The Johnstons

The Johnstons were an Irish close-harmony folk band, originally founded in Slane, County Meath, Ireland, consisting of Adrienne, Lucy and Michael Johnston. They began performing in the early 1960s in Slane.^[1]

They signed to Pye Records in 1965 and recorded Ewan MacColl's "The Travelling People", a major hit for them. They added Mick Moloney, then becoming a major figure in the Irish music scene, and Paul Brady, while Michael Johnston departed. They continued recording to great success in Ireland, then signed to Transatlantic Records in London, releasing a UK album called The Johnstons in 1968. This was followed by two albums released on the same day, the traditional The Barleycorn and more contemporary Give a Damn.^[1]

With the loss of Lucy Johnston, the remaining Johnstons moved to London, touring and appearing on British television and radio. They also toured the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Germany, then had a minor hit in the United States with a rendition of "Both Sides Now", by Joni Mitchell. In the US, they played at the 1971 Philadelphia Folk Festival, and performed at the Gerde's Folk City, and with Bonnie Raitt in Tuft's College, Boston; they were also the first band to open at the Bottom Line nightclub in New York.

Moloney departed in 1971, and was replaced by English guitarist/bass player/singer Gavin Spencer, who went with them for a second tour of the eastern United States in 1972. They recorded a few more albums with limited success, then broke up in 1973. The Johnstons had a reunion concert in Canada in 1976, but never performed again. Adrienne Johnston died under mysterious circumstances on May 27, 1981 (age 35) in the US.

Death of Adrienne Johnston

Adrienne Johnston, the lead singer in The Johnstons, died in 1981 in Minneapolis of a broken neck after a fall.^[2] She is buried in a cemetery in Slane, Co. Meath. Her gravestone says that she died 27 May 1981 (age 35). The official verdict was accident, but many believe she was murdered. An Irish Independent article of Dec. 16, 1989 strongly implies that she was a victim of domestic violence. She apparently died in a fall at home but the death was ruled as accidental. The medical examiner expressed "concerns about this case" to a family member. The article portrays Adrienne's husband, Chris McCloud, as controlling and opportunistic. During the last half-dozen years of Adrienne's life, her friends and family were unable to get in touch with her to let her know of the deaths of her father and other relatives.

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