Annie Haslam (born 8 June 1947) is an English vocalist, songwriter and painter. She is best known as the lead singer of progressive rock band

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

since 1971, and for her long and diverse solo singing career. She has a five-octave

vocal range Vocal range is the range of pitches that a human voice can phonate. A common application is within the context of singing, where it is used as a defining characteristic for classifying singing voices into voice types. It is also a topic of stud ...

. From 2002, Haslam has developed a parallel career as a

visual artist The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics (art), ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual a ...

, producing paintings on canvas, painted musical instruments and giclées.

Early history

At the age of ten, Haslam's parents enrolled her in

elocution Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone as well as the idea and practice of effective speech and its forms. It stems from the idea that while communication is symbolic, sounds are final and compel ...

lessons, which Haslam cites as being the foundation of her singing career despite the fact that her parents did not know that she would become a singer. After studying fashion at

Redruth Redruth ( , ) is a town and civil parishes in Cornwall, civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. According to the 2011 census, the population of Redruth was 14,018 In the same year the population of the Camborne-Redruth urban area, ...

Art School in

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

, Haslam began working as an assistant at fashion company Jaeger and then became an apprentice at David Coombs, a Savile Row tailor in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. While there, she overheard the Beatles' 1969 rooftop concert while on the street during her lunch break. Haslam then briefly worked for fashion company Windsmoor, which asked her to create a book containing her ideas for dress designs and then fired her immediately after she completed it. Haslam believes that Windsmoor "stole erdesigns"; this caused her to lose interest in dressmaking. Haslam's boyfriend, Eric Peacock, heard her singing along with other people at a party and started entering her into vocal talent competitions, which she "kept winning". The girlfriend of Haslam's brother Michael (her first name was Sonia) urged Haslam to take voice lessons from teacher Harold Miller. Miller liked her voice, but because Haslam had a day job and Miller didn't offer evening lessons, Miller referred Haslam to opera singer Sybil Knight. Haslam spent nine months taking voice lessons with Knight in 1970.Romano, Will (2010). ''Mountains come out of the sky: an illustrated history of prog rock'' (1st Ed.). Montclair, NJ: Blackbeat Books. p. 132. As her first professional singing job, Haslam spent a year singing at a dinner/cabaret club named ’Showboat in the Strand’ in London's West End with the band 'The Gentle People'. Guitarist David Gardner then told Haslam that her potential was being wasted in cabaret and he showed Haslam an advertisement in ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

'': ’International pop group looking for female singer’. Haslam called to find out the name of the group (it was Renaissance) and she bought its first album Renaissance. Haslam quickly learned every song in preparation for her audition on December 31st, 1970. For her audition, Haslam was asked to sing the song ‘Island’. The next day, Haslam joined Renaissance, and she went on tour with the band in Germany three weeks later.

Career with Renaissance

In 1971, Haslam became the new lead singer of Renaissance after answering an advertisement in the British periodical ''

'' and auditioning for the band in

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

. Charles Snider stated: "Annie Haslam's voice, soaring high along with the melody, is the big news. Far more West End than

Carnaby Street Carnaby Street is a Pedestrian zone, pedestrianised shopping street in Soho in the City of Westminster, Central London. Close to Oxford Street and Regent Street, it is home to fashion and lifestyle retailers, including many independent fashion ...

, it would come to define the band." With Renaissance, Haslam was lead vocalist on seven

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

s during their classic period (1972–1979), four studio albums from 1981–present, and a number of live albums. In August 1978 the band's single "Northern Lights" reached the top 10 in the UK singles charts. In 2018, Haslam provided her perspective on her work with Renaissance: “I love all the albums from

Prologue A prologue or prolog (from Ancient Greek πρόλογος ''prólogos'', from πρό ''pró'', "before" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is an opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier st ...

to A Song for All Seasons ncluding Ashes Are Burning, Turn of the Cards">Ashes_Are_Burning.html" ;"title="ncluding Ashes Are Burning">ncluding Ashes Are Burning, Turn of the Cards, Scheherazade and Other Stories, Live at Carnegie Hall (Renaissance album), Live at Carnegie Hall, and Novella (album), Novella]. I think they are masterpieces. Azure d'Or is okay, the changes within the band and sound started with this album … I felt we were going in the wrong direction and away from our roots … Jon Camp led us into another style of music taking us away from our identity along the way. These were the lbums Camera Camera and Time-Line. Personally, I feel we shouldn’t have abandoned who we were and our heritage.”

Solo career

In 1977, Haslam began her solo career with her album '' Annie in Wonderland'', produced by Roy Wood, who played most of the

musical instrument A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make Music, musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person ...

s and duetted with her on one track. The same year she performed on one track from the '' Intergalactic Touring Band'' album. She has since released eight studio albums, three of which were released through her own record label, White Dove. Haslam has also collaborated with Steve Howe on a number of projects. Her 2006 ''Live Studio Concert'', was also released as her first solo DVD. Haslam released an EP called ''Night and Day'', her first solo recording for some years, with Welsh rock band

Magenta Magenta () is a purple-red color. On color wheels of the RGB color model, RGB (additive) and subtractive color, CMY (subtractive) color models, it is located precisely midway between blue and red. It is one of the four colors of ink used in colo ...

in 2006.

