English folk and rock drummer/percussionist
Gerry Conway |
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 Gerry Conway performing at Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2014 |
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| Born | (1947-09-11) 11 September 1947 (age 76)
King's Lynn, Norfolk, England |
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| Genres | |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
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| Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion |
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| Years active | 1970–present |
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| Labels | Island, Matty Grooves |
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Musical artist
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 a member of Fairport Convention from 1998 to 2022, alongside various side projects. Conway has done a considerable amount of work as a session musician. Conway is married to vocalist Jacqui McShee, who is the singer of Pentangle, a band of which Conway is also a member.
History
Conway was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk.
In the 1970s, 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" and several others from their first album, Hark! The Village Wait (1970), which album also featured contributions from Dave Mattacks, who Conway later replaced in Fairport. 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.[1] During the 1980s, Conway also toured and recorded with Kate & Anna McGarrigle.[2]: 83
Conway joined Jethro Tull for their album Broadsword and the Beast and also played on their Grammy Award-winning album Crest of a Knave.
Although he appears on none of his studio albums, Conway was a member of Richard Thompson's live band for several years in the 1980s, appearing on the tours for the albums Hand of Kindness, Across a Crowded Room and Daring Adventures. Some songs from these sessions appear on the compilations Watching the Dark and Live at the BBC.
Conway played drums in Fairport Convention from 1998 to 2022 and occasionally plays for Pentangle. 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.
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