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Ralph McTell (born Ralph May, 3 December 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
scene since the 1960s. McTell is best known for his song " Streets of London" (1969), which has been covered by over two hundred artists around the world. McTell modelled his guitar style on American country
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
guitar players of the early 20th century, including
Blind Blake Arthur Blake (1896 – December 1, 1934), known as Blind Blake, was an American blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He is known for recordings he made for Paramount Records between 1926 and 1932. Early life Little is known of Blake's life. ...
,
Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generati ...
and
Blind Willie McTell Blind Willie McTell (born William Samuel McTier; May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1959) was a Piedmont blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont b ...
. These influences led a friend to suggest his professional surname.Hockenhull, p. 40. An accomplished performer on piano and harmonica as well as guitar, McTell issued his first album in 1968 and found acclaim on the folk circuit. He reached his greatest commercial success in 1974 when a new recording of "Streets of London" became a No. 2 hit on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Other notable compositions include "
From Clare to Here "From Clare to Here" is a ballad about Irish emigration written by Ralph McTell. It has also been recorded by The Furey Brothers & Davey Arthur on the 1977 album ''Emigrant''; by Nanci Griffith and Pete Cummins on the 1993 album '' Other Voices, O ...
", a
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
about Irish emigration. In the 1980s, he wrote and played songs for two TV children's programmes, ''
Alphabet Zoo ''Alphabet Zoo'' is a series of ten-minute programmes for young children, produced by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV for two series in 1983 and 1984. It was presented by singer Ralph McTell and actress Nerys Hughes. Each episode i ...
'', which also featured
Nerys Hughes Nerys Hughes (born 8 November 1941) is a Welsh actress and narrator, known primarily for her television roles, including her part in the BBC TV series ''The Liver Birds''. Biography She was born in Rhyl, Flintshire. Her parents were Myfi and ...
, followed by ''
Tickle on the Tum ''Tickle on the Tum'' is a series of ten-minute programmes for young children produced by Granada Television and aired on the ITV network from 1984 until 1988. The series was set in the General Store and Post Office in the fictional village ...
'',Hockenhull, p. 109. featuring Jaqui Reddin. He also recorded
Keith Hopwood Keith Hopwood (born 26 October 1946) is an English pop and rock musician, singer-songwriter, composer, businessman and record producer, who served as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocals for the 1960s pop band, Herman's Hermits. Hopwood al ...
's and Malcolm Rowe's theme song to
Cosgrove Hall Cosgrove Hall Films (also known as Cosgrove Hall Productions) was an English animation studio founded by Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall; its headquarters was in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. Cosgrove Hall was once a major producer of childre ...
's adaptation of ''
The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...
''.


Biography

McTell's mother, Winifred (née Moss), was born in
Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. ...
, London. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
she was living in
Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...
, Oxfordshire, with her sister Olive when she met Frank May. They married in 1943 while Frank was home on leave from the army. Winifred moved to
Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
, Surrey, and McTell was born on 3 December 1944 in Farnborough, Kent. He was named after Ralph Vaughan Williams – Frank had worked as the composer's gardener before the war. A second son, Bruce, was born in 1946. Frank was demobilised, but after a year or so at home, he walked out on his family in 1947. Winifred was left to support herself and bring up the boys unaided. She told McTell's biographer, "I remember Ralph saying to me quite soon after Frank left us, 'I'll look after you, Mummy'. I guess he'd got used to Frank being away all his short life."Hockenhull, p. 9. But despite their father's desertion and the consequent poverty, Ralph and Bruce May had a happy and fulfilled childhood in Croydon. McTell's love of music surfaced early. He was given a plastic mouth organ and his grandfather, who played the harmonica, taught and encouraged him. The brothers spent many contented summer holidays at
Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...
with their uncle and aunt and their grandparents. Banbury and north
Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...
figured throughout McTell's life. Later, he recalled those childhood summers in his song "Barges".


Influences

Other childhood experiences shaped McTell's songwriting. A young
Irishman The Irish ( ga, Muintir na hÉireann or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been c ...
and his family were the Mays' upstairs neighbours. Needing a father figure, McTell greatly valued the young man's friendship, which later inspired the song "Mr. Connaughton". Similarly, "Mrs. Adlam's Angels" recalls his Sunday school teacher: "I loved the ceremonial and the music," he says, "you can hear the influence of hymn tunes in my song structures." In 1952, two youths attempted to break into a Croydon warehouse: one,
Derek Bentley Derek William Bentley (30 June 1933 – 28 January 1953) was a British man who was hanged for the murder of a policeman during a burglary attempt. Christopher Craig, then aged 16, a friend and accomplice of Bentley, was accused of the murde ...
, surrendered to the police but the other, sixteen-year-old
Christopher Craig Derek William Bentley (30 June 1933 – 28 January 1953) was a British man who was hanged for the murder of a policeman during a burglary attempt. Christopher Craig, then aged 16, a friend and accomplice of Bentley, was accused of the murde ...
, shot and killed a police officer. Yet at the trial, Bentley was sentenced to death. "My mum knew the Bentleys," McTell recalls. "I was about eight, but even then I could see the horror and injustice of executing a teenager for a murder he didn't commit."Farquarson, "Streets Ahead". Many years later, McTell expressed that sense of injustice in the song "Bentley & Craig".


Teens

After passing his 11-plus school examination, McTell attended the John Ruskin Grammar School. He hated his time there, and despite being a very bright pupil, he did not do well academically. Many of his fellow pupils were from wealthier backgrounds, and though having many school friends, he felt he didn't fit in. Musically, his tastes tended towards being an outsider as well. He was captivated by
skiffle Skiffle is a genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, country, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a form in the United State ...
and American rock'n'roll. Acquiring an old
ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...
and a copy of ''The
George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...
Method'', he played his first chord. He later recalled, "I was thunderstruck – it was like magic!" Soon, he mastered skiffle classics such as "Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O", and by his second year at school, he formed a skiffle band. By the age of 15, McTell was very anxious to leave grammar school and the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
looked like a way out, so in 1959 he enlisted in the Junior Leaders Battalion of The Queen's Surrey Regiment. Army life proved far worse than school. After six months, he bought himself out and resumed his education at
technical college An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...
, passing several
O level The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
exams and an
A level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational au ...
exam in art. In 1963, McTell was working on a building site, and it is of this time that he wrote, in the mid-1970s, "
From Clare to Here "From Clare to Here" is a ballad about Irish emigration written by Ralph McTell. It has also been recorded by The Furey Brothers & Davey Arthur on the 1977 album ''Emigrant''; by Nanci Griffith and Pete Cummins on the 1993 album '' Other Voices, O ...
". "There was an Irish gang on the site, and the ''
craic ''Craic'' ( ) or ''crack'' is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland. It is often used with the definite article – ''the'' craic – as in the expression "What's the craic ...
'', as they call it, relieved the stress of the hard work. I was working with an Irishman called Michael, as so many of them are. And I said to him, 'It must be very strange to be here in London after the place you come from.' And he responded by saying, 'Yes, it's a long way from Clare to here.'"