Visual arts

"Haslam as few among us, is blessed to channel her muse in a variety of ways"Rizzo, Melind
"Annie Haslam: Renaissance woman. The Sound and Colors of Love, Light and Peace"
''Fine Art Magazine'' Spring, 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2014. wrote Melinda Rizzo in ''Fine Art Magazine''. One of these is visual arts: * her paintings have been used as cover art on the albums: ** ''One Enchanted Evening'', by Annie Haslam ** ''Woman Transcending'' by Annie Haslam – ** ''Night and Day'' by Annie Haslam with Magenta ** '' Grandine il Vento'' / ''Symphony of Light'' by Renaissance ** ''Speak'' by I and Thou ** '' Song of Times'' by Starcastle * she has helped others to design her on-stage clothing * she has painted musical instruments including guitars, and violins * she has created giclées of many of her paintings * in 1975 she artistically hand-lettered the lyrics to " Mother Russia" for a British tour program.

Festive season concert

Starting in 1999, Haslam has, each year, performed a Christmas show called ''In the Spirit of the Holidays,'' originally at the Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church, and then at the larger Sellersville Theatre in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, since 2006. The Christmas show has been held every year except 2012, due to the death of her friend and colleague, Michael Dunford, in November of that year. Haslam stated that "there was just too much sadness at the time." Included in the program are secular, and religious

Christmas carols Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...

, as well as her own compositions, and some Renaissance songs.

Personal life

Regarding her first name, Haslam said in 1993 that “I was 'our Anne' to my Mum and Dad, but to everyone else I was Annie.” Haslam grew up in a working-class family. Her father, an amateur comedian-singer, died of cancer. Haslam's brother Keith Haslam was a graphic designer who lived in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. Michael Haslam, also Haslam's brother, was also a successful singer. Haslam has been a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

since the late 1980s. In 1993, Haslam was diagnosed with

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

, which she survived and which became the inspiration for her 1994 album, ''Blessing in Disguise''. Haslam was engaged to musician Roy Wood for four years, which she later described as "four of the funniest years of my life". In 1991, Haslam married Marc I. Hoffman of North Wales, Pennsylvania. The marriage ended in divorce, but Haslam says “I believe my ex-husband came into my life to save it, because I had breast cancer after we were married and was immediately taken care of so well.” She now resides in

Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the List of counties in Pennsylvania, four ...

Solo discography

*'' Annie in Wonderland'' (1977) *''

Still Life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, human-m ...

'' (1985) *'' Annie Haslam'' (1989) *''Blessing in Disguise'' (1994) *''Supper's Ready'': ( Genesis tribute Album) (guest vocalist) (1995) *''Tales From Yesterday'' (

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

tribute Album) (guest vocalist) (1995) *''Live Under Brazilian Skies'' (1998) *''The Dawn of Ananda'' (1999) *'' Portraits of Bob Dylan'' by Steve Howe (album) (guest vocalist) (1999) *''It Snows in Heaven Too'' (2000) *''One Enchanted Evening'' (2002) *''Icon'' by John Wetton & Geoff Downes (album) (guest vocalist) (2005) *''Miles of Music'' by Bob Miles (guest vocalist) (2006) *''Live Studio Concert'' (2006) *''Night and Day EP'' with

written for Haslam by Rob Reed and Christina Booth (2006) *''Woman Transcending'' (2007) *''Songs of the Century'' (

Supertramp Supertramp were a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), the group were distinguished for blending p ...

tribute Album) (guest vocalist) (2012) *Live' Studio Concert Philadelphia 1997'' (Re-release) (2014) *''Don't Give Up Single,'' (duet with

Jann Klose Jann Klose is a German pop singer-songwriter, who has released seven albums and two EPs. Based in New York City, Klose was raised in Kenya, South Africa, Germany, and northeast Ohio. His original songs have charted on Top 40 radio in the United ...

) (2017)

References

External links

AnnieHaslam.com – Official website
– (Including a gallery of Haslam's art)
Annie Haslam's Facebook pageRenaissance – Official page''Fine Art Magazine'' article on Haslam's art
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haslam, Annie 1947 births Living people English women songwriters English rock singers English women rock singers Progressive rock musicians Singers with a five-octave vocal range 20th-century English painters 21st-century English painters Musicians from Manchester Musicians from the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton English expatriates in the United States Musicians from Bucks County, Pennsylvania Artists from Bucks County, Pennsylvania 20th-century English women artists 21st-century English women artists 20th-century English women singers 20th-century English singers 21st-century English women singers 21st-century English singers English sopranos Renaissance (band) members