Martin Simpson

Biography

5 May 1953, Scunthorpe, South Humberside, England. Having started playing guitar at the age of 12, Simpson played the proverbial ‘floor spots’ at local folk clubs, and received his first paid booking at the age of 14. By the age of 18 he had become a full-time professional on the folk club circuit. He came to the attention of a number of influential people, one of whom was Bill Leader who recorded Simpson’s 1976 debut, Golden Vanity, for his own Trailer label. The album mixed such folk standards as ‘Pretty Polly’ and ‘A Soldier’s Joy’ with contemporary works such as Bob Dylan’s ‘Love Minus Zero - No Limit’. That same year, Simpson opened for Steeleye Span on their UK tour, and shortly afterwards became an accompanist for June Tabor. In 1979 he joined the Albion Band at the National Theatre and played with them on two subsequent tours. The following year’s A Cut Above, recorded with Tabor on Topic Records,...

Read the Full Biography of Martin Simpson