Discovering African American music

At college, McTell became interested in the beatnik culture that flourished in the 1950s and early 1960s. Besides reading the works of writers such as
Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...
and
Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...
, he discovered African American music –
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and R&B. Inspired by musicians such as
Jesse Fuller Jesse Fuller (March 12, 1896 – January 29, 1976) was an American one-man band musician, best known for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues". Early life Fuller was born in Jonesboro, Georgia, near Atlanta. He was sent by his mother to live with ...
,
Ramblin' Jack Elliott Ramblin' Jack Elliott (born Elliot Charles Adnopoz; August 1, 1931) is an American folk singer and songwriter. Life and career Elliott was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, United States, the son of Florence (Rieger) and Abraham Adnopoz, a ...
,
Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generati ...
and
Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago ...
, he bought a guitar and practiced assiduously. He and a group of like-minded friends became habitués of London's
Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develop ...
jazz clubs and regularly went down to
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
to "...sit on the beach looking windswept and interesting," as McTell put it. Soon he was spending much of his time away from Croydon, supporting himself with temporary work in factories, laundries and hotels. During his travels, McTell met musicians who were destined to remain lifelong friends, among them
Jacqui McShee Jacqueline 'Jacqui' McShee (born 25 December 1943) is an English singer. Since 1966 she has performed with Pentangle, a jazz-influenced folk rock band. Biography McShee was born in Catford, South London. Her musical career began as a soloist in ...
(later to gain fame in the band Pentangle), Martin Carthy and
Wizz Jones Raymond Ronald Jones (born 25 April 1939), better-known as Wizz Jones, is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England and has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 19 ...
. He was persuaded to join a bluegrass-influenced band called the Hickory Nuts, who performed all over England and, despite playing in some dire places for pin money early on, ended up with decent fees and respectable crowds in venues such as Croydon's
Fairfield Halls Fairfield Halls is an arts, entertainment and conference centre in Croydon, London, England, which opened in 1962 and contains a theatre and gallery, and a large concert hall regularly used for BBC television, radio and orchestral recordings. Fa ...
.


Busking

By now, McTell had begun travelling abroad,
busking Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...
around Europe with his guitar. He spent time in France and visited Belgium and Germany. Other trips took him to Italy and through
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
("I felt a madness there, even then") to Greece. Paris was a city that McTell revisited frequently. Late in 1965 he and a friend from Croydon took a room in a cheap hotel on the
Left Bank In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography, as follows. In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terra ...
, earning their rent by busking cinema queues. After braving a bitterly cold Paris winter, McTell met a young American, Gary Petersen, who had studied with the legendary guitarist
Reverend Gary Davis Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis (born Gary D. Davis, April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Born in Laurens, South Carolina and blind since infancy ...
. "There was a great anticipation every time I got to play with (Petersen)", McTell recalled. "Each time I learned something new, and through him I learned how to play
ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
properly." In 1966, McTell met another émigré to Paris, a student from Norway named Nanna Stein. The pair soon became inseparable. Back in England, they lived in a caravan in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
. McTell and Wizz Jones were regular performers on the Cornish circuit, especially at The Folk Cottage in
Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...
. It was Jones who suggested the stage name "McTell", "after
Blind Willie McTell Blind Willie McTell (born William Samuel McTier; May 5, 1898 – August 19, 1959) was a Piedmont blues and ragtime singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont b ...
, whose '
Statesboro Blues "Statesboro Blues" is a Piedmont blues song written by Blind Willie McTell, who recorded it in 1928. The title refers to the town of Statesboro, Georgia. In 1968, Taj Mahal recorded a popular blues rock adaptation of the song with a prominent sli ...
' we both loved". Cornwall captured McTell's heart – a place whose "unique spirit got to me" – and the county has always remained a place for him to retreat to. By the end of 1966, he and Stein were expecting their first child. They married on 30 November in Norway and returned to live in Croydon with Winifred. Their son, Sam, was born on 21 January 1967. After an unrewarding spell at
teacher training college A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
, McTell decided he had to try to make it full-time in music. As well as his vocal and instrumental talents, he was developing as a songwriter and was in demand in folk clubs and festivals.


Record deal

During 1967, McTell landed a deal with
Transatlantic Records Transatlantic Records was a British independent record label. The company was established in 1961, primarily as an importer of American folk, blues and jazz records by many of the artists who influenced the burgeoning British folk and blues boom ...
and by the end of the year was recording his first album. Arranged by
Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ...
and produced by
Gus Dudgeon Angus Boyd "Gus" Dudgeon (30 September 1942 – 21 July 2002) was an English record producer, who oversaw many of Elton John's most acclaimed recordings, including his commercial breakthrough, "Your Song". Their collaboration led to seven US No ...
, the album, '' Eight Frames a Second'', was released early in 1968. It came to the attention of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
and was featured on radio programmes including ''Country Meets Folk'' in August and
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
's ''
Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
''. The release of the album meant more live work so McTell's brother Bruce became his manager and booking agent. His second album ''
Spiral Staircase Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...
'', recorded for Transatlantic in late 1968, included the first recording of " Streets of London", which was recorded in one take by McTell on guitar and vocals. The third album, '' My Side of Your Window'', released in 1969, became
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
magazine's Folk Album of the Month.Hockenhull, p. 52. In July, McTell had appeared at
Cambridge Folk Festival The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix o ...
for the first time and at the end of the year headlined at
Hornsey Town Hall Hornsey Town Hall is a public building in Hatherley Gardens in the Crouch End area of Hornsey, London. The building was used by the Municipal Borough of Hornsey as its headquarters until 1965. It is a Grade II* listed building. History Early hi ...
.


