Steve Tilston - Biography
One of folks greatest Singer-Songwriter’s; Steve Tilston has been producing top quality albums since the early seventies; His extraordinary song writing ability and rich vocals have earned him many fans in the both the UK and the USA..Including celebrity fan Rod Stewart.
A career spanning over 30 years, Steve has toured as a guitarist with John Renbourn, Ship of Fools, WAZ and even done a stint with the Ballet Rambert. Well known for his outstanding song writing ability, Steve’s is perhaps best known for his songs “The Naked Highwayman”, “The Slip, Jigs and Reels” which has been covered by more than 30 artists, notably by Fairport Convention. and “Here’s to Tom Paine” which has been adopted by the Tom Paine society of America as its theme song..
Steve released his first album “An Acoustic Confusion” in 1971, the album was liked so much by Rod Stewart that he brought a box full to give to friends. The following year Steve recorded and released his 2nd album “Collection” and a tour with folk stalwartlies Fairport Convention followed. In September of the same year Steve was booked to represent the UK (musically of course) in the ill fated Munich Olympics.
Album’s including the sought after “Songs from the Dress Rehearsal” and “In For a Penny In For A Pound” were followed by the highly acclaimed “Life by Misadventure” which was released on River Run Records, the label that Steve had helped to set up. These three albums were interspersed with tours around Europe as well as a tour with the Ballet Rambert around Egypt and Jordan .
By 1987 Steve had formed “Ship of Fools” a band with his wife Maggie Boyle, Tony Roberts and legendary guitarist John Renbourn, they recorded their first album, self-titled “Ship of Fools” and performed a triumphant gig in New York’s Central Park. A successful tour of the US followed.
In 1992 Steve and Maggie released their first album together, “Moor and Mesa”. The album featuring both “Slip, Jigs & Reels” and “The Naked Highwayman” gained both critical and cult acclaim in the USA and was voted Album of the Year on Boston's folk radio station, WUMB.
Solo Album “And So It Goes” came next followed by another tour of the US; on his return Steve completed 1996 album “All Under The Sun” released on Steve’s own Hubris Records, this was the first album that Steve and Maggie teamed up with former Jethro Tull band member Maartin Allcock.
By the end of the 90’s Steve had split with his wife Maggie and released his 13th album Solourubato, the same year he joined WAZ, a trio with Pete Zorn and Maartin Allcock and released Fully Chromatic. 1999 saw the release of “The Greening Wind” a best of album which was followed by another US tour.
Steve spent the beginning of the Noorties Touring the UK and the US, a further UK tour followed in 2001 with Fairport Convention from which live performances were included on the album “Live Hemistry”. Like his 1992 album “Moor and Mesa” Steve’s 16th Album “Such and Such” was voted Album of the Year by Folk station, WUMB Boston. Regarded as one of his most musically varied albums, it featured guest musicians including ex-Fairground Attraction member Roy Dodds, Maartin Allcock, Richard Curran and Anna Ryder. An extensive tour of the UK, America and Australia followed.
“Of Many Hands” Steve’s latest; yet, first ever traditional album see’s him teaming up with some of the UK’s best performers; featuring accordion player Chris Parkinson, Nancy Kerr, Maggie Boyle and fellow Guitar Maestro Martin Simpson the album includes workings of Leaving of Liverpool and The Streams of Lovely Nancy, both of which can be found on Steve’s Guitar Maestros DVD .
A True craftsman, Steve is a superb singer songwriter. With his rich vocals and incredible guitar playing …If anyone ever deserved the moniker Guitar Maestro, it’s him!
Back