Biography of The Strawbs

Originally a folk and bluegrass trio formed by Dave Cousins, with Sandy Denny as lead singer, The Strawbs evolved into an acoustic folk quartet and later into a progressive rock quintet, complete with electric keyboards and an epic/classical orientation. The exits of bassist John Ford and drummer Richard Hudson in the early '70s led to a toughening of the group's sound but also a weaker songwriting contingent. Their return, and Cousins' hookup with guitarist Brian Willoughby, made them musically if not commercially viable again in the '80s and '90s. ~ Bruce Eder