Into the 1970s

By 1970, "I'd got a family," McTell recalled in an interview, "and found I had a musical career, somehow." He was getting extensive radio play, and the audiences at his concerts were growing. By May, he was sufficiently successful to fill the Royal Festival Hall in London. In August, McTell played the huge
Isle of Wight Festival The Isle of Wight Festival is a British music festival which takes place annually in Newport on the Isle of Wight, England. It was originally a counterculture event held from 1968 to 1970. The 1970 event was by far the largest of these early ...
alongside
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
,
Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
, and
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
. Bruce May had bowed out and McTell was now being managed by impresario Jo Lustig. In October 1970, McTell sold out the Royal Festival Hall again and the album '' Revisited'' was released. This remixed compilation was originally intended to introduce McTell to American record-buyers but was released in the UK. It has still not been released on cd, even though all the other Transatlantic albums have been remastered. Ralph and Nanna's daughter Leah was born on 9 February 1971. '' You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here'' was released on the Famous label in 1971. Among the highlights of this fourth studio album was "The Ferryman", inspired by the
Herman Hesse Hermann Karl Hesse (; 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962) was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. His best-known works include ''Demian'', '' Steppenwolf'', '' Siddhartha'', and ''The Glass Bead Game'', each of which explores an individual's ...
book '' Siddhartha''. That year also saw McTell's first tour in the United States. Initially, Paramount Records had been McTell's American label but had not been supportive, and he later signed with
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
. While in the US, McTell hung out with the British folk-rock band
Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...
, establishing a lifelong professional relationship as well as personal friendships. Paramount put a new recording of " Streets of London" on the US release of ''You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here'', and, in April 1972, issued it as a single in the Netherlands, where it charted, climbing slowly to No. 9 in May. McTell's fifth album, ''
Not Till Tomorrow ''Not till Tomorrow'' is the 1972 album by British Folk musician Ralph McTell. Produced by Tony Visconti, it was McTell's fifth album to be released (aside from the remixed compilation ''Revisited'') – and first album to chart – in the UK; ...
'', was produced by Tony Visconti, and released on Reprise in 1972. His UK concert tour played to packed houses and he met one of his guitar heroes, the Rev Gary Davis. By the end of the year, he'd parted company with Jo Lustig and his brother Bruce was again managing his career. Although living in
Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...
, southwest London, Ralph and Nanna bought a derelict cottage in Cornwall during 1972.


The Royal Albert Hall

During 1973, McTell undertook two major tours. The spring tour culminated in a sell-out concert at London's Royal Festival Hall on 5 May, whilst the winter tour was completed in front of a full house at London's
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
on 30 January 1974. By the end of the year, McTell was in the studio with Visconti again working on his next album. Released early in 1974, '' Easy'' won critical acclaim. It was promoted by lengthy tours of Britain and Europe with
Danny Thompson Daniel Henry Edward Thompson (born 4 April 1939) is an English multi-instrumentalist best known as a double bassist. He has had a long musical career playing with a large variety of other musicians, particularly Richard Thompson and John Mart ...
and Mike Piggott as backing musicians. Despite the civil unrest and violence in Northern Ireland, the tour included concerts in the province – in fact, McTell continued to play there regularly throughout 'the Troubles'.


The hit and the band

McTell re-recorded " Streets of London" with bassist
Rod Clements Roderick Parry Clements (born 17 November 1947 in North Shields, Northumberland) is a British guitarist, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He formed the folk-rock band Lindisfarne with Alan Hull in 1970, and wrote "Meet Me on the Co ...
and backing vocalists Prelude. Released as a single (recorded on the Reprise label) on 7 December 1974, it rocketed up the charts to No. 2 in the first week of 1975, became a worldwide million-seller, and won McTell the
Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...
. In early 1975, McTell released the album '' Streets...'', which sold strongly and spent twelve weeks in the album charts. Backing musicians on the album included
Lindisfarne Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England, which constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th century AD; it was an important ...
's Rod Clements, Fairport Convention's
Dave Pegg Dave Pegg (born 2 November 1947) is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, primarily a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of folk ...
and
Jerry Donahue Jerry Donahue (born September 24, 1946, Manhattan, New York City) is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of ...
, and
Maddy Prior Madelaine Edith Prior MBE (born 14 August 1947) is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span. She was born in Blackpool and moved to St Albans in her teens. Her father, Allan Prior, was co-creator of the police dr ...
from
Steeleye Span Steeleye Span are a British folk rock band formed in 1969 in England by Fairport Convention bass player Ashley Hutchings and established London folk club duo Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. The band were part of the 1970s British folk revival, and we ...
, who inspired McTell to write the song "Maddy Dances". He decided to tour with a band to promote the album, but the experiment was not a success. That tour, he recalls, "became a nightmare." It was time for a break. McTell went to America with his family where he spent time relaxing and writing. Refreshed, he returned to the UK. During 1976, McTell topped the bill at
Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...
Hockenhull, p. 89. and played another sold-out concert at The Royal Albert Hall. This was followed by his first tour of Australia and the far east. At McTell's insistence, local buskers were given free tickets for the flagship concert at
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
. Ralph and Nanna's son Tom was born on 7 September 1976. McTell's eighth album, ''Right Side Up'', was released late in 1976 and the year ended with a packed-out Christmas concert in
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
where he got standing ovations both before and after the show. The concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House had both been recorded and in 1977, Warner Bros. Records released the live album ''Ralph, Albert and Sydney''. During the year, McTell met John 'Jonah' Jones, a popular figure on London's music scene. It was the start of a close friendship that lasted until John's death in 2003. After tours in the US and Britain, McTell again appeared at
Cambridge Folk Festival The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix o ...
.


