The Godfather of folk rock comes to The Apex

Prompted by the 50th anniversary of Fairport Convention, Ashley Hutchings has put together a new and entertaining words-and-music show which covers the beginning and early years of the group and the show is taking place at the Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, later this month.

Ashley, AKA ‘The Guvnor’, was a founding member of three of the most noteworthy English folk-rock bands in the history of the genre: Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band.

A great success at the last Cropredy festival, ‘Ashley Hutchings revisits Fairport Convention’ is perfect for anyone who has an interest in this important legacy of English music and culture.

Hutchings first achieved recognition as a co-founder of Fairport with Simon Nicol and Richard Thompson in 1967, but his work and his musical influences predate the band by several years. As such, Ashley is uniquely positioned to delve back into the heady days of 1967 and tell the story from inside one of its most-loved bands.

Fairport Convention performed a mix of traditional English folk, original songs, and American singer/songwriter material. Widely credited with inventing folk rock, a hybrid of imaginative revivals of traditional material with modern instrumentation and rhythms, Fairport began increasingly penning their own material. 

Radio DJ John Peel was a staunch champion of Fairport’s music; he played the band’s albums on his influential BBC shows and recorded a number of sessions. The group enjoyed their biggest success with the album Liege and Lief – the ‘Most influential Folk Album of all time’ (BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ 2007), after which Ashley left to form Steeleye Span.

Hutchings has overseen numerous projects, including records and live theatre, and has collaborated on film and television projects. He has won numerous Folk Awards and was awarded the MBE in 2015 for services to folk music. 

Ashley Hutchings revisits Fairport Convention with songs and anecdotes at The Apex, on Wednesday, January 31, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15, call the Box Office on 01284 758000, or visit www.theapex.co.uk for more information, or to book.