Lydia Jane Pense (born December 14, 1947, in San Francisco, California) is an American rock-soul-jazz singer who, since 1969, has performed with the band Cold Blood. Critics have compared her style to powerful singers including Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin.
History Pense's family moved to Redwood City when she was 10. At age 14, while attending Sequoia High School, Pense started singing with a band called the Dimensions, with guitarist Fred Tatman, Larry Hatch, and Kerry Yates. She was a fan of Brenda Lee and was singing her songs, but the band encouraged her to sing R&B in the style of James Brown, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Ray Charles.
Joplin had recommended Pense to the music promoter Bill Graham to audition for the band Cold Blood. Pense joined Cold Blood in 1968, and the band was one of the earliest music groups to be signed by Graham's Fillmore Records.
The band Cold Blood separated in the late 1970s. Pense suspended her music career in the early 1980s to raise her daughter, Danielle before reforming the group in 1988. The band continues to record, tour and perform.
Discography Their initial four albums, Cold Blood, Sisyphus, First Taste of Sin (produced by Donny Hathaway), and Thriller remain the band's best-known work.
Albums +YearAlbum nameBandNotes1969Cold BloodCold Blood1971SisyphusCold Blood1972Lights Out San Francisco (Voco Presents The Soul Of The Bay Area) Various artistsPerformed with the band Tower of Power.1972First Taste of SinCold Blood1973ThrillerCold Blood1974LydiaCold Blood1975The Best of Cold Blood Cold Blood1976Lydia Pense & Cold BloodLydia Pense and Cold BloodThe last album before the band's hiatus.2001Vintage Blood: Live! 1973Live album2005TransfusionLydia Pense and Cold Blood2008Lydia Pense & Cold Blood: Live Blood "Live Album"Lydia Pense and Cold Blood2011The River City SessionsLydia Pense and Cold Blood2015Soul Of The GypsyLydia Pense and Cold Blood2023Cold Blue HeartLydia Pense and Cold Blood
References
External links Official site for Lydia Pense and Cold Blood Chronology of San Francisco Rock in the late 1960s