Quieter times

Ralph and Nanna's son Billy was born on 19 April 1978. Professionally, it was a quieter year and Ralph spent time with his family in their homes in London and Cornwall. In March 1979, McTell played The Royal Festival Hall accompanied by Dave Pegg and
Dave Mattacks David James Mattacks (born 13 March 1948) is an English rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician and as a performing artist. Apart from playing the drums, he i ...
of Fairport Convention, and Nigel Smith and Mike Piggott. McTell had written a number of new songs and went into the studio with backing musicians including Richard Thompson, Dave Pegg and
Simon Nicol Simon John Breckenridge Nicol (born 13 October 1950) is an English guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founding member of British folk rock group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the ...
. The resulting album, ''Slide Away The Screen'' was released by Warner Bros. Records. The recording contract with Warner Bros. Records expired in 1980 so McTell and Bruce May set up Mays Records as an 'own brand' label. It would be a year or more until they had an album to release but McTell continued to tour. During 1981, McTell, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks and Richard Thompson formed an impromptu band called The GP's. They performed half-a-dozen concerts but contractual restrictions meant the band could not be developed further. The first release on Mays Records was the 1981 single "England", a song later adopted as the theme for a television travelogue presented by comedian
Billy Connolly Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, retired comedian, artist, writer, musician, and presenter. He is sometimes known, especially in his homeland, by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his ...
, a long-standing friend of McTell. Mays Records' first album release was ''Water of Dreams'', which featured "Bentley & Craig", the song that led to McTell's support of the campaign to grant Derek Bentley a posthumous pardon.


Television

In 1982, McTell's career took an unexpected change of direction.
Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
commissioned ''
Alphabet Zoo ''Alphabet Zoo'' is a series of ten-minute programmes for young children, produced by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV for two series in 1983 and 1984. It was presented by singer Ralph McTell and actress Nerys Hughes. Each episode i ...
'', a series of children's programmes built around songs written and performed by McTell. Although initially reluctant to accept the offer, the fact that one of his heroes,
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
, had composed dozens of songs for children, convinced him it was worthwhile. The first series, broadcast in 1983, was a success. A second series followed and Mays Records released two albums of the material – ''Songs From Alphabet Zoo'' and ''Best of Alphabet Zoo''. During 1983, McTell presented his own music series on
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
. His guests included Billy Connolly,
Georgie Fame Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the on ...
, Simon Nicol with
Dave Swarbrick David Cyril Eric Swarbrick (5 April 1941 – 3 June 2016) was an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. His style has been copied or developed by almost every British and many world folk violin players who have followed him. He was ...
, and
Mike Harding Mike Harding (born 23 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter, comedian, author, poet, broadcaster and multi-instrumentalist. Harding has also been a photographer, traveller, filmmaker and playwright. Early life and education Harding's ...
. In 1984, McTell fronted another children's TV programme, called ''
Tickle on the Tum ''Tickle on the Tum'' is a series of ten-minute programmes for young children produced by Granada Television and aired on the ITV network from 1984 until 1988. The series was set in the General Store and Post Office in the fictional village ...
'', again built around his songs. McTell featured in three series alongside guests including John Wells,
Willie Rushton William George Rushton (18 August 1937 – 11 December 1996) was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the satirical magazine ''Private Eye''. Early life Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in 3 Wilbraham Plac ...
,
Kenny Lynch Kenneth Lynch, OBE (18 March 1938 – 18 December 2019) was an English singer, songwriter, entertainer, and actor. He appeared in many variety shows in the 1960s. At the time, he was among the few black singers in British pop music. He was app ...
,
Penelope Keith Dame Penelope Anne Constance Keith, (née Hatfield; born 2 April 1940) is an English actress and presenter, active in film, radio, stage and television and primarily known for her roles in the British sitcoms '' The Good Life'' and ''To the Man ...
and
Nerys Hughes Nerys Hughes (born 8 November 1941) is a Welsh actress and narrator, known primarily for her television roles, including her part in the BBC TV series ''The Liver Birds''. Biography She was born in Rhyl, Flintshire. Her parents were Myfi and ...
. Mays Records released ''The Best of – Tickle on the Tum'' in 1986. The first series was released on DVD by Revelation Films in 2010. McTell was still playing concerts between his television commitments and he toured during 1984 at home and in Canada and the United States. After composing the music for a
Skol Skol Lager was developed originally by Ind Coope breweries in Alloa, Central Scotland. In 1958, Graham's Continental was launched (based upon a local brew called Graham's Golden) and quickly changed to Graham's Skol to give a Scandinavian impre ...
lager advertising campaign, he decided to concentrate on his musical career and turned down further television work.


Commercialism

Bruce May negotiated a deal with
Telstar Records Telstar Records was a British record label that operated from 1982 to 2004. Background Telstar was founded in 1982 by Sean O'Brien and Neil Palmer with a government loan of £120,00Telstar RecordsIt was launched as a specialist compilation mar ...
, a company that pushed its products heavily with major advertising and hyping campaigns. McTell was persuaded to record an album that mixed his own material and 'classic songs' such as "Penny Lane", "Morning Has Broken" and "Scarborough Fair". The result, ''At the End of a Perfect Day'', released late in 1985, was one of McTell's least satisfactory recordings. It was "a totally commercial venture and a miserable failure," he said later; "...while I was reluctant to do it, the possibility of getting the kind of back-up that Telstar were offering was too good to miss." The next year McTell was back on form with ''
Bridge of Sighs The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: ''Ponte dei Sospiri'', vec, Ponte de i Sospiri) is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Priso ...
''. Released on Mays Records in 1986, the album gathered together a lot of hitherto unfinished songs. It included "The Girl from the Hiring Fair" (originally written for Fairport Convention, and in whose core repertoire it remains to this day), and "The Setting", influenced by
Seán Ó Faoláin Seán Proinsias Ó Faoláin (27 February 1900 – 20 April 1991) was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Irish culture. A short-story writer of international repute, he was also a leading commentator and critic. Biography Ó ...
.


Homage

As well as tours in his own right, McTell secured a prestigious support slot in 1987 opening the shows on
The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
' UK tour. After tours in Europe, the US and Australia, McTell was back in the studio in February 1988 to record the album ''Blue Skies Black Heroes''. Released on his own Leola Music label, the album was a homage to the blues and ragtime musicians who had so influenced his playing. "Nearly all my guitar heroes are black, American, usually blind and most of 'em dead," McTell said. All the tracks on ''Blue Skies Black Heroes'' were recorded as live takes, four with Danny Thompson on bass. The follow-up tour that summer saw McTell on the road with a veritable arsenal of guitars. 1988 also saw the release of a compilation album, ''The Very Best of Ralph McTell''. Issued by Start, it was McTell's first album to appear on CD. McTell was a regular visitor to, and occasional performer at,
Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...
's annual music festival in the village of
Cropredy Cropredy ( ) is a village and civil parish on the River Cherwell, north of Banbury in Oxfordshire. History The village has Anglo-Saxon origins and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The toponym comes from the Old English words ''cropp'' ...
, near Banbury. The location inspired him to pen the ballad "Red and Gold" about the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
, which has become another staple of Fairport's repertoire. At the end of 1988, Bruce May ceased to be McTell's manager, the post being taken by Mick McDonagh.


