David Cyril Eric Swarbrick (5 April 1941 – 3 June 2016) was an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential British fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many world folk violin players who have followed him. He was one of the most highly regarded musicians produced by the second British folk revival, contributing to some of the most important groups and projects of the 1960s, and he became a much sought-after session musician, which has led him throughout his career to work with many of the major figures in folk and folk rock music.
His work for Fairport Convention from 1969 has been credited with leading them to produce their seminal album Liege and Lief (1969) which initiated the electric folk movement. This, and his subsequent career, helped create greater interest in British traditional music and was highly influential within mainstream rock. After 1970 he emerged as Fairport Convention's leading figure and guided the band through a series of important albums until its disbandment in 1979.
He also played in a series of smaller, acoustic units and engaged in solo projects which have maintained a massive output of recordings, a significant profile and have made a major contribution to the interpretation of traditional British music....(Read more)
Links to Peel
Swarbrick made his name with two of the best-known acts on the British folk scene of the 1960s; firstly, the Birmingham-based Ian Campbell Folk Group, and then in a creative musical partnership with Martin Carthy. While the Campbells were rather too middle of the road to appeal to Peel, they appeared frequently on radio and TV (including a regular slot on the ATV news programme Midlands Today) and two of the children of Ian and Lorna Campbell, Ali and Robin, were founder members of UB40. With Martin Carthy, Swarbrick made a series of acclaimed albums in the second half of the 1960s, yet despite their popularity and their regular appearances on BBC radio, they never did a Peel session. However, 'Gentleman Soldier', featured on their 1967 LP Byker Hill, was subsequently recorded by Jack The Lad and became a JP favourite.
Martin Carthy And Dave Swarbrick-Gentleman Soldier (1967) HD
Swarbrick was also one of the guests on Young Tradition's final LP Galleries.
There were no further session appearances by Swarbrick in Peel shows of later decades, but when he reunited with Martin Carthy in the 1990s, Andy Kershaw played their new material on his shows, and they did three sessions for him. One of these sessions was played when Peel sat in for his colleague on 11 December 1993.
Festive Fifty Entries
- None
Sessions
- None in his own right, but he was present on all of Fairport Convention's Peel sessions from September 1969 to their final appearance in 1974, and the last three of Viv Stanshall's sessions.
Other Shows Played
- 12 August 1976: Fairport Convention, 'Sir Patrick Spens (LP-Full House)' (Island) (JP: 'The harrowing story of Sir Patrick Spens, sung by Dave Swarbrick of course.')
- L072: 'The Sheepstealer (LP-Skin And Bone)' (Special Delivery) Andy Kershaw show, 1992-12-19
External Links
- Wikipedia
- Official site
- Daily Telegraph obituary (they had previously announced his death by mistake in 1999)