Alun Davies (musician)
| Alun Davies | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Daydo |
| Born | 1943 (age 73–74) Wales, United Kingdom |
| Genres | Folk rock, folk, pop, jazz, skiffle |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, vocalist, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels | Decca, Fontana, Island, A&M, CBS, Polydor, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Cat Stevens, Ronnie Lane, Mark-Almond Band, Jeremy Taylor, Sweet Thursday |
| Notable instruments | |
|
Epiphone acoustic guitar Ovation acoustic guitar Epiphone Casino |
|
Alun Davies (born 1943) is a Welsh guitarist, studio musician, recording artist, and composer who rose to fame primarily with his supporting guitar work and backing vocals as accompanist for English musician Cat Stevens, from early 1970 to 1977.
Prior to his association with Stevens, Davies co-wrote, sang, and performed on two albums: in 1963, with Jon Mark, (known then as John Michael Burchell) and in 1968, as a part of a band with Mark and three others called Sweet Thursday, when folk-rock music was still in its infancy. When their label declared bankruptcy, Davies was invited to join Cat Stevens as a session musician, who was attempting to change his sound and advance in the music world.
Davies' experience, similar tastes in the emerging folk-rock genre, and capabilities with guitar and voice placed him in a pivotal role in Stevens' career, resulting in hit songs and a string of RIAA platinum certified breakthrough albums. Two such albums, Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat, propelled Stevens to stardom and a stellar musical career, and solidified a friendship between the two men. Davies, who recorded a solo album after a few years of backing Stevens found comparatively little commercial success on his own, particularly after several years of sitting in Stevens' charismatic shadow. He continued to tour with him and recorded on all but one of his albums, until Stevens' conversion to Islam and retirement from the pop scene in 1977. Since that time, many "box sets", compilations, and "best hits" albums have been assembled for sale with Davies' guitar work and vocals on each album.
In late 2005, when Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) returned again to write and perform, he did so with the amicable support of his friend and long-time right-hand man Davies, although nearly three decades had passed, and the two men had followed extremely different paths during the interim. Davies continues to perform with Yusuf to the present day, in addition to pursuing other musical projects.
Alun Davies began his musical career playing skiffle music on a ukulele and then a "very cheap" acoustic guitar. Eventually he advanced, and met up with former schoolfriend Michael Burchell, who later assumed the stage name of Jon Mark. The two young men composed and performed songs together, and by 1963, just two years out of school, had been signed by Decca Records. They recorded their first album, Relax Your Mind, in one day with American producer Shel Talmy, who had worked with bands that include the Who, Chad and Jeremy, the Kinks, Manfred Mann, and Ralph McTell. The two set about busking in Europe and located an agent who found them a position performing on a Cunard Line ship, sailing sixteen times across the Atlantic. After a time, the two had enough of sailing. Davies was content playing as a session musician for Fontana Records, touring with some musicians of note including Spencer Davis. Davies was additionally recruited as a record producer for a folk album from Jeremy Taylor, with whom Davies guested on two songs.
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