Castle compilations

In 1989, McTell signed a deal with the label Castle Communications to produce a compilation of his love songs. For contractual reasons, some songs had to be re-recorded in
Dave Pegg Dave Pegg (born 2 November 1947) is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, primarily a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of folk ...
's
Woodworm A woodworm is the wood-eating larva of many species of beetle. It is also a generic description given to the infestation of a wooden item (normally part of a dwelling or the furniture in it) by these larvae. Types of woodworm Woodboring beetle ...
Studio in
Barford St. Michael Barford St Michael is a village on the south bank of the River Swere in Oxfordshire, England, about south of Banbury. History The village is part of the civil parish of Barford St. John and St. Michael. Barford St Michael has sometimes bee ...
. The resulting album, ''A Collection of His Love Songs'', was subtitled 'Affairs of the Heart'. To support the album's release, McTell undertook an extensive tour in the autumn and early winter. The tour was well-supported with PR material and was managed on the road by John 'Jonah' Jones. The next year, 1990, Castle released ''Stealin' Back'', another collection of McTell's blues and
jug band A jug band is a band employing a jug player and a mix of conventional and homemade instruments. These homemade instruments are ordinary objects adapted to or modified for making sound, like the washtub bass, washboard, spoons, bones, stovepi ...
numbers. In 1991, McTell shared the billing with
Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...
on a tour of Germany. He also toured in his own right in the UK. A second Castle compilation was released in 1992 to celebrate McTell's 25 years of recording. ''Silver Celebration'' featured a selection of tracks including "The Ferryman", "From Clare to Here" and "Streets of London". A very extensive Silver Celebration tour occupied much of the year, again managed by 'Jonah' Jones. Castle had by now obtained the rights to the Transatlantic catalogue, and released a "Best of" CD with 24 tracks from McTell's earliest albums. Castle subsequently licensed the early McTell back-catalogue to other labels, resulting in the release of several CD compilations under such titles as ''The Best of Ralph McTell'' or ''Streets of London''.


''The Boy with a Note''

McTell completed a major project when in 1992, the BBC commissioned and broadcast ''The Boy with a Note'' – 'an evocation of the life of
Dylan Thomas Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Under ...
in words and music'. It was re-recorded and released on McTell's Leola label as an album. McTell is very proud of this ambitious piece. "Two or three years went into that," he said. "It's grown-up work." During 1993, McTell toured Australia and the Far East, and back home he undertook The Black And White Tour. Road Goes on Forever Records released ''The Complete Alphabet Zoo'', presenting the songs from the two television series in alphabetical order. McTell and Mick McDonagh parted company. In 1994 McTell took part in a concert at the Royal Albert Hall to commemorate the life of Ken Woolard. Ken was the founder of
Cambridge Folk Festival The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix o ...
and McTell assembled a band, Good Men in the Jungle, to play at that summer's festival. He also celebrated his fiftieth year by giving up smoking. ''Slide Away The Screen'' was released as a CD by Road Goes on Forever Records with three previously unreleased songs added. '' Sand in Your Shoes'' was recorded at Woodworm, by now relocated in Barford St Michael near Banbury. The album came out on the Transatlantic label during 1995. McTell performed his song "Bentley & Craig" at a special service for
Derek Bentley Derek William Bentley (30 June 1933 – 28 January 1953) was a British man who was hanged for the murder of a policeman during a burglary attempt. Christopher Craig, then aged 16, a friend and accomplice of Bentley, was accused of the murde ...
held in Croydon cemetery with the Bentley family.Hockenhull, p. 148. Bentley's sister
Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...
died before he was pardoned and, at her request, McTell performed at her funeral a few years later. In 1995 McTell performed songs from ''The Boy with a Note'' at the Year of Literature Festival in
Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
, in
South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
.


Tickety Boo

In 1996, McTell presented BBC radio's coverage of
Sidmouth Sidmouth () is a town on the English Channel in Devon, South West England, southeast of Exeter. With a population of 12,569 in 2011, it is a tourist resort and a gateway to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. A large part of the town has ...
Festival and toured the UK, Europe, and the US. McTell's long-standing sound engineer, Gordon 'Doon' Graham, had captured many of McTell's concert performances on the desk, and an album of live material from 1976 to 1995 was released on Leola as ''Songs for Six Strings Vol II''. Early in 1997, McTell began his association with Tickety Boo, the company which produced Billy Connolly's 'World Tour of...' television series. "In The Dreamtime", the song played over the closing credits to ''Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia,'' later featured on McTell's album '' Red Sky''. In the same year, McTell was the subject of a major feature in ''The Independent'' newspaper. An authorised biography of McTell, entitled ''Streets of London'', was published by Northdown Publishing. McTell's concert at
Croydon Town Hall Croydon Town Hall is a council building in Katharine Street, Croydon which serves as headquarters for Croydon London Borough Council. It is a Grade II listed building. History Croydon's first town hall, which was located on the west side of th ...
was filmed, and released on videocassette as ''Live at the Town Hall'' by Leola in 1998. By now, Leola had taken most of McTell's management arrangements in-house. Two sell-out concerts in London's
Purcell Room The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats. The Purcell Roo ...
were recorded by McTell's tour manager and sound engineer, Donard Duffy, and released on Leola as a two-CD set. Entitled ''Travelling Man'', the double album came out in time for McTell's 1999 spring tour. A two-page feature about McTell appeared in ''The Guardian'' newspaper in May 1999.


