Martin Carthy
b. 21 May 1940, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Carthy began his career as an actor but in 1959 became a skiffle guitarist and singer with the Thameside Four. He made his first solo recording on the collection HOOTENANNY IN LONDON (1963), singing ‘Your Baby As Gone Down The Plug Hole, later revived by Cream. By now, Carthy was recognised as a virtuoso folk guitarist and was resident at London's top folk club the Troubadour. There, he taught songs to visiting Americans including Bob Dylan and Paul Simon who adapted Lord Franklin and Scarborough Fair for their own records. With Leon Rosselson, Carthy recorded as the Three City Four before making his first solo album for Fontana. On BYKER HILLTHERE was equal billing for violinist Dave Swarbrick, with whom Carthy was touring the folk clubs. From 1969-72, he was a member of the folk-rock band Steeleye Span with whom he first played electric guitar. Carthy later joined the more traditional vocal group the Watersons which also included his wife Norma Waterson. In the '80s he toured and recorded with Brass Monkey, a band formed by John Kirkpatrick. Carthy also took part in concept albums by the Albion Country Band (1972) and in the Transports the ‘folk opera’ created by Peter Bellamy. Essentially, though, Carthy is at his best as a soloist or in partnership with Swarbrick with whom he toured again in 1989 and recorded the live LIFE AND LIMB.