Sandy Dillon
Encyclopedia
Sandy Dillon is an American
singer and songwriter
.
Born near Cape Cod
, Sandy Dillon studied Orchestral Composition at Berklee College of Music
in Boston
, before moving to New York
where she lived at the Chelsea Hotel
. She played Janis Joplin
on Broadway
in ‘Rock n Roll: The First 5,000 Years’ where she was spotted by Tony DeFries
, who had managed both David Bowie
and Iggy Pop
. Defries steered her to Elektra
, for whom she recorded two (unreleased) albums Candy From A Stranger (produced by Man Parrish
) and Flowers (co-produced by Mick Ronson
and Dieter Meier
) (Previewed in Ronnie Scotts alongside Mick Ronson on guitar).
Dillon moved to London where she met her husband Steve Bywater, who was a member of the Churchfitters
(also known as the Blue Lighthouse Brigade in alternate form) alongside Pete Brown (bass and sax) Geoff Coombs (Mandolin,whistles and Vocals) and Angus Wallace (Guitar and vocals). Steve Bywaters subsequently went on to produce several of Dillons albums. She signed to One Little Indian for whom she recorded Electric Chair. In 2000 she released Las Vegas Is Cursed, a collaboration with Hector Zazou
and East Overshoe. in 2001 Steve Bywater died as a Thalidomide victim
. Dillon went on and recorded Nobody’s Sweetheart, was the first of Dillon's albums to be released in the US in 2003. At that time Dillon had to go to hospital because of a combination of cancer
, MRSA virus and autoimmune disease
. After being released from hospital she recorded the album Pull the Strings, which was released in 2006. Her most recent record is Living in Dreams, recorded in Germany together with her new husband Ray Majors (Mott The Hoople
, The Yardbirds
) and produced by David Coulter
. Dillon and Majors also contributed vocals and guitar to Sisters Euclids album 96 Tears, a collection of cover versions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Born near Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Sandy Dillon studied Orchestral Composition at Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, before moving to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where she lived at the Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel can refer to:*Hotel Chelsea in New York City*"Chelsea Hotel #2", a song from the 1974 Leonard Cohen album New Skin for the Old Ceremony*Chelsea Hotel, a book of photographs by Claudio Edinger, published in 1983See also...
. She played Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in ‘Rock n Roll: The First 5,000 Years’ where she was spotted by Tony DeFries
Tony DeFries
Tony Defries is a British former record producer and pop manager, and more recently inventor.DeFries worked in the 1960s music scene with such figures as Mickie Most, Allen Klein, before turning his attention to David Bowie...
, who had managed both David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
. Defries steered her to Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, for whom she recorded two (unreleased) albums Candy From A Stranger (produced by Man Parrish
Man Parrish
Man Parrish is an American composer, songwriter, vocalist and producer. He, along with artists such as Yellow Magic Orchestra, Kraftwerk, Art of Noise, Arthur Baker, Afrika Bambaataa, John Robie, Jellybean Benitez and Aldo Marin helped create and define electro in the early 1980s...
) and Flowers (co-produced by Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
and Dieter Meier
Dieter Meier
Dieter Meier is a Swiss musician and conceptual artist who is best known for the electronic music group Yello he formed with music producer Boris Blank...
) (Previewed in Ronnie Scotts alongside Mick Ronson on guitar).
Dillon moved to London where she met her husband Steve Bywater, who was a member of the Churchfitters
Churchfitters
The Churchfitters are an English folk group, and were founded in 1978 by singer/songwriter Anthony McCartan from Belfast and multi-instrumentist Geoff Coombs from Essex , after a band they had previously both toured with collapsed.Rosie Short joined soon after its formation having previously been...
(also known as the Blue Lighthouse Brigade in alternate form) alongside Pete Brown (bass and sax) Geoff Coombs (Mandolin,whistles and Vocals) and Angus Wallace (Guitar and vocals). Steve Bywaters subsequently went on to produce several of Dillons albums. She signed to One Little Indian for whom she recorded Electric Chair. In 2000 she released Las Vegas Is Cursed, a collaboration with Hector Zazou
Hector Zazou
Hector Zazou was a prolific French composer and record producer who worked with, produced, and collaborated with an international array of recording artists...
and East Overshoe. in 2001 Steve Bywater died as a Thalidomide victim
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was introduced as a sedative drug in the late 1950s that was typically used to cure morning sickness. In 1961, it was withdrawn due to teratogenicity and neuropathy. There is now a growing clinical interest in thalidomide, and it is introduced as an immunomodulatory agent used...
. Dillon went on and recorded Nobody’s Sweetheart, was the first of Dillon's albums to be released in the US in 2003. At that time Dillon had to go to hospital because of a combination of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, MRSA virus and autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to...
. After being released from hospital she recorded the album Pull the Strings, which was released in 2006. Her most recent record is Living in Dreams, recorded in Germany together with her new husband Ray Majors (Mott The Hoople
Mott the Hoople
Mott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
, The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
) and produced by David Coulter
David Coulter
David A. Coulter is an American banker.Currently he is Managing Director and Senior Advisor of Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm. Prior to joining Warburg Pincus, he was Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from January 2001 to September 2005. Prior to the merger with J.P. Morgan & Co...
. Dillon and Majors also contributed vocals and guitar to Sisters Euclids album 96 Tears, a collection of cover versions.
Selected discography
- Electric Chair (album) (1999) One Little Indian
- 12 (Las Vegas is Cursed) by Sandy Dillon & Hector Zazou (2000) Crammed Records
- East Overshoe (2000) One Little Indian
- Nobody's Sweetheart (2003) One Little Indian
- Pull the Strings (2006) One Little Indian
- Living in Dreams (2008) Tradition & Moderne
- 96 Tears by Sisters Euclid featuring Sandy Dillon & Ray Majors (2010) Tradition & Moderne