New century

McTell had been busy writing during the previous couple of years and the result was ''Red Sky''. Recorded at Woodworm and released in 2000 on the Leola label, the album contained 19 listed tracks plus "Tickety-boo" as an instrumental
hidden track In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...
. McTell's output was not restricted to songs, however. He had been working on an autobiography for some years and the first volume, entitled ''Angel Laughter'', was published by Heartland Publishing in 2000. To promote ''Angel Laughter'', McTell undertook a tour of bookshops and libraries. In 2001, McTell undertook a special tour of the UK. Billed as 'The National Tour', it gave McTell a chance to present concerts featuring his newly acquired National Steel
resonator guitar A resonator guitar or resophonic guitar is an acoustic guitar that produces sound by conducting string vibrations through the bridge to one or more spun metal cones (resonators), instead of to the guitar's sounding board (top). Resonator gui ...
. Two live recordings from the National Tour made their way onto the 2002 Leola album ''National Treasure''. On Sunday 22 February 2002, McTell appeared to a sellout audience at Liverpool's Empire Theatre. The event was marked as a tribute to the late George Harrison who had died the previous November. The date would have been George's 59th birthday. McTell appeared alongside Steve 'Cockney Rebel' Harley, Darren Wharton (Thin Lizzy), Sir Paul McCartney and many others to raise £36,000 for the 3 main cancer charities. Heartland published ''Summer Lightning'', the second volume of McTell's autobiography, in 2002. Another highlight of the year was the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting presented to McTell at the annual BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. By then, McTell had written and recorded well over 200 songs. McTell had been touring extensively at home and abroad for many years so in 2003 he decided to take a break from the road. He split the year between his London and Cornwall homes and spent the time writing, travelling and spending time with his grandchildren. Early in 2004, McTell co-headlined on
Steeleye Span Steeleye Span are a British folk rock band formed in 1969 in England by Fairport Convention bass player Ashley Hutchings and established London folk club duo Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. The band were part of the 1970s British folk revival, and we ...
's tour of Australia and New Zealand as well as touring in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe. McTell appeared at the fortieth
Cambridge Folk Festival The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix o ...
(the performance was broadcast on
BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
television) and also played at the fiftieth
Sidmouth Festival There has been a folk festival in the coastal town of Sidmouth in South West England in the first week of August every year since 1955, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to over 700 diverse events. Sidmouth Folk Festival offers a wide ...
. He made a guest appearance at
Fairport's Cropredy Convention Fairport's Cropredy Convention (formerly Cropredy Festival) is an annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention and held on the edge of the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. The festiv ...
in August.


''The Journey''

McTell celebrated his 60th birthday with a concert at London's Royal Festival Hall in November 2004. The entire show was filmed and released on DVD in 2005 as ''The London Show''. Leola published ''Time's Poems – The Song Lyrics of Ralph McTell'' towards the end of 2005. Dedicated "to
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
, the man who started it all for me", ''Time's Poems'' contains "...all the songs I could find in notebooks, on scraps of paper and old tapes, on records and CDs". In 2006, McTell's 'Walk Into The Morning' tour was a sellout success. For his 'up close' tour in September 2006, McTell performed a set billed as 'Dylan, Guthrie and The Country Blues', featuring his covers of songs by Woody Guthrie,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
and black American blues artists such as
Big Bill Broonzy Big Bill Broonzy (born Lee Conley Bradley; June 26, 1903 – August 14, 1958) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s, when he played country music to mostly African American audiences. In the 1930s ...
. He also recorded an album of the material, titled ''Gates of Eden''. McTell described the music on this CD as "…the beginning of my own journey… these songs are almost sacred to me". A boxed set of four CDs (accompanied by an extended essay on McTell's songs by Paul Jenkins) was released in October 2006. Compiled by David Suff from recordings made between 1965 and 2006, ''The Journey'' was promoted with several radio interviews and a major tour that included two 'gala' concerts at London's Union Chapel. The box set's packaging was designed by John Haxby, who also took the cover photograph. A solo tour of Australia early in 2007 was followed by 'The Journey Continues' tour in the UK. In August 2007,
Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and is as of 2013 a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management solely for reissues. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest m ...
recognised the 40th anniversary of McTell's first recording contract by re-releasing his three Transatlantic albums as CDs with
bonus tracks An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
.


''As Far As I Can Tell''

In October 2007, McTell released an 'audio book' titled ''As Far As I Can Tell''. The three CDs included readings from the autobiography interspersed with new recordings of the songs they inspired. The ''As Far As I Can Tell'' treble CD was promoted by a tour that included a concert at St Mary's church in
Banbury Banbury is a historic market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, South East England. It had a population of 54,335 at the 2021 Census. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area of north Oxfordshire ...
, a location that featured in the first volume of autobiography. A compilation CD comprising McTell's own selection of songs, including the 'hit' version of " Streets of London", was released in December 2007 on the Highpoint label as ''The Definitive Collection''. During 2008, McTell combined the two volumes of his autobiography into a single volume under the title ''As Far As I Can Tell'' for publication to coincide with his autumn tour. The new edition featured additional chapters illustrated by photos from the May family album. On 9 October 2008, McTell appeared on BBC1 TV's nationally broadcast magazine programme ''
The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan K ...
'' in a pre-recorded package about the song " Streets of London". The interview was filmed in Paris and conducted by
Myleene Klass Myleene Angela Klass (born 6 April 1978) is a British musician, singer, presenter, model and businesswoman. She was a member of the pop group Hear'Say, and later released two solo classical crossover albums in 2003 and 2007. More recently, Klass ...
. The appearance on ''The One Show'' was the springboard for two 'official' McTell internet videos. Made by Leola Music Ltd and published on YouTube, the videos featured McTell talking about his work and about " Streets of London", with concert footage shot at the
Institute of Contemporary Arts The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. Located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch, the ICA c ...
. The
Institute of Contemporary Arts The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an artistic and cultural centre on The Mall in London, just off Trafalgar Square. Located within Nash House, part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch, the ICA c ...
concert footage was released during 2008 as a full-length DVD titled ''McTell on The Mall''. McTell embarked on his most extensive UK tour for many years in October 2008, visiting thirty venues throughout England. The concert at
Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham Town Hall is a concert hall and venue for popular assemblies opened in 1834 and situated in Victoria Square, Birmingham, England. It is a Grade I listed building. The hall underwent a major renovation between 2002 and 2007. It no ...
was unusual because McTell, who rarely appears with a supporting act, shared the bill with The Dylan Project.


