Kingston Coffee House #30 “Sunshine Superman”
Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan (Donovan Phillips Leitch) celebrated his 80th birthday on May 10, 2026. Born in Glasgow in 1946, the folk-rock pioneer and “Sunshine Superman” artist was celebrated for his iconic 1960s hits and his lasting influence on the psychedelic music era
We also celebrate the birthday of songwriter Burt Bacharach (May 12, 1928), and a remembrance of a tragic May 12 auto accident in 1969, involving the greatest British folkrock band of all-time, Fairport Convention.
Along the way, we’ll hear new stuff from Margaret Glaspy. Jason Isbell, and Cat Clyde.
Audio available for 2 weeks after air date | Clip begins with final minutes of Matt Mania’s always-awesome show The Trip
THE COFFEE HOUSE IS OPEN
– Jesse Colin Young “Rye Whiskey” (trad) Soul of a City Boy 1964
– Fairport Convention “Book Song” (R Thompson) What We Did on Our Holiday 1968
– Margaret Glaspy & Norah Jones “Jesus, etc.” (J Tweedy) The Golden Heart Protector, 2025
– Jason Isbell “Foxes in the Snow” 2025
– Aldous Harding “One Stop” Train on the Island, 2026
– Donovan “Sunshine Superman, 1967
– Cat Clyde “My Love” Mud, Blood, Bone 2026
HAPPY BURT-DAY (May 12, 1928)
– Shelby Lynne “Anyone Who Had a Heart” (Burt Bacharach) Just a Little Lovin’ 2009 *
– Burt Bacharach “Trains, Boats & Planes” Hit Maker, 1965
– The Weisstronauts “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself” (Burt Bacharach) Featuring Perky, 2005
– Katell Keineg “On Yer Way” High July, 2004
Donovan’s backing musicians for 1969’s “Barabajagal” included the Jeff Beck Group and John Bonham, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, who later rose to fame as members of Led Zeppelin.
HAPPY {{ 80th }} BIRTHDAY, DONOVAN LEITCH
– Donovan “Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness)” Fairytale, 1965
– Donovan “Entertaining of a Shy Girl” Hurdy Gurdy Man, 1968
– Donovan “Laleña” (w Paul McCartney on guitar) Hurdy Gurdy Man, 1968 *
– Donovan “Candy Man’ (Mississippi John Hurt) Fairytale, 1965
– Judy Collins “Sunny Goodge Street” (D Leitch) In My Life, 1966
– Excerpts from BBC Radio 4’s Mastertapes series (Series 5) 2016
– Donovan “Colours” Fairytale, 1965
– Donovan “Catch the Wind” Catch the Wind, 1965
– Donovan “Season of the Witch” Sunshine Superman, 1967
– Donovan “Jennifer Juniper” Hurdy Gurdy Man, 1968
– Donovan “There is a Mountain” A Gift From a Flower, 1967
– Donovan “Mellow Yellow” 1967”
– Donovan “Atlantis” Barabajagal (with the Jeff Beck Group) 1969
– Paolo Nutini “Candy” Sunny Side Up, 2009 *
Fare thee well, good dog.
– Jerry Jeff Walker’ ”My Buddy” (Donaldson / Kahn) A Mann Must Carry On, 1977
– Phil Ochs “Changes” Live 1965
– Madison Cunningham “In My Life” (Lennon/McCartney) single, 2020
– Margaret Glaspy w Madison Cunningham “The Book of Love”(S Merritt) The Golden Heart Protector, 2025
– Margaret Glaspy w Julian Lage “Fruits of My Labor” (Lucinda Wiliams) The Golden Heart Protector, 2025
– Margaret Glaspy w Andrew Bird “Sometimes You Need” The Golden Heart Protector, 2025
In the early morning hours of May 12, 1969, as the group traveled back from a celebratory gig in Birmingham shortly after wrapping up work on their next album, their van veered off the road. In the aftermath of the crash, Fairport Convention would never be the same. The wreck killed drummer Martin Lamble (who was just 19 at the time) as well as fashion designer and magazine columnist Jeannie Franklyn, who’d been dating guitarist Richard Thompson. Thompson suffered a broken shoulder and bassist Ashley Hutchings was sent to the hospital with assorted serious injuries, while guitarist Simon Nicol, who’d been sleeping on the floor of the vehicle when it went off the road, escaped with a concussion. “When it stopped moving, I was the only one left. All the gear had gone out of the back and all the people had gone out through the windows and doors.”
TALE IN HARD TIMES :: May 12,1969 :: RIP Martin Lamble and Jeannie Franklyn
– Fairport Convention “Tale in Hard Times” (R Thompson) What We Did on Our Holidays, 1969
– Fairport Convention “Meet On the Ledge”(R Thompson) What We Did on Our Holidays, 1969
– Fairport Convention “The Lord Is In this Place …How Dreadful is This Place” What We Did on Our Holidays, 1969 *
– Fairport Convention “I’ll Keep It With Mine” (B Dylan) What We Did on Our Holidays, 1969
GOODNIGHT
– Greg Brown “The Train Carrying Jimmy Rodgers” (Elsie McWilliams) The Iowa Waltz 1981
– Iris DeMent “Mama’s Opry” Infamous Angel 1992
Elsie McWilliams
* SHOW NOTES:
- “The Lord Is in This Place…How Dreadful Is This Place” was arranged by Fairport Convention members Sandy Denny, Ashley Hutchings, and Richard Thompson, appearing on their 1969 album What We Did on Our Holidays. It is based on the 1927 instrumental song “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” by American blues musician Blind Willie Johnson
- Paul McCartney played acoustic guitar on a recorded version of Donovan’s song “Lalena”. This collaboration reportedly occurred in November 1968 at EMI Studios, London, while the pair were working on sessions for Mary Hopkin’s album Post Card, and a bootleg recording of them jamming on the song exists.
- Shelby Lynne’s 2008 album Just a Little Lovin’, produced by Phil Ramone, is widely considered a masterpiece featuring interpretations of Dusty Springield and Bacharach. It is now available on 180g vinyl, available at Lost Highway, a Nashville-based alt-country boutique label (B0009789-01). The Kingston Coffee House recommends ordering thru In Your Ear records in Warren, RI
- Recent data indicates that knife crime in Paisley, Scotland remains a significant concern, with a reported 31% increase in bladed weapon offences in 2025. Watch yerself, Paolo Nutini.
- Elsie McWilliams wrote or co-wrote 39 songs for the legendary Jimmie Rodgers. She only took writing credit for some, stating that she wanted royalties to go to Rodgers and his family, who were dealing with the singers treatments for tuberculosis. After Rodger’s death in 1933, McWilliams focused more on her family and her church.
Joan Baez and Donovan at a 1965 protest. They’re still demanding an end of war in 2026. Wish they didn’t need to.