Instruments Drums, percussion Role Drummer Name Gerry Conway | Labels Island, Matty Grooves Years active 1970–present | |
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Born 11 September 1947 (age 76)
King's Lynn, Norfolk, England ( 1947-09-11 ) Genres Folk-rock, rock, folk, electric folk Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, record producer Associated acts Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens, Pentangle, Alun Davies, Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, Eclection, Steeleye Span Movies Fairport Convention: 35th Anniversary Concert Music groups Fairport Convention (Since 1998) Albums About Thyme, The Broadsword and the B, Fotheringay, Cruel Sister, By Popular Request | ||
Gerald Conway (born 11 September 1947) 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.
Contents
- History
- With Al Stewart
- With Cat Stevens
- With Kate Anna McGarrigle
- With Jethro Tull
- With Fairport Convention
- References
History
Conway was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Prior to his association with Jethro Tull, he was the drummer for the band Fotheringay 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 was also one of the drummers on Whatever's for Us, the debut album of Joan Armatrading in 1972. 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. During the 1980s, Conway also toured and recorded with Kate & Anna McGarrigle.
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.