newly broadcast TV show Ready, Steady, Go - their first live performer - before having released a record, he had pretty much found it. Polio left him with a limp combined with his diminutive stature, this made him a target for bullies. Donovan was born into a bombed-out Glasgow in 1946.
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