For more than 30 years Martin Carthy has been the most visible, versatile and, at times, controversial figure in English folk music. Whether in the folk club, on the concert stage or in a TV studio, there are few roles he has not played, from ballad singer to folk-rock guitarist. While his settings of traditional songs with guitar have influenced a generation of performers, he is also an authoritative interpreter of newly composed material.
In the early 1960s, the approach Martin Carthy took to folk music was nothing short of revolutionary, albeit a relatively quiet revolution befitting of his humble nature. You wouldn’t find Carthy’s music clambering up the singles charts; his was not a face adorning the teen magazines. Instead, his influence was felt at a grass-roots level. He plied his trade in the folk clubs, which is where the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon sought him out, enamoured of his traditional repertoire and keen to learn songs like ‘Scarborough Fair’ and ‘Lord Franklin’ directly from him before adapting them for their own purposes.
Martin’s debut eponymous album, is now being re-released on vinyl, as part of Topic Record’s 85th anniversary. First released in 1965 this record has been an enduring influence, capturing the most creative folksong interpreter of his generation early in his career. His singing and guitar-playing have been imitated wherever the revival has reached, across North America and Europe no less than in Britain.
Track listing:
1. High Germany
2. The Trees They Do Grow High
3. Sovay
4. Ye Mariners All
5. The Queen Of Hearts
6. Broomfield Hill
7. Springhill Mine Disaster
8. Scarborough Fair
9. Lovely Joan
10. The Barley And The Rye
11. The Wind That Shakes The Barley
12. The Two Magicians
13. The Handsome Cabin Boy
14. And A-Begging I Will Go
To this day, the classic album remains an essential listen for anyone attempting to find their way into traditional English folk music.
Live Dates: (Solo)
08/12/2023 Global Fusion, Mycenae House, Greenwich
09/02/2024 Kalamazoo Club, London
10/02/2024 Hyde Tavern, Winchester
17/02/2024 Arnside Sailing Club
27/04/2024 Old Cinema Launderette, Durham
17/05/2024 Barnoldswick Music & Arts Club
23/05/2024 Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy, NI
Pre-order the album here :https://martincarthy.lnk.to/martincarthy
Check out some of his fun pics here https://www.instagram.com/official.martincarthy/
