April Lawton
Encyclopedia
April Lawton was a guitarist, singer, and composer who rose to some prominence in the early to mid 1970s as a member of the band Ramatam
, which also included former Iron Butterfly
guitarist Mike Pinera
and the former Jimi Hendrix
drummer Mitch Mitchell
. She was hailed as the female Jimi Hendrix by many, and her style was a mix of Jeff Beck
, Hendrix, Eric Clapton
, and Alan Holdsworth. Indeed she was such a virtuoso that she was rumored to be transsexual — rumors dismissed by her husband as "total garbage" started by less talented male guitarists.
Lawton stayed with Ramatam for two studio albums, their self-titled debut and In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns. The group was not commercially successful, and Lawton left after the second album, forming a short-lived solo project called the April Lawton Band, which dissolved in the late 1970s. Lawton then disappeared from the music scene to concentrate on painting and graphic design. Her personal life remained very private until her death from heart failure at her home on November 23, 2006. She was 58.
During the 1990s she recorded demos for a future album, and the material remains unreleased. Some brief excerpts are available at the April Lawton tribute website: http://www.aprillawton.com/aprilmusic1.html.
Ramatam
Ramatam was a 1970s rock band featuring Mike Pinera on guitar and vocals, April Lawton on lead guitar, and, for a short time, Mitch Mitchell on drums....
, which also included former Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
guitarist Mike Pinera
Mike Pinera
Mike Pinera is an American guitarist who started professionally in the late 1960s with the group Blues Image, which had a #4 hit in 1970 with their song "Ride Captain Ride". After the breakup of that group, he joined Iron Butterfly, and later formed the group Ramatam...
and the former Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
drummer Mitch Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell
John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
. She was hailed as the female Jimi Hendrix by many, and her style was a mix of Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Hendrix, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, and Alan Holdsworth. Indeed she was such a virtuoso that she was rumored to be transsexual — rumors dismissed by her husband as "total garbage" started by less talented male guitarists.
Lawton stayed with Ramatam for two studio albums, their self-titled debut and In April Came the Dawning of the Red Suns. The group was not commercially successful, and Lawton left after the second album, forming a short-lived solo project called the April Lawton Band, which dissolved in the late 1970s. Lawton then disappeared from the music scene to concentrate on painting and graphic design. Her personal life remained very private until her death from heart failure at her home on November 23, 2006. She was 58.
During the 1990s she recorded demos for a future album, and the material remains unreleased. Some brief excerpts are available at the April Lawton tribute website: http://www.aprillawton.com/aprilmusic1.html.
External links
- http://www.aprillawton.com
- http://www.reesho.com/htm/april.htm