STEVE KNIGHTLEY

Like many teenagers, he started playing guitar at the age of 14. He listened to Joan Baez records and quickly discovered Bob Dylan's album The Freewheelin'. It was a revelation for him. That same year, he heard the English folk singer Martin Carthy and realized that Dylan had drawn inspiration from the English tradition for many of his songs.

Throughout his already long career, he has collaborated with a number of musicians, including Paul Downes, notably in the trio Gawain. He then formed a folk/roots duo with Phil Beer, with whom he has been playing since the mid-1980s. The two performed for many years under the name Show of Hands. Alone or with Phil, Steve has produced nearly 30 albums, and in 2015 they received honorary doctorates from the University of Plymouth in recognition of their long careers.

In 2024, the Devon duo announced an indefinite hiatus. But Steve is a prolific musician, and it wasn't long before he released an album under his own name, The Winter Yards. Just as quickly, he followed up the next year with Positively Folk Street - Dylan, Carthy, and me.
As its name suggests, this album is a tribute to his two mentors, Bob Dylan and Martin Carthy. Of the twelve songs on the album, six are Dylan covers. The other six are traditional songs that have been performed by many artists particularly influenced by Martin Carthy. These include John Renbourn and the group Pentangle, as well as Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention.
We can enjoy tracks such as Girl from the North Country, Positively 4th Street, and Boots of Spanish Leather. These songs are beautifully enhanced by Steve's guitar, with occasional touches of harmonica or cuano, giving them a distinct street music feel. Twelve songs that revisit the worlds of B. Dylan and M. Carthy, two artists who shaped Steve Knightley's musical journey.

Hands of Music HMCD55 - https://steveknightley.com