Renaissance were an Englishprogressive rock band, most notable for their 1978 UK top 10 hit “Northern Lights” and progressive rock classics like “Mother Russia” and “Ashes Are Burning”.

Annie Haslam (born 8 June 1947, Bolton, Lancashire) is an Englishprogressive rockvocalist and songwriter.

Originally a fashion student, she began studying under opera singer Sybil Knight in 1970 and developed her five-octave vocal range. In 1971, she became the lead singer of Renaissance after answering an advertisement in a magazine and auditioning for the band in Surrey.

In 1977, she began her solo career with her album Annie in Wonderland, produced by Roy Wood who played most of the musical instruments, and who also duetted with her on one track, and also performed on the Intergalactic Touring Band album. Haslam and Wood were engaged to be married for four years, which she later described as “Four of the funniest years of my life”. She has since released eight studio albums, three of which were released through her own record label, White Dove. She has also collaborated with Steve Howe on a number of projects.

In 1993 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she survived and which became the inspiration for her 1994 album, Blessing in Disguise.

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 in 2006.

Haslam currently resides in Central Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

“The seeds that you plant today, tommorrow will be a tree.” 

-Annie Haslam,  Carpet of the Sun

Carpet Of The Sun

Can You Understand?

Prologue

delete reply welshdoug wrote on Nov 1, ’09, edited on Nov 1, ’09 Excellent track listing – “Ocean Gypsy” is one of my favourite ballads. As you said, she sang on Magenta’s “Night And Day” – in my opinion, it was a better version than Magenta’s original, with Christina Booth’s vocal. Have you heard Annie’s guest vocal on the John Wetton/Geoff Downes song “In The End?” brings a chill to the spine.

delete reply pestep55 wrote on Nov 1, ’09 I love her music, words and art /:-)

delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Nov 1, ’09 Thanks Laurita……………..I had virtually forgotton all about these people, but its nice to be reminded. BTW….. had a PM from you show up in my email alerts but it doesn’t seem to be in my inbox………..so… if you PM’d me… I’m not ignoring you, just can’t find it  :-))

delete reply parsonsblvd wrote on Nov 1, ’09 I for got about this too…thanks for bringing this back to the light of day again.

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Nov 1, ’09 There were other songs by them that were beautiful, too. I was not able to find them on Playlist.com.