Pentangle

Pentangle were one of the most innovative and influential bands of the ’60s/’70s folk-rock revolution. Formed in 1967 in London, the band initially included two already renowned guitarists—Bert Jansch and John Renbourn—alongside singer Jacqui McShee, double bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox. Their acoustic-based sound boldly mixed folk, rock, jazz, blues and more on a combination of traditional and original tunes. They released their self-titled debut album in 1968, just weeks ahead of the first album by Fairport Convention, folk rock’s other bellwether. Through the early ’70s, Pentangle released five more albums that took their place in music history. In 1973, Jansch quit and the band fell apart, but they reformed in 1981 for a round of touring. By the time they released a reunion album in 1985, Renbourn had left, but they went on to release several more records. McShee led her own lineup as Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle for a while; the original band reconvened for tours in 2008 and 2011. Jansch and Renbourn passed in 2011 and 2015, respectively, precluding anything further for the classic lineup.