Lydia Pense

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] Aretha Franklin, and Teena Marie.

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

History

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 audition for the band Cold Blood to music promoter Bill Graham.[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

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

Albums
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

References
  1. "California Birth Index, 1905-1995 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2005. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  2. Vitt, Janet (2017-04-30). "Lydia Pense lends her powerful voice to fundraiser at Harlow's". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  3. "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. "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.


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