MICHAEL WALSH MUSIC CORRESPONDENT: British chart-topping 1960s + folk singer Donovan received a prestigious cultural award from the French Government. The hippy-era singer of poetic-style ballads once won the hearts of nations and clearly won French hearts too. Born 10 May 1946 the balladeer was first discovered on TV’s ‘Ready, Steady, Go’ programme. His fame spread abroad, especially to the United States where the open road style of music was taking a Route 69 road to stardom.

Donovan has a laid back easy listening folksy style which is complemented by the whimsical lyrics of the songs he sings. One of the first folk-rock stars, Donovan, now 77 enjoyed seven UK top 10 hits between 1965 and 1968.

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His influence on music cannot be overstated. One of the most popular recording artists of his day, his originality led him to team up with legendary Mickey Most. His circle included Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Jones, and The Beatles. It was Donovan’s finger-picking guitar style that influenced John Lennon and Paul McCartney. This was before the Scottish-born heartthrob took a back seat in the music scene.

The simplicity and catchiness of Donovan’s songs spanned the generations at a time when the generation gap was invented. It was a period when success was based on talent, not marketing. Favorites included Mellow Yellow, Colors, Catch the Wind, Universal Soldier and many more.

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Against this background, there is an odd air of grandeur to the French cultural award, Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. It seems fitting that the same Paris that gave Fredric Chopin the sobriquet ‘poet of the keyboard’ should honor Donovan as the poet of the ballad. 

As French Culture Minister Christine Albanel pinned the medal to the singer’s trademark lengthy purple and velvet jacket, Donovan said, ‘I am very pleased. I take it for all the work I have done over the years to bring poetry back into popular culture.’ The singer, born more prosaically Donovan Phillips Leitch, added: ‘To get an honor like this confirmed that to me it was successful that the work was accepted on my terms, rather than becoming an entertainer.’

Donovan later revealed that his love for poetry had been inspired by his father who read to him as a young child. In an aside to his home country, the singer whose lyrics live on in the hearts of many, especially those over their fifties, appeared to criticize Britain’s approach to culture.

‘The Midem music industry conference and France, have established themselves as supporter of the arts. Perhaps Britain should pay more attention to the arts. Being honored abroad whilst shunned in your own country says much about Britain’s bankruptcy of the arts.

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