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{{Short description|English singer-songwriter}}
'''Lesley Duncan''' is a [[British]] singer songwriter who's successful period was the 1970's. She recieved plenty of air-play on British radio stations like [[BBC]] Radio 1 and 2 but never great commercial success. Her songs were often about life and its problems such as ''Everything Changes'' and ''Sing Children Sing''. [[Elton John]] recorded her ''Love Song'' on his album [[Tumbleweed Connection]] and his version is very similar to her own.
{{EngvarB|date=May 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{About|the English singer-songwriter|the Australian newspaper editor|Leslie Duncan|the American football player|Speedy Duncan}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lesley Duncan
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| image_size =
| landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alias = Lesley Cox
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1943|08|12}}
| birth_place = [[Stockton-on-Tees]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2010|03|12|1943|08|12}}
| death_place = [[Isle of Mull]], Scotland
| spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Jimmy Horowitz|1970|1978|end=divorced}}|{{marriage|[[Tony Cox (record producer)|Tony Cox]]|1978}}}}
| children = 2
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| genre = {{hlist|[[Folk-pop]]|[[pop music|pop]]|[[soft rock]]}}
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|mandolin}}
| label = [[EMI]], [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]]
| associated_acts = [[Dusty Springfield]], [[Alan Parsons]], [[Pink Floyd]]
}}
}}


'''Lesley Cox'''<ref name=bbc_20032010/> (née '''Duncan'''; 12 August 1943 – 12 March 2010)<ref name='Guardian'/> was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received much airplay on British radio stations such as [[BBC Radio 1]] and [[BBC Radio 2]], but never achieved greater commercial success, in part because of her unwillingness to chase stardom, as well as crippling [[stage fright]].<ref name='Times'>{{cite news |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article1960480.ece |title=Lesley Duncan: singer and songwriter |date=29 March 2010 |work=[[The Times]] |access-date=8 March 2012}}</ref>
{{stub}}

==Early life==
Duncan was born in [[Stockton-on-Tees]] on 12 August 1943, and left school while only 14 years old. At 19, while working in a London coffee bar, she and her brother were placed on weekly [[Work for hire|retainers]] by a music publisher. Within a year, Duncan had signed her first recording contract, with [[EMI]], and appeared in the film ''[[What a Crazy World]]''.<ref name='Guardian'>{{cite news |first=David |last=Barrett |title=Lesley Duncan obituary |date=23 March 2010 |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/mar/23/lesley-duncan-obituary |access-date=8 March 2012}}</ref>

==Career==
==="Love Song"===
Duncan is considered one of Britain's first female singer-songwriters.<ref name='Times'/> Her songs included "Everything Changes" and "Sing Children Sing", and the song for which she is best known, "Love Song". [[Elton John]] recorded a duet with Duncan of the song, similar to her solo version, for his album ''[[Tumbleweed Connection]]''. She appeared onstage with John in concert at the [[Royal Festival Hall]] on 18 May 1974, to perform the duet once again,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bernardin |first=Claude |last2=Stanton |first2=Tom |title=Rocket Man: Elton John from A-Z |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJGcZSyBflwC |page=154 |year=1996 |publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group|Greenwood Press]] |isbn=978-0-275-95698-1}}</ref> and the live recording of "Love Song" was included on John's ''[[Here and There (Elton John album)|Here and There]]'' album. John described "Love Song" as "one of the very few" songs he did not co-author but included on an album earlier in his career.<ref name='Scotsman'><!-- P.S. Lesley Duncan was the best mother ever. -->{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/elton-and-bowie-mourn-mulls-secret-pop-star-1728959 |title=Elton and Bowie mourn Mull's secret pop star |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |date=19 March 2010}}</ref> Duncan's version was later covered by more than 150 other artists, including David Bowie.<ref name='Independent'>{{Cite news|last=Stanley|first=Richard|date=12 April 2010|title=Lesley Duncan: Singer and songwriter who worked with Elton John and Pink Floyd|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lesley-duncan-singer-and-songwriter-who-worked-with-elton-john-and-pink-floyd-1942138.html|access-date=1 November 2020|newspaper=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> In 2022, both Duncan and John's versions of the song were featured in the folk horror film ''[[Men (2022 film)|Men]]''. This success notwithstanding, and despite their receiving critical acclaim, Duncan's multiple solo albums failed to achieve commercial success.<ref name='Guardian'/>

[[Olivia Newton-John]] recorded "Love Song" and it was included in her 1971 debut album ''[[If Not for You (album)|If Not For You]]'', as well as Olivia's remastered, reissue of her greatest hits, double album Vol.1-Deluxe Edition, released in 2022.

