Renaissance are an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1978 UK top 10 hit "Northern Lights" and progressive rock classics like "Carpet of the Sun", "Mother Russia", and "Ashes Are Burning". They developed a unique sound, combining a female lead vocal with a fusion of classical, folk, rock, and jazz influences. Characteristic elements of the Renaissance sound are Annie Haslam's wide vocal range, prominent piano accompaniment, orchestral arrangements, vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser, and versatile drum work. The band created a significant following in the northeast United States in the 70s, and that region remains their strongest fan base.

As The Yardbirds were transforming into The New Yardbirds (with Jimmy Page) in 1968 and then Led Zeppelin, departing members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty formed an acoustic duo called Together. They released "Henry's Coming Home" b/w "Love Mum And Dad" as a single on Columbia Records in November 1968 without chart success. In January 1969, Relf and McCarty organised a new group devoted to experimentation with rock, folk, and classical forms. In his book Mountains come out of the sky: an illustrated history of prog rock, Will Romano quoted McCarty: This quintet -- Relf on guitar and vocals, McCarty on drums and vocals, plus bassist Louis Cennamo, pianist John Hawken, and Relf's sister Jane as an additional vocalist -- released a pair of albums on Elektra (US) and Island (UK-ILPS 9112), the first one, titled simply Renaissance, being produced by fellow ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith. The band had begun performing in May 1969, before recording had commenced for the debut LP, mostly in the UK, but with occasional forays abroad, including festivals in Belgium (Amougies, October 1969) and France (Operation 666 at the Olympia in January 1970, and Le Bourget in March 1970, both in Paris). In February 1970 they embarked on a North American tour, but that month-long trek proved only marginally successful. Because of their Yardbirds credentials, they found themselves paired with bands such as The Kinks and their new classically oriented direction did not always go down well because audiences were expecting rock/blues-based material. Beginning in the late spring of 1970 as touring began to grind on them, the original band gradually dissolved. Relf and McCarty decided to quit performing, and Cennamo joined Colosseum. Hawken organised a new line-up to fulfill contractual obligations to Island Records and complete the band's second album, Illusion which had been left unfinished.

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