‘Sunshine Superman’ Donovan and his wife Linda to be made honorary Cork people

Now internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Donovan and his wife Linda Lawrence are set to be, ‘quite rightly’, bestowed with the title of Honorary Cork Persons.

The Scottish-born folk-icon and his artist wife who live at the old rectory in Castlemagner, will be presented with their unique ‘Republic of Cork’ passports at the annual Cork Person of the Year awards lunch on Friday, March 4.

Donovan, real name Donovan Leitch, released his debut album ‘What’s Bin Did and What’s Bin Hid’ at the tender age of 19 in 1965, with the press subsequently dubbing him ‘the British answer to Bob Dylan’.

Over a career spanning more than five decades he has released an impressive list of albums and a string of hit singles including ‘Sunshine Superman’. ‘Catch the Wind’, ‘Universal Soldier’, ‘Colours’, ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man and ‘Mellow Yellow’, which enjoyed chart success on both sides of the Atlantic.

Along the way he has won multiple accolades and at his induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 it was said of Donovan that he “single-handedly initiated the Psychedelic Revolution with Sunshine Superman”, an album he released in 1966.

Other notable awards have included an Ivor Novella Award for song-writing, the BBC Folk Lifetime Achievement Award and the prestigious Broadcast Music Inc ‘Icon Award’ for his “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers”.

His influence extended to The Beatles, with Donovan teaching John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison his finger style techniques and unique descending chord patterns during their famed trip to India in 1968.

The entourage, which also included Mike Love of the Beach Boys and actress Mia Farrow sought enlightenment in the meditation classes of famed spiritualist, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

During the trip Donovan, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison penned songs that heavily influenced the sound on Beatles albums including ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, ‘Abbey Road’ and perhaps most famously ‘The White Album’.

In fact, Harrison said that Donovan’s was “all over the White Album”, a record that includes such classic tunes as ‘Blackbird’, ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps and ‘Dear Prudence’.

Donovan has composed scores for films including ‘Poor Cow’, ‘Brother Sun-Sister Moon’, and ‘The Pied Piper’, with his songs also used in movies and TV shows including ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘The Simpsons’.

Credited with writing some of the first songs about climate change, as far back as 1968 he penned the song ‘Atlantis’ a rallying cry to “wake up” to Mother Nature and ‘Slow Down World’, an eco-themed opera for schools.

Donovan and his wife also released an album entitled ‘Eco – Song’, which features 21 Songs about climate change and is dedicated to climate activist, Greta Thunberg.

Still writing and recording music, Donovan last year released the song ‘I Am The Shaman’ to mark his 75th birthday, the video for which was directed by the renowned American film director David Lynch.

In addition to working closely with her husband on his continuing music career, Linda Lawrence is a collage artist and climate change activist, who created the animated ecologically themed children TV series ‘Tales of Launa’.

She is also deeply involved in the promotion of transcendental meditation.

To mark her and Donovan’s 50th wedding anniversary two-years ago Linda published ‘Luna Love’, a critically acclaimed large format photographic memoir of her and her husband’s life together.

Cork Person of the Year awards organiser, Mallow native Manus O’Callaghan, said Donovan and Linda were being honoured to mark their long-standing presence in Cork.

“We are delighted that Donovan and Linda will be joining the list of distinguished names on the Honorary Corkpersons Roll of Honour which includes David and Patsy Puttnam, Jeremy Irons, Michael Flatley, Joe Schmitt and John Bowman,” said Mr O’Callaghan.