===Backing vocalist===
In addition to writing and singing her own material, Duncan was in wide demand as a session singer during the mid to late 1960s, most notably working with [[Dusty Springfield]] from 1964 to 1972, a favour Springfield returned by performing backing vocals for several Duncan recordings.<ref name='Guardian'/> Duncan can be seen on many of the performances featured in the BBC DVD ''Dusty at the BBC''. She worked frequently with her colleague [[Madeline Bell]], including on many Dusty Springfield sessions, as well as providing backing vocals on a number of notable pop/rock recordings such as the 1969 [[Donovan]] hit single "[[Barabajagal (song)|Barabajagal]]".

Duncan again joined Elton John at his request to provide vocals for his 1971 album ''[[Madman Across the Water]]'', and in exchange John played piano on her first solo album ''Sing Children Sing''.<ref name='Scotsman'/> She also co-wrote three songs with [[Scott Walker (singer)|Scott Walker]] for [[The Walker Brothers]] in addition to providing backing vocals for them. She can also be heard on the studio recording of ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar (album)|Jesus Christ Superstar]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lesley-duncan-mn0000251360/biography|title=Lesley Duncan &#124; Biography & History|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=25 August 2021}}</ref>

Duncan famously contributed backing vocals to one of the top selling albums of all time,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-26/pink-floyd-money-machine-leads-elvis-nirvana-u2-in-cd-battle.html|title=Pink Floyd Money Machine Leads Elvis, Nirvana, U2 in CD Battle|last=Beech |first=Mark |date=27 September 2011 |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |access-date=31 December 2011 | location=London}}</ref> [[Pink Floyd]]'s 1973 release ''[[The Dark Side of the Moon]]'', which was engineered by [[Alan Parsons]]. Later, in 1979, she again worked with Parsons, singing lead vocals on the song "If I Could Change Your Mind" for [[the Alan Parsons Project]] album ''[[Eve (The Alan Parsons Project album)|Eve]]'', in her final album appearance.<ref name='Times'/>

==Personal life==
Duncan was first married to Jimmy Horowitz, who produced her early albums. Together, they had two sons.<ref name='Independent'/> In 1978, Duncan married [[Tony Cox (record producer)|Tony Cox]], a record producer. They later moved to the [[Isle of Mull]], [[Scotland]], in 1996, where most residents came to know her as a cheerful gardener, knowing nothing of her prior musical career.<ref name='Scotsman'/> By all accounts content to lead a more private, family-oriented life in her later years, she died on 12 March 2010 of [[cerebrovascular disease]],<ref name='Times'/> following an extended illness.<ref name=bbc_20032010>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8577839.stm |title=Famous musicians pay tribute to singer |date=20 March 2010 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Albums===
* ''[[Sing Children Sing]]'' (1971)
* ''Earth Mother'' (1972)
* ''Everything Changes'' (1974)
* ''Moon Bathing'' (1975)
* ''Maybe It's Lost'' (1977)

===Compilations===
* ''Sing Lesley Sing: The RCA and CBS Recordings 1968–1972'' (2017) – first two albums and bonus tracks
* ''Love Song: Previously Unreleased 1977–86'' (2018)
* ''Lesley Step Lightly: The GM Recordings Plus 1974–1982'' (2019) – last three albums and bonus tracks

===UK singles===
* "I Want a Steady Guy" (as 'Lesley Duncan and the Jokers') b/w "Moving Away" (1963) – [[Parlophone]] R5034
* "You Kissed Me Boy" b/w "Tell Me" (1963) – Parlophone R5106
* "When My Baby Cries" b/w "Did It Hurt" (1963) – Mercury MF830
* "Just for the Boy" b/w "See That Guy" (1965) – Mercury MF847
* "Run to Love" b/w "Only the Lonely and Me" (1965) – Mercury MF876
* "Hey Boy" b/w "I Go to Sleep" (1966) – Mercury MF939
* "Lullaby" b/w "I Love You, I Love You" (1968) – RCA 1746
* "A Road to Nowhere" b/w "Love Song" (1969) – RCA 1783
* "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Exactly Who You Are" (1969) – CBS 4585
* "Love Song" b/w "Exactly Who You Are" (1970) – Columbia 4-45354
* "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Emma" (1971) – CBS S 7493
* "Earth Mother" b/w "Love Will Never Lose You" (1972) – CBS S 8362
* "Watch the Tears" b/w "Sam" (1974) – GM GMS 016
* "Everything Changes" b/w "Love Melts Away" (1974) – GM GMS 022
* "I Can See Where I'm Going" b/w "Heaven Knows" (1975) – GM GMS 036
* "Could've Been a Winner" b/w "Moonbathing" (1975) – GM GMS 9040
* "Maybe It's Lost" b/w "Another Rainy Day" (1977) – GM GMS 9046
* "The Sky's on Fire" b/w "Don't Worry 'Bout It" (1977) – GM GMS 9048
* "The Magic's Fine" b/w "Paper Highways" (1978) – GM GMS 9049
* "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Rainbow Games" (1979) – CBS S8061 (Charity 45)
* "Masters of War" b/w "Another Light Goes Out" (1982) – Korova KOW 22
* "Tomorrow" b/w "Paper Highway" (1986) – R4 FOR 4

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lesleyduncan.net/ Lesley Duncan fansite]
* {{IMDb name|id=0242025}}
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/246096-Lesley-Duncan Lesley Duncan] at [[Discogs]]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Lesley}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from cerebrovascular disease]]
[[Category:Neurological disease deaths in Scotland]]
[[Category:British folk-pop singers]]
[[Category:English women pop singers]]
[[Category:British soft rock musicians]]
[[Category:English session musicians]]
[[Category:English women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:English singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Musicians from County Durham]]
[[Category:People from Stockton-on-Tees]]

Latest revision as of 02:17, 6 July 2024

This article is about the English singer-songwriter. For the Australian newspaper editor, see Leslie Duncan. For the American football player, see Speedy Duncan.
Lesley Duncan
Born(1943-08-12)12 August 1943
Stockton-on-Tees, England
Died12 March 2010(2010-03-12) (aged 66)
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Other namesLesley Cox
Spouses
  • Jimmy Horowitz
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1970; div. 1978)​
  • ​
    (m. 1978)​
Children2
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • mandolin
LabelsEMI, Columbia

Lesley Cox[1] (née Duncan; 12 August 1943 – 12 March 2010)[2] was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received much airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved greater commercial success, in part because of her unwillingness to chase stardom, as well as crippling stage fright.[3]

Early life[edit]

Duncan was born in Stockton-on-Tees on 12 August 1943, and left school while only 14 years old. At 19, while working in a London coffee bar, she and her brother were placed on weekly retainers by a music publisher. Within a year, Duncan had signed her first recording contract, with EMI, and appeared in the film What a Crazy World.[2]

Career[edit]

"Love Song"[edit]

Duncan is considered one of Britain's first female singer-songwriters.[3] Her songs included "Everything Changes" and "Sing Children Sing", and the song for which she is best known, "Love Song". Elton John recorded a duet with Duncan of the song, similar to her solo version, for his album Tumbleweed Connection. She appeared onstage with John in concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 18 May 1974, to perform the duet once again,[4] and the live recording of "Love Song" was included on John's Here and There album. John described "Love Song" as "one of the very few" songs he did not co-author but included on an album earlier in his career.[5] Duncan's version was later covered by more than 150 other artists, including David Bowie.[6] In 2022, both Duncan and John's versions of the song were featured in the folk horror film Men. This success notwithstanding, and despite their receiving critical acclaim, Duncan's multiple solo albums failed to achieve commercial success.[2]

Olivia Newton-John recorded "Love Song" and it was included in her 1971 debut album If Not For You, as well as Olivia's remastered, reissue of her greatest hits, double album Vol.1-Deluxe Edition, released in 2022.

Backing vocalist[edit]

In addition to writing and singing her own material, Duncan was in wide demand as a session singer during the mid to late 1960s, most notably working with Dusty Springfield from 1964 to 1972, a favour Springfield returned by performing backing vocals for several Duncan recordings.[2] Duncan can be seen on many of the performances featured in the BBC DVD Dusty at the BBC. She worked frequently with her colleague Madeline Bell, including on many Dusty Springfield sessions, as well as providing backing vocals on a number of notable pop/rock recordings such as the 1969 Donovan hit single "Barabajagal".

