Vashti Bunyan

Vashti Bunyan is an English singer-songwriter from Newcastle upon Tyne, born in 1945 and associated with contemporary folk, folk, folk pop and freak folk. She begins her career in the mid-1960s and becomes known for a small but influential body of work that gains a later cult following.

Early career

Born Jennifer Vashti Bunyan, she is the youngest child of John Bunyan, a dentist, and Helen Webber. Her family moves to London when she is six months old. In the early 1960s she attends the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art at Oxford, but leaves after focusing on songwriting and guitar rather than art. She is inspired by Bob Dylan's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan and pursues music in London.

Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of The Rolling Stones, signs her and releases her first single, "Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind", in 1965, with Jimmy Page on guitar. A second single, "Train Song", follows in 1966, but both records fail commercially.

Just Another Diamond Day

In 1967, inspired by Donovan's idea of a creative commune in Skye, Bunyan travels 650 miles with her partner, Robert Lewis, in a horse-drawn wagon. The journey informs the songs on her debut album, Just Another Diamond Day. During the trip she pauses to perform in the Netherlands, where Derroll Adams encourages her to keep sharing her songs. After she returns to England, Joe Boyd records the album with musicians from Fairport Convention and The Incredible String Band. It is released in 1970, receives warm reviews, but sells very few copies. Bunyan then leaves music and focuses on family life.

Return to music

For about three decades she lives quietly raising her children, unaware that Just Another Diamond Day has developed a cult reputation. Its re-release in 2000 brings her work to a new audience, including artists such as Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsom. Encouraged by their interest, she returns to recording and releases Lookaftering in 2005. The album includes contributions from collaborators such as Max Richter and Joanna Newsom. She tours North America in 2006 and also releases compilations of her early singles and demos.

Later work

In 2008, the documentary Vashti Bunyan: From Here to Before documents her journey and career. She contributes to other projects, including a cover of John Martyn's "Head and Heart" in 2011. Her third album, Heartleap, appears in 2014 and she writes, performs and produces it herself. In 2022 she publishes her memoir, Wayward: Just Another Life to Live.

In 2024 she takes part in a Joni Mitchell tribute concert and is due to receive an honorary doctorate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.