Renaissance’s just-completed 50th Anniversary Tour means a lot to Annie Haslam.

“Looking back, I find myself very proud of how we managed to survive in this ever-changing industry,” says Haslam, the group’s lead singer since 1971.

It’s been an impressive run for progressive, folk-rock pioneer Renaissance, which was founded by ex-Yardbirds Keith Relf and Jim McCarty in 1969 and became most popular after Haslam and her five-octave voice joined the band. The group released a string of critically acclaimed albums in the 1970s, including Ashes Are Burning, which included its classic song “Carpet of the Sun.”

The group disbanded in 1987, and two different versions of the band emerged in the next decade. The band, though, only lost its way, Haslam says, for two albums in the early 1980s.

“We went through so many changes with personnel and musical direction for, thankfully, only two albums,” she says. “We managed to bring ourselves back full circle when Michael Dunford and I created a new Renaissance in 2009.

“We decided to go back to our roots, leaving behind the New Wave-ish songs that we got totally lost in. Once again, we started to create the lavish gorgeous melodies, lyrics and orchestration that were unique to us. I would say the music of Renaissance has, and will in the future, leave a timeless impression — music to uplift the spirit.”

Renaissance, Haslam says, has always been different than other beloved prog-rock bands.

“I think we were and still are different, because we have a female lead singer, and we have always had very strong melodies and interesting lyrical content  in our songs,” she says. “Our music is not overpowering or bombastic like some prog bands, and our music was probably the most successful when we introduced orchestras into our works.”

The 50th Anniversary Tour, which consisted of shows in 10 northeastern cities Oct. 10-20, included a 10-piece orchestra, as well as the six members of Renaissance. Besides Haslam, group members are keyboardist and musical director Rave Tesar, guitarist Mark Lambert, bassist Leo Traversa, keyboardist Geoffrey Langley and drummer Frank Pagano.

A 50th anniversary concert film is expected to be released on DVD next year, and four shows are planned for Brazil next March.

With Renaissance, Haslam’s artistry is on 12 studio albums, seven live albums, six compilations and four DVDs. She also has released 10 solo studio albums and two solo DVDs.

Which is her favorite Renaissance album?

“Gosh, that’s such a hard one,” she responds. “I can’t really say, because I love all of them for different reasons except when we lost our way with Timeline and Camera Camera.”

Haslam finds it much easier to name her favorite prog bands.

“Yes,” she says emphatically. “They are the greatest, and my favorite song is ‘And You and I’ on Close to the Edge.”

Genesis, Haslam says, had “very interesting” early work, but she loves the band’s later music more because of “great melodies and amazing sound recordings.”

She also loves the solo works of Genesis lead guitarist Steve Hackett. “Steve’s guitar playing is out of this world,” she says. “I am a fairly new fan of his solo work, and it’s just outstanding! And he’s a great writer, too.”

Haslam regards Hackett — and Jon Anderson, the late Chris Squire, Peter Gabriel, Gary Brooker, Justin Hayward and Ian Anderson — as prog-rock’s best songwriters.

The best concert she attended, though, had nothing to do with prog-rock.

“My favorite concert was Michael Jackson at the Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey in the ‘90s,” she says. “I believe it was the Thriller tour. The music was so brilliant, and the showmanship was impeccable! I was speechless.”

The concert that most influenced her as a musician was two decades earlier.

“In 1972, I went to Baalbek in Lebanon with my then boyfriend Miles Axe Copeland III, our manager at the time,” Haslam recalls. “We went to see a singer called Sabah perform amongst the temple ruins. She was singing with an amazing Middle Eastern orchestra.

“She started the show with a single high note along with a violin that seemed to pierce right through my soul and awaken something within me. I was captivated. That is where I got the idea to sing ‘Prologue’ from our album Prologue, as a vocalise — without words!”