SURVIVING members of one of the most influential folk rock bands of all time are to reunite to play their first series of live dates together in 40 years.

Legendary guitarist Jerry Donahue who now divides his time between America and his home in the Ribble Valley has been behind the project to get Fotheringay back on the road.

The band will be playing six dates in June, including one in Manchester, with original drummer Gerry Conway and bassist Pat Donaldson.

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Fotheringay were probably best known for their lead singer, the great Sandy Denny who sadly died in 1978. For the live shows vocal duties will be shared by one of the leading names on the British folk scene Kathryn Roberts and Sally Barker, known to millions for finishing runner-up on BBC1’s The Voice last year and who is also a well-established folk artist in her own right.

“We are all really excited about the prospect,” said Jerry. “Audiences will be able to hear songs which haven’t been played live for many years and also some which have never been played live before.”

Fotheringay’s self-titled album from 1970 was their only official release when the group was together. A collection of unreleased songs, Fotheringay 2, followed some 38 years later.

To coincide with the tour a four-disc set, Nothing More: The Collected Fotheringay, is to be released including both albums plus a number of previously unheard live tracks and rare TV footage.

“Universal who are behind the release contacted me about the possibility of touring,” said Jerry. “I think in the past all three of us have been very wary about doing so.”

Jerry’s first task was to convince Pat and Gerry to commit to the project.

“I rang Pat first.” said Jerry. “He really didn’t take much persuasion and I knew that Gerry would be up or it from the word go.

“I think in the past we have all been concious about the band’s legacy and were worried that without Sandy people might either think we were exploiting things or that any shows would be looked at unfavourably by fans.

“But I think sufficient time has passed for that feeling to have gone away.

“Sandy was a wonderful singer and was unique but that’s why I’m glad that both Kathryn and Sally will be with the band - neither of them is going to be seen as replacing Sandy. That’s not the intention, it will be a celebration of Fotheringay songs plus some of Sandy’s own compositions.”

Having got ‘the band back together’, Jerry’s next job was to get Kathryn and Sally on board.

“I’d seen Kathryn live and she’s a wonderful singer,” he said. “But I knew that she’s extremely busy touring with her partner Sean Lakeman.

“I got her mobile and rang her and had the rather awkward experience of getting Sean instead and having to say that I wanted his wife for the project - if he was a singer we’d probably have had him too!

“As for Sally, like everyone else I was transfixed when I heard her on The Voice. I had worked with her many years ago when she was first in The Poozies and then a solo artist but it was The Voice that reminded me of what a genuinely good singer she is and I knew she would be perfect for the tour.”

Also joining the band is guitarist P J Wright.

“We now have a lot of vocal options,” said Jerry, “which means we can do the songs in a way that they have never been done live before.”

Sally and Kathryn have been working on vocals together and Jerry and PJ Wright have been working on guitar parts.

“Pat lives in America now and hasn’t been in a band for a while but it’s a bit like riding a bike, he’ll be fine,” said Jerry.

But the first time that the band will get together will be at the end of April.

“I’ve booked a rehearsal hall for us so we can break the ice and run through things,” said Jerry.

“We were very fortunate that everyone had a clear diary for just over a week in June and we will be fitting in all six shows then.

“There has been so much interest already that we are looking at further dates at the end of the year.”

  • Fotheringay, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, Wednesday, June 17. Details from 0161 907 9000.