Story songs

McTell released his first
downloadable In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote s ...
album in July 2009, titled ''Streets of London and Other Story Songs'', comprising twelve tracks from his back-catalogue. McTell's summer 2009 festival appearances included a solo set at
Fairport's Cropredy Convention Fairport's Cropredy Convention (formerly Cropredy Festival) is an annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention and held on the edge of the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. The festiv ...
on Saturday 15 August. He also joined
Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...
onstage during their set later the same evening. In October 2009, McTell was honoured by the
UK Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremac ...
’s All Party Folk Music Group at a special award ceremony in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
, to celebrate his lifetime's contribution to folk music. This was only the second time such an award had been made, the previous recipient having been
Tom Paxton Thomas Richard Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is an American folk singer-songwriter who has had a music career spanning more than fifty years. In 2009, Paxton received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
. In early 2010, McTell's Leola Music record label released ''Affairs of the Heart'', a four-CD box set of love songs in a presentation package. In keeping with its theme, the album was released on
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
, 14 February. There were no previously-unrecorded songs among the fifty-six tracks on the set. Two tracks were specially re-recorded but the remaining fifty-four were digital remixes of previous recordings. Comedian Rory McGrath contributed extensive sleeve notes in the set's accompanying booklet. The sleeve design and set packaging concept were by designer Peter Thaine. During 2010, McTell recorded an album of new songs, his first for ten years, and released in October as ''Somewhere Down the Road''. He kept an online diary of the album’s progress which described assembling the material, the recording sessions and preparing for release. McTell’s UK autumn tour was branded with the same title. On 21 November 2010, McTell released a seasonal song, "The Things You Wish Yourself", as a download-only single.


Tribute

McTell was invited to record his own interpretation of a Bob Dylan song for the BBC Radio 2 celebration of Dylan's 70th birthday in May 2011. ''Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright'' was also the title of McTell's own six-song tribute to Dylan, which was released as a downloadable EP. McTell embarked on a 36-date UK autumn tour in September 2011, culminating in a concert at London's
Cadogan Hall Cadogan Hall is a 950-seat capacity concert hall in Sloane Terrace in Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. The resident music ensemble at Cadogan Hall is the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), the first ...
on 11 December. On the first night of the tour, McTell launched his new ''Songs For Six Strings'' boxed set. In April and May 2012, McTell undertook a short tour of Australia. McTell's 2012 UK tour, branded “An English Heartbeat”, commenced in October, and saw the release of a CD of guitar instrumentals called ''Sofa Noodling''. In an interview published ahead of his 2013 "One More for the Road" tour, McTell said, "It could be the last time I do a big tour... this is the beginning of slowing things down." The spring of 2014 saw McTell touring the Celtic nations of the British Isles, and the release of a CD compilation of Celt-themed songs, ''Celtic Cousins''. A high point of the tour was a performance of McTell's tribute to Dylan Thomas, ''The Boy With a Note'', in Thomas's adopted home town of Laugharne in South Wales. Later in the year, McTell marked the centenary of the start of the first world war with a four-song EP, ''The Unknown Soldier''. McTell celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 7 December 2014. A DVD of the concert was released in 2015.


''About Time''

2015 saw little sign of "slowing things down", as McTell played more than 30 solo shows over the year. Towards the end of the year, McTell started a recording project with one of his earliest performing partners, Wizz Jones. The resulting CD was released in June 2016 with the appropriate title ''About Time''. McTell's fifty years as a recording artist was marked by
Martin Guitars C.F. Martin & Company (often referred to as Martin) is an American guitar manufacturer established in 1833, by Christian Frederick Martin. It is highly respected for its acoustic guitars and is a leading manufacturer of flat top guitars. Th ...
with a 'signature' Ralph McTell guitar, built to McTell's specification and marketed as the Martin RM50. McTell played a special show at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2016. Billed as a 'Loyal Command Performance', the setlist was voted for by McTell's fans, and McTell performed the 20 songs that received the most votes. Summer highlights included McTell's first appearance at the
Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
and a return to
Fairport's Cropredy Convention Fairport's Cropredy Convention (formerly Cropredy Festival) is an annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention and held on the edge of the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. The festiv ...
. In the autumn McTell undertook an extensive tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The sixth and final CD of McTell's ''Songs for Six Strings'' boxed set was released during the tour. During 2017, McTell and Jones toured their ''About Time'' album, which was so well received that they recorded and issued a follow-up album, ''About Time Too''. Ahead of his solo autumn tour, McTell invited applicants to submit recordings of original music, from which McTell would select performers to open for him in an ‘open mic’ format at the shows. McTell then chose one act to open his London Palladium concert in October.Ralph McTell official website
“Live at the London Palladium…. YOU!!!”
Retrieved 1 January 2018.
Since 2014, McTell had played an annual benefit concert for the UK homeless charity, Crisis at Christmas, and in 2017 McTell invited The Crisis Choir to sing ''Streets of London'' with him at his Palladium concert. McTell also recorded his song with The Crisis Choir and guest vocalist
Annie Lennox Ann Lennox (born 25 December 1954) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the New wave music, new wave band the Tourists, she and fellow musician D ...
, for release in the lead up to Christmas. The song charted at No.94 in the Official Singles Chart (for downloads, CDs and streams), and at No. 1 in the Official Physical Singles Chart (for CD sales). In September 2018, McTell made his debut on BBC's music show '' Later... with Jools Holland'', on which he performed two songs, including the Bob Dylan-inspired "West 4th Street and Jones". In a short interview segment with Holland, McTell announced a new tour and album for 2019. The album, Hill of Beans, comprising 11 tracks including "West 4th Street and Jones", was released in September


