Famous Coventrians

Roye Albrighton, singer/guitarist with Progressive Rock/Space Rock/Krautrock group Nektar - they never had any hits, but were popular in the 1970s and still perform and release albums. They had a Hawkwind style light show. Interview with Roye Albrighton Their album, 'remember the future' from the 1970s is my favourite.

There was a short-lived prog rock group from Coventry called Indian Summer who released one album in the 1970s. Bob Jackson went on to join Badfinger and also played with the Searchers, and Ken Hensley (former keyboard player with Rock band, Uriah Heep) and the Fortunes.

I believe folk singer Beverley Martin, who was married to the late singer/songwriter John Martyn, was also from Coventry or nearby. John and Beverley Martyn recorded two albums together before John went solo.

Rob Armstrong, the guitar maker: He still lives in Coventry as well. His guitar are used by bands such as Fairport Convention, George Harrison, and Martin Barre from Jethro Tull (Barre was a student at what became Coventry Poly in the 1960s.) Also Kevin Dempsey who was in folk/rock group "Dando Shaft" who were from Coventry: Dempsey also performs with Dave Swarbrick, the legendary fiddle player who was in the Ian Campbell folk group and then Fairport Convention. I believe Swarbrick lives in Stoke and is still actively performing despite his death being announced in the national press about ten years ago! (He was ill in Walsgrave, and commented, 'This isn't the first time I've died in Coventry!') Swarb is a folk legend! Maybe an honorary Coventrian? Dando Shaft released a number of albums in the 1970s, and I saw saw Dempsey in "Lazarus", a folk group also featuring Swarb, Maartin Allcock. Here he is in action (on the far left): I saw them playing at the Cropredy Festival in front of about 20,000 people!

Delia Derbyshire, who was partly responsible for the Dr Who theme tune and also worked in the field of electronic music (she also did an album with a group called White Noise, which considered to be a groundbreaking and influential piece of work.)

Another member of Dando Shaft Dave Cooper who was born in Coventry and lived in Bell Green, and i remember the late John Peel was a fan and they played live on his programme a couple of times.

Lieutenant Pigeon are represented on our list by the entry for Hilda Woodward

Now then... I am probably totally wrong, but, anyone remember the song Indian Reservation? I am sure that the singer/songwriter came from Coventry. I do know that he moved to a pub down the Fosse Way and then sank into oblivion. I think there where a couple of other singers from Coventry but now am wondering why I entered into this discussion because my brain has gone into hibernation... Les

Don Fardon, Les!

I think that Harold Greasley (Coventry rugby team) is a candidate for famous Coventrians. His working life was with Coventry Chain. http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s425.htm?798,12502083

Back in the 60's there was a United Nations Youth Group and we used to meet in a room under the altar at the old Cathedral. We used to put on regular folk evenings and if my memory is still working, Rob Armstrong used to be a member of The Modern Idiots Grunt Band and was a regular performer.

Author & Bouncer Geoff Thompson - Google it if necessary! Famous or infamous? John

He was the Captain, when I used to go, about 1956/7 time.

Congratulations to one of our "Famous Coventrians", Cal Crutchlow, for finishing third in the Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno - the first British rider to stand on the rostrum in a premier-class event for 12 years