Artist

Renaissance is a classical rock ensemble formed as an outlet for a pair of ex-Yardbirds but later driven by Annie Haslam's three-octave voice and John Tout's piano. The first album in the latter form, Prologue, was released in 1972. Their breakthrough came with 1973's Ashes Are Burning, which introduced guitarist Michael Dunford to the lineup. 1974's Turn of the Cards had a much more ornate songwriting style and was awash in lyrics that alternated between the topical and the mystical. The project released three more albums before the end of the decade, as the punk and new wave booms made them seem increasingly anachronistic. However, in the mid-'90s, both Haslam and Dunford revived the Renaissance name in different incarnations, then came together for 2001's Tuscany. Dunford died in 2012, and another iteration of the group (under Haslam) issued Grandine il Vento in 2013. The Legacy Tour 2022 appeared in 2023.