Forsaking electric instruments, Dando Shaft nevertheless radiated the same level of energy as electric British folk bands like Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. Driven by hand percussion and standup bass, the Coventry-based group created a sound marked by intricate patterns and complex textures.



Formed as a five... [+] Read More

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Upon his emergence during the mid-'60s, Donovan was anointed "Britain's answer to Bob Dylan," a facile but largely unfounded comparison which compromised the Scottish folk-pop troubadour's own unique vision. Where the thrust of Dylan's music remains its bleak introspection and bitter realism, Donovan fully embraced the wide-eyed optimism of the... [+] Read More

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The best British folk-rock band of the late '60s, Fairport Convention did more than any other act to develop a truly British variation on the folk-rock prototype by drawing upon traditional material and styles indigenous to the British Isles. While the revved-up renditions of traditional British folk tunes drew the most critical attention, the... [+] Read More

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Maddy Prior has established herself, by dint of both talent and time, as one of the leading female singers in British folk (and folk-rock). Born in St. Albans, outside London, she developed an interest in traditional English music as a teenager and through friends, found her way to the treasure trove of material at Cecil Sharpe House and also to... [+] Read More

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If the English folk revival of the 1960s had a single "father" and guiding spirit, then Martin Carthy was it. Carthy's influence transcends his abilities, formidable though those are -- apart from being one of the most talented acoustic guitarists, mandolinists, and general multi-instrumentalists working the folk clubs in the 1960s, he was also... [+] Read More

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Although he's best known for his classic folk song staple "Streets of London," which first appeared on his Spiral Staircase album in 1969, Ralph McTell is a multi-dimensional guitarist and singer/songwriter who's influenced hundreds of folk singers in Great Britain, Europe and around the U.S. Fortunately, people in the U.S. and around Europe are... [+] Read More

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Originally used as a name to credit the musicians hired to accompany Shirley Collins in 1971, the Albion Band later became a group in their own right. Bass player Ashley Hutchings, who had previously founded and left both Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span, is the driving force behind this group. The members use acoustic and electric... [+] Read More

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One of the most engaging groups to emerge from the esoteric '60s was the Incredible String Band. Basically the duo of Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, its sound was comprised of haunting Celtic folk melodies augmented by a variety of Middle Eastern and Asian instruments. Heron was a member of several rock bands in England in the early '60s,... [+] Read More

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The Outlandish Knights are an energetic modern ceilidh band with rock influences, based in Sheffield. The Outlandish Knights blend tuneful melodies, epic solos and driving rhythms. The vast majority of the Outlandish Knights’ music is original. Some of the tunes have been written to match specific ceilidh dances.
We play widely... [+] Read More

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The Watersons were one of England's premier singing families. Their early albums played an influential role in the revival of British folk music in the 1960s. British folklorist A.L. Lloyd recalled the group's "hand-crafted harmonies, an immediately recognizable and uniquely distinctive group sound which is uninhibited, spontaneous seeming, and... [+] Read More

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What was born as the illegitimate brain child of Jon Baade and James Kuehl, Water Street Bridge has now turned into a fully grown bastard child of inane proportions. Drawing on a combined 45 years of musical experience, these two seasoned veterans of stage and studio blend Celtic, blues, Americana, shanty, jazz, Creole, folk, art rock, reggae,... [+] Read More

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