Duncan again joined Elton John at his request to provide vocals for his 1971 album Madman Across the Water, and in exchange John played piano on her first solo album Sing Children Sing.[5] She also co-wrote three songs with Scott Walker for The Walker Brothers in addition to providing backing vocals for them. She can also be heard on the studio recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.[7]

Duncan famously contributed backing vocals to one of the top selling albums of all time,[8] Pink Floyd's 1973 release The Dark Side of the Moon, which was engineered by Alan Parsons. Later, in 1979, she again worked with Parsons, singing lead vocals on the song "If I Could Change Your Mind" for the Alan Parsons Project album Eve, in her final album appearance.[3]

Personal life[edit]

Duncan was first married to Jimmy Horowitz, who produced her early albums. Together, they had two sons.[6] In 1978, Duncan married Tony Cox, a record producer. They later moved to the Isle of Mull, Scotland, in 1996, where most residents came to know her as a cheerful gardener, knowing nothing of her prior musical career.[5] By all accounts content to lead a more private, family-oriented life in her later years, she died on 12 March 2010 of cerebrovascular disease,[3] following an extended illness.[1]

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

  • Sing Children Sing (1971)
  • Earth Mother (1972)
  • Everything Changes (1974)
  • Moon Bathing (1975)
  • Maybe It's Lost (1977)

Compilations[edit]

  • Sing Lesley Sing: The RCA and CBS Recordings 1968–1972 (2017) – first two albums and bonus tracks
  • Love Song: Previously Unreleased 1977–86 (2018)
  • Lesley Step Lightly: The GM Recordings Plus 1974–1982 (2019) – last three albums and bonus tracks

UK singles[edit]

  • "I Want a Steady Guy" (as 'Lesley Duncan and the Jokers') b/w "Moving Away" (1963) – Parlophone R5034
  • "You Kissed Me Boy" b/w "Tell Me" (1963) – Parlophone R5106
  • "When My Baby Cries" b/w "Did It Hurt" (1963) – Mercury MF830
  • "Just for the Boy" b/w "See That Guy" (1965) – Mercury MF847
  • "Run to Love" b/w "Only the Lonely and Me" (1965) – Mercury MF876
  • "Hey Boy" b/w "I Go to Sleep" (1966) – Mercury MF939
  • "Lullaby" b/w "I Love You, I Love You" (1968) – RCA 1746
  • "A Road to Nowhere" b/w "Love Song" (1969) – RCA 1783
  • "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Exactly Who You Are" (1969) – CBS 4585
  • "Love Song" b/w "Exactly Who You Are" (1970) – Columbia 4-45354
  • "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Emma" (1971) – CBS S 7493
  • "Earth Mother" b/w "Love Will Never Lose You" (1972) – CBS S 8362
  • "Watch the Tears" b/w "Sam" (1974) – GM GMS 016
  • "Everything Changes" b/w "Love Melts Away" (1974) – GM GMS 022
  • "I Can See Where I'm Going" b/w "Heaven Knows" (1975) – GM GMS 036
  • "Could've Been a Winner" b/w "Moonbathing" (1975) – GM GMS 9040
  • "Maybe It's Lost" b/w "Another Rainy Day" (1977) – GM GMS 9046
  • "The Sky's on Fire" b/w "Don't Worry 'Bout It" (1977) – GM GMS 9048
  • "The Magic's Fine" b/w "Paper Highways" (1978) – GM GMS 9049
  • "Sing Children Sing" b/w "Rainbow Games" (1979) – CBS S8061 (Charity 45)
  • "Masters of War" b/w "Another Light Goes Out" (1982) – Korova KOW 22
  • "Tomorrow" b/w "Paper Highway" (1986) – R4 FOR 4

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Famous musicians pay tribute to singer". BBC News. 20 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d Barrett, David (23 March 2010). "Lesley Duncan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Lesley Duncan: singer and songwriter". The Times. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  4. ^ Bernardin, Claude; Stanton, Tom (1996). Rocket Man: Elton John from A-Z. Greenwood Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-275-95698-1.
  5. ^ a b c "Elton and Bowie mourn Mull's secret pop star". The Scotsman. 19 March 2010.
  6. ^ a b Stanley, Richard (12 April 2010). "Lesley Duncan: Singer and songwriter who worked with Elton John and Pink Floyd". The Independent. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Lesley Duncan | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  8. ^ Beech, Mark (27 September 2011). "Pink Floyd Money Machine Leads Elvis, Nirvana, U2 in CD Battle". London: Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 31 December 2011.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lesley_Duncan&oldid=1232874621"