Lydia Pense

Lydia Pense
Birth nameLydia Jane Pense
Born (1947-12-14) December 14, 1947 (age 76)
OriginSan Francisco, California
GenresRock, Urban contemporary, Blue-eyed soul, East Bay Grease
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1969–present
LabelsReprise (1972); Warner Bros. Records (1974); ABC (1976); Dig Music (2005)

Lydia Pense (born Lydia Jane Pense in San Francisco, California on December 14, 1947) [1] is an American rock-soul-jazz singer who, since 1969, has performed with the band Cold Blood. Critics have compared her style to powerful singers including Janis Joplin[2] and Aretha Franklin.

History[edit]

Lydia Pense was born in San Francisco on December 14, 1947, and lived there until age 10 until the family moved to Redwood City, California.[3] At age 14, while attending Sequoia High School, Pense started singing with a band called The Dimensions, with Guitarist Fred Tatman, Larry Hatch and Kerry Yates.[3] She was a fan of Brenda Lee and was singing her songs, but the band encouraged her to sing R&B in the style of James Brown, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Ray Charles.

Janis Joplin had recommended Lydia Pense to music promoter Bill Graham to audition for the band Cold Blood .[2] Lydia joined Cold Blood in 1968 and the band was one of the earliest music groups to be signed by Bill Graham's Fillmore Records.[4]

The band Cold Blood separated in the late 1970s. Pense suspended her music career in the early 1980s to raise her daughter Danielle, before re-forming the group in 1988.[5] The band continues to record, tour and perform.

Discography[edit]

Their initial four albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste of Sin (produced by Donny Hathaway), and Thriller remain their best known work.

Albums[edit]

Year Album name Band Notes
1969 Cold Blood Cold Blood
1971 Sisyphus Cold Blood [6]
1972 Lights Out San Francisco (Voco Presents The Soul Of The Bay Area) Various artists Performed with the band Tower of Power.[7]
1972 First Taste of Sin Cold Blood
1973 Thriller Cold Blood
1974 Lydia Cold Blood
1975 The Best of Cold Blood Cold Blood
1976 Lydia Pense & Cold Blood Lydia Pense and Cold Blood this was the last album before the band's hiatus.[5]
2001 Vintage Blood: Live! 1973 Live album
2005 Transfusion Lydia Pense and Cold Blood
2008 Lydia Pense & Cold Blood: Live Blood "Live Album" Lydia Pense and Cold Blood
2011 The River City Sessions Lydia Pense and Cold Blood
2015 Soul Of The Gypsy Lydia Pense and Cold Blood [8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2005. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  2. ^ a b Vitt, Janet (2017-04-30). "Lydia Pense lends her powerful voice to fundraiser at Harlow's". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  3. ^ a b "Lydia Pense: hot sounds with Cold Blood". The Mercury News. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  4. ^ "Lydia Pense and Cold Blood". SFMuseum.org. The Millard Agency. 1969. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  5. ^ a b "Lydia Pense & Cold Blood - Back Here Again". Paste Magazine. 1998-06-12. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  6. ^ "Cold Blood - Sisyphus". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  7. ^ "Various - Lights Out: San Francisco (Voco Presents The Soul Of The Bay Area)". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  8. ^ "Lydia Pense & Cold Blood* - Soul Of The Gypsy". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-01-28.

External links[edit]