Martin Simpson

Martin Simpson is an English folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, born on May 5, 1953 in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. A major figure on the British folk scene since the 1970s, he is renowned for his fingerpicking virtuosity and his ability to blend traditional English and American music with original compositions. He began his recording career in 1976 with the album Golden Vanity, and became known for his fluid style, blending acoustic guitar, banjo and slide. After spending several years in the USA, he recorded albums influenced by old-time, blues and country music, including Sad or High Kicking (1985), True Dare or Promise (1987) and Cool & Unusual (1997). In the 2000s, back in the UK, he established himself as one of the leading artists of the folk revival. His albums Righteousness and Humidity (2003), Prodigal Son (2007, BBC Folk Award for Best Album), Purpose + Grace (2011), Vagrant Stanzas (2013) and Rooted (2019) bear witness to his attachment to folk tales, social history and transatlantic musical traditions. He has been a member of several major bands, including The Albion Band (1979-1980), and has collaborated with major figures such as June Tabor, Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, Danny Thompson, Andy Cutting and Dom Flemons. He also contributed to the collective album The Full English (2013), a project initiated by the EFDSS (English Folk Dance and Song Society), drawing on the society's digitized archive. His instruments of choice include steel-string acoustic guitar, slide guitar and banjo, which he plays with remarkable expressiveness and precision. An essential reference in British folk, he continues his career with the albums Rooted (2019), Home Recordings (2020), Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry with Thomm Jutz, followed by Skydancers in 2025.