Discography


Main albums released in UK

* '' Eight Frames a Second'' Transatlantic 1968 (LP) * ''
Spiral Staircase Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...
'' Transatlantic 1969 (LP) * '' My Side of Your Window'' Transatlantic 1969 (LP) * '' Revisited'' Transatlantic 1970 (LP) (Remixed compilation) * '' You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here'' Famous 1971 (LP) * ''
Not Till Tomorrow ''Not till Tomorrow'' is the 1972 album by British Folk musician Ralph McTell. Produced by Tony Visconti, it was McTell's fifth album to be released (aside from the remixed compilation ''Revisited'') – and first album to chart – in the UK; ...
'' Reprise 1972 (LP) * '' Easy'' Reprise 1974 (LP) * '' Streets...'' Warner Bros. 1975 (LP) * '' Right Side Up'' Warner Bros. 1976 (LP) * ''Ralph, Albert & Sydney'' Warner Bros. 1977 (LP) (Live album) * ''Slide Away the Screen'' Warner Bros. 1979 (LP) * ''Water of Dreams'' Mays 1982 (LP) * ''Songs from Alphabet Zoo'' Mays 1983 (LP) * ''Best of Alphabet Zoo'' Mays 1983 (LP) * ''At the End of a Perfect Day'' Telstar 1985 (LP) * ''The Best of – Tickle on the Tum'' Mays 1986 (LP) * ''
Bridge of Sighs The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: ''Ponte dei Sospiri'', vec, Ponte de i Sospiri) is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Priso ...
'' Mays 1986 (LP) * ''The Very Best of Ralph McTell'' Start 1988 (LP) (CD) (
Compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products *Compilation thesis M ...
) * ''Blue Skies Black Heroes'' Leola 1988 (LP) (CD) * ''A Collection of His Love Songs'' Castle 1989 (Double LP) (CD) (Compilation) * ''Stealin' Back'' Castle 1990 (CD) * ''Silver Celebration'' Castle 1992 (CD) (Compilation) * ''The Boy with a Note'' Leola 1992 (CD) * '' Sand in Your Shoes'' Transatlantic 1995 (CD) * ''Songs for Six Strings Vol II'' Leola 1996 (CD) (Live) * ''Live at the Town Hall'' Leola 1998 (VHS) (Live) * ''Travelling Man'' Leola 1999 (Double CD) (Live) * '' Red Sky'' Leola 2000 (CD) * ''National Treasure'' Leola 2002 (CD) * ''The London Show'' Leola 2005 (DVD) (Live) * '' Gates of Eden'' Leola 2006 (CD) * ''The Journey – Recordings 1965–2006'' Leola 2006 (4-CD
Box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
) * ''As Far as I Can Tell'' Leola 2007 (Treble CD) (Audiobook) * ''The Definitive Collection'' Highpoint 2007 (CD) (Compilation) * ''McTell on The Mall'' Leola 2008 (DVD) (Live) * ''Streets of London and Other Story Songs'' Leola 2009 (
Download In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote s ...
) (Compilation) * ''Affairs of the Heart'' Leola 2010 (4-CD Box set) (Compilation) * ''Somewhere Down the Road'' Leola 2010 (CD) * ''Don't Think Twice It's Alright'' Leola 2011 (Download) * ''Songs for Six Strings (1st - E)'' Leola 2011 (CD) (Live) * ''Songs for Six Strings (2nd - B)'' Leola 2012 (CD) (Live) * ''Sofa Noodling'' Leola 2012 (CD) (
Instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...
) * ''Songs for Six Strings (3rd - G)'' Leola 2013 (CD) (Live) * ''Celtic Cousins'' Leola 2014 (CD) (Compilation) * ''Songs for Six Strings (4th - D)'' Leola 2014 (CD) (Live) * ''The Unknown Soldier'' Leola 2014 (CD) ( EP) * ''Live at Troubador Festival 1997'' Troubador Records 2014 * ''70th Birthday Concert'' Leola 2015 (DVD) (Live) * ''Songs for Six Strings (5th - A)'' Leola 2015 (CD) (Live) * ''About Time'' Leola 2016 (CD) (Ralph McTell and Wizz Jones) * ''Songs for Six Strings (6th - E)'' Leola 2016 (CD) (Live) * ''About Time Too'' Leola 2017 (CD) (Ralph McTell and Wizz Jones) * ''Hill of Beans'' Leola 2019 (CD)


Significant album reissues

* ''Love Grows'' Mays 1982 – LP remix of ''Slide Away the Screen'' with different tracks * ''The Complete Alphabet Zoo'' Road Goes on Forever 1993 – CD with extra tracks * ''Slide Away the Screen and Other Stories'' Road Goes on Forever 1994 – CD with extra tracks * '' Streets...'' Leola 1995 – CD with extra tracks * ''Ralph, Albert & Sydney (Songs for Six Strings Vol 1)'' Leola 1997 – CD with extra tracks * '' Easy'' Leola 1999 – CD with extra tracks * '' Right Side Up'' Leola 2001 – CD with extra track * ''Water of Dreams'' Leola 2003 – CD with extra tracks * '' Eight Frames a Second'' Transatlantic 2007 – CD with extra tracks * ''
Spiral Staircase Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...
'' Transatlantic 2007 – CD with extra tracks * '' My Side of Your Window'' Transatlantic 2007 – CD with extra tracks


Budget label compilations

* ''Streets Of London'' Transatlantic 1975 (labelled as "Budget Priced" on sleeve) * ''The Ralph McTell Collection Volume 1'' Transatlantic 1976 (labelled as "Special Price" on sleeve) * ''The Ralph McTell Collection Volume 2'' Transatlantic 1976 (labelled as "Special Price" on sleeve) * ''Ralph McTell'' Pickwick 1978 * ''The Ralph McTell Collection'' Pickwick 1978 (Double LP of tracks from Transatlantic releases) * ''Best Of Alphabet Zoo'' Music For Pleasure 1983 * ''A Collection Of His Love Songs'' Castle Communications 1989 (Double LP)


Other albums featuring significant contributions by McTell

* ''Just Guitars'' (various artists), CBS 1984 (LP) (live) * ''Tickle on the Tum: Stories and Songs'' (various artists), St Michael 1984 (
Cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in th ...
) * ''Saturday Rolling Around'' (The GP's), Woodworm 1992 (CD) (live) * ''
Musical Tour of Scotland ''Musical Tour of Scotland'' is a collection of traditional and original songs and tunes which accompanied Billy Connolly's 1994 television series ''World Tour of Scotland''. It was released in 1995. Connolly provides vocals on "The Waltzing F ...
'' (Billy Connolly), Tickety-Boo 1995 (CD) * ''One for Jonah'' (various artists) FooPoo 2004 (CD) (live) * ''Tickle on the Tum: The Complete Series One'' (various artists), Revelation Films 2010 (DVD)


References


External links


Ralph McTell Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:McTell, Ralph 1944 births Living people English folk singers English male singer-songwriters English folk guitarists English male guitarists English buskers People educated at John Ruskin Grammar School Alumni of Croydon College People from Farnborough, London Fingerstyle guitarists British harmonica players English multi-instrumentalists Musicians from Kent Acoustic guitarists Red House Records artists