1. Martin Stewart Simpson was born on 5 May 1953 and is an English folk singer, guitarist and songwriter.
17 Facts About Martin Simpson
1. 2.
Martin Simpson's music reflects a wide variety of influences and styles, rooted in Britain, Ireland, America and beyond.
3.
Martin Simpson was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England on 5 May 1953.
4.
Martin Simpson took an early interest in music, learning to play the guitar and banjo and performing at local folk clubs.
5.
Martin Simpson performed with Ashley Hutchings' Albion Band in 1979.
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Martin Simpson continued recording a mix of traditional and more contemporary material, including several entirely instrumental albums.
7.
Martin Simpson won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2004 in the category of Best Musician.
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Martin Simpson has written guitar instruction books and recorded DVD guitar tutorials.
9.
Martin Simpson's career came full circle in 2003 when he teamed up with June Tabor again.
10.
In 2015, Martin Simpson released Murmurs with Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr.
11.
In October 2016, Martin Simpson collaborated with Dom Flemons to release A Selection of Ever Popular Favourites.
12.
Martin Simpson has been nominated 23 times in the 11 years of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, including nine times consecutively as Artist of The Year, which he has won twice.
13.
Martin Simpson is renowned as one of the world's leading exponents of slide guitar.
14.
Martin Simpson is known to have owned and played guitars by a number of renowned American luthiers including Ervin Somogyi, Jeff Traugott and Bill Tippin, as well as British luthiers including Ralph Bown.
15.
Martin Simpson recently acquired a Turnstone 14-fret cutaway guitar built by English luthier Rosie Heydenrych, and a 12-fret cutaway fan-fret Tirga Mhor model guitar with African Blackwood back and sides made by Rory Dowling of Taran guitars which he has been seen touring the UK with recently.
16.
Martin Simpson was one of the pool of musicians who played with the Albion Band during their residency at the National Theatre, London, playing for Bill Bryden's company, mainly in the Cottesloe Theatre.
17.
Martin Simpson appears on the recording of music from Lark Rise to Candleford, although the album's attributions are inaccurate.