STEVE KNIGHTLEY
Steve Knightley is one of the defining voices of British folk music. A multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and storyteller, his work sits at the crossroads of tradition, history and social reflection. Born in Southampton and raised in the West Country, his songs are steeped in the landscapes and stories of rural England.
As a founding member of Show of Hands, Knightley helped shape the sound of modern folk, performing to sell-out audiences across Britain and beyond. His lyrics give voice to working lives, coastlines and communities too often overlooked, blending vivid observation with a poet’s instinct for rhythm and melody.
Described by BBC Director-General Tony Hall as “a craftsman at the peak of his powers” and by Mark Radcliffe as writing “some of the best songs of the last twenty years”, Knightley’s catalogue bridges the personal and the political. Songs such as Country Life and Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed earned major awards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, while Cousin Jack and The Galway Farmer have become modern standards. The Guardian’s Robin Denselow famously dubbed him “the gravel-voiced spokesman of the rural poor.”
Knightley’s 2024 album The Winter Yards opens a new chapter in his career, combining his storytelling with fresh instrumentation and layered arrangements. The accompanying Winter Yards Band – featuring David Delarre, Evan Carson and John Parker – captures that same balance of depth and drive that defines his songwriting.
At Folkscape Live, we have proudly streamed several of Steve’s landmark performances, including the acclaimed Show of Hands Farewell Concert from Exeter Cathedral, his solo show “Home to the West” from The Barbican Theatre in Plymouth, and the intimate Elm Farm Session in Swannington. Each broadcast carries the spirit of his live shows – connection, storytelling and the shared warmth that has always defined his music.
Whether commanding the stage of the Royal Albert Hall or singing in a candle-lit village hall, Steve Knightley remains, in the BBC’s words, “a showman and craftsman at the peak of his powers.”
Step inside the magic of live folk music as Steve Knightley brings The Winter Yards to life at the Kendal Brewery Arts Centre. Joined by his phenomenal band and the spellbinding harmonies of True Foxes, this exclusive Folkscape Live stream captures every note, every story, and every spark of connection. Watch the concert everyone will be talking about, live, wherever you are.