1960s singer Donovan coming to Newbridge

Fans of The Beatles, will have the opportunity to gaze their eyes on a John Lennon drawing that is considered to be one of the most important pieces of artwork in music history.   The original John Lennon ink sketch of the cover of the iconic Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album will be on show when the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons welcomes the 60s Summer of Love featuring Donovan collection on May 22^nd, which also includes items from The Beatles and revolutionary singer/songwriter Donovan Leitch.   The most famous item among the collection is undoubtedly the John Lennon sketch for the Sgt. Pepper album cover, which will be on show at a time when the 50^th anniversary of the release date is being celebrated. The crude initial ink sketch by Lennon is thought to be the basis for the artwork of Peter Blake and Jann Hanworth, who would go on to win the 1968 Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts. The finished masterpiece of The Beatles’ album cover featured a whole host of iconic and influential figures from history, with Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, Karl Marx and Irish writer James Joyce all included.   It will be a last chance for people to see the famous drawing as it goes up for auction in Manhattan just two days before the exhibit at the Newbridge Silver Museum of Style Icons. Due to its undoubted importance in music history, the drawing is expected to fetch a massive fee when Julien’s Auctions open the bidding at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square NY on May 20^th.   Martin Nolan of Julien’s Auctions said; “There has been a massive amount of interest in this drawing already, and we’re not surprised due to the iconic nature of the brilliant cover of the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. We’ve had numerous requests from people to view it privately, and this could end up becoming the most expensive piece of Beatles memorabilia ever sold.”   Along with The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album cover drawing, an iconic musician of the time who was a heavy influencer on the British pop band will exhibit some of his own memorabilia for his large fanbase here in Ireland.   On hand to open the exhibition is music icon, Donovan, who will bring a selection of some of his most striking memorabilia from his storied music career to the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons.   Other items that will attract a vast amount of interest includes garments worn by Audrey Hepburn in the film Charade, the genie’s bottle from ‘I Dream of Jeannie’, and an array of other items belonging to The Beatles, including Paul McCartney’s guitar and four suits worn by the legendary British pop group.   Garments belonging to Donovan’s wife, Linda Lawrence, will also be on show, including her wedding dress and a pair of boots belonging to her. Donovan is a hugely important figure in the history of the music industry, and he is credited with being the artist who ushered in a new genre of music during the latter years of the 1960s. Bringing in the psychedelic music revolution, Donovan was still a teenager when he released his first major album, Sunshine Superman, in 1965. The Scot’s music was a mixture of jazz, pop, folk and psychedelic styles that featured throughout his records.   Donovan was known for his guitar-playing technique, and it was so revered that the great John Lennon took on his styles during The Beatles’ famous trip to India when the band played for Guru Maharishi. The music icon was also credited with a major involvement in many of The Beatles’ most well-known songs, with his unique chord patterns featuring heavily on The White Album.   William Doyle, CEO of Newbridge Silverware said ,“To have the original drawing by John Lennon of the Sgt. Pepper album cover here at a time when the 50^th anniversary of its release is being celebrated is especially poignant, and we are sure that anyone who comes along will be able to take a step back in time and relive the swinging sixties when they view each item.”  He added, “The collection that we are welcoming to the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons is one of the best we’ve ever had here. Donovan too is one of the great artists from a time when there was such a change in the music industry, and he was ultimately one of those who led that change.  As a fan myself, I am particularly looking forward to hearing him perform live and it’s such a thrill to think he will sing here for us at Newbridge Silverware on the 22^nd of May.” The ‘60’s Summer of Love featuring Donovan’ exhibition opens at the Museum of Style Icons at Newbridge Silverware on the 22^nd of May and runs until 23^rd of July.  It is a free exhibition and is open to the public to view without making an appointment. The opening hours of the Museum of Style Icons are Monday – Saturday 9am-6pm and Sundays and Bank holidays from 10am – 6pm.