![]() |
Betty Thatcher - Renaissance - RIP |
Post Reply ![]() |
Author | |
njb0168 ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: April 13 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 107 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: August 22 2011 at 04:41 |
it is with a regret that I only noticed this today
Betty Thatcher I received the news this afternoon that Betty Thatcher Newsinger died of cancer on August 15. I remember the first time I spoke with Betty, I was looking for a writing partner and Jim McCarty suggested I call her as he wanted to write lyrics as well as the music. They had been working together for a while. After speaking we decided that I would put down a couple of songs I’d recently completed on cassette tape and send down to her. To my amazement in the mail three days later were the lyrics that were fantastic, she just knew what lyric would work with the music. That was the beginning of a wonderful partnership that lasted over fifteen years with songs that have become classics: Ashes are Burning, Carpet of the Sun, Mother Russia, and the hit single we had in the UK Northern Lights. These and more helped in the success of Renaissance. Although we haven’t worked together for a while we are still touring and performing these classic songs. Both Annie and I remember those early days of working together and in the studio recording our best known work. Her talent will be missed. Michael Dunford The link is here http://renaissancetouring.com/2011/08/betty-thatcher/ |
|
![]() |
|
sleeper ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: October 09 2005 Location: Entropia Status: Offline Points: 16449 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Very sad news, she wrote some excellent lyrics. RIP.
|
|
Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
octopus-4 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams Joined: October 31 2006 Location: Italy Status: Online Points: 8219 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
She was a great lyricist and the songs mentioned are all masterpieces, Mother Russia in particular means a lot to me. All us fans will miss her a lot.
|
|
Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half.
|
|
![]() |
|
Easy Livin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: February 21 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 15565 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Her contribution to the superb Renaissance should not be under-estimated. A sad loss.
|
|
![]() |
|
toroddfuglesteg ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Retired Joined: March 04 2008 Location: Retirement Home Status: Offline Points: 3658 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Renaissance was/is a brilliant band with some truly incredible albums. Betty Thatcher's contributions was very important to the success of this band and their albums. She will be sadly missed and her contributions to the mankind remembered through Renaissance's music. R.I.P and play the albums in her memory. |
|
![]() |
|
scepter ![]() Forum Newbie ![]() ![]() Joined: July 10 2011 Location: florida Status: Offline Points: 27 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
this isnt singer who died is it thought singer was haslam dont know who this lady is but anyways you shall be missed rip always loved yall guys music
|
|
![]() |
|
njb0168 ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: April 13 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 107 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Betty Thatcher was a great lyricist. Her input to the band Renaissance was enormous and cannot be under estimated. She wrote a huge amount of the lyrics on various albums, including their only hit single 'Northern Lights'
|
|
![]() |
|
Warthur ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: January 06 2008 Status: Offline Points: 616 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
To put it in context: Betty Thatcher was a friend of (IIRC) Jane Relf, who was the original vocalist in Renaissance before the lineup ended up changing completely between "Illusion" and "Prologue", so she ended up getting to know the band and started helping them by providing lyrics whilst the lineup was transforming. She wasn't a musician and didn't to my knowledge tour with Renaissance or appear onstage with them, she just lived her own life as a writer and would send in lyrics to fit their songs. For most of the classic Renaissance albums it's Anne Haslam singing, but the words themselves come from Betty Thatcher, if you see what I mean.
|
|
![]() |
|
octopus-4 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams Joined: October 31 2006 Location: Italy Status: Online Points: 8219 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
If you look at the album's credits almost all the best Renaissance's songs are signed by Dunford-Thatcher at least up to Novella included.
|
|
Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half.
|
|
![]() |
|
Prog Geo ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 09 2010 Location: Athens (Greece) Status: Offline Points: 2552 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
R.I.P. Pity!
|
|
Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com
|
|
![]() |
|
Formentera Lady ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: August 20 2010 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 1662 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
RIP
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
Cesar Inca ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 19 2004 Location: Peru Status: Offline Points: 4885 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
After the ashes of your captive heart have burned away, your soul walks like an ocean gypsy under the Northern lights of Heaven - can you hear us from up there?Thank you for your words and their meanings, your poetry have provided us with beautiful moments amidst the turmoils and uncertainty of our daily lives.
|
|
![]() |
|
moodyxadi ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 01 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 417 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Meaningful and beautil, simple poetry aplied to great music. It's so rare to see this meeting in music but Thatcher/Dunford made this many times. Thank you Betty and my feelings to their loved ones.
|
|
Bach, Ma, Bros, Déia, Dante.
|
|
![]() |
Post Reply ![]() |
|
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions ![]() You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |