Part of Manchester Folk Festival 2027
Steve Knightley, a highly acclaimed singer-songwriter and founding member of ‘Show
of Hands,’ is a prominent figure in English Folk/Acoustic music. Celebrated for his deep
connection to the West Country, his extensive body of work, uniquely blends historical
narratives with contemporary themes. In 1994 with multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer
he formed ‘Show of Hands,’ praised by Peter Gabriel as one of the ‘Great English Bands.’
As a songwriter, Knightley earned the title of Tom Robinson’s Songwriter of the 90s
and he has won three BBC Folk Awards. His influence extends to the visual arts, serving
as the artistic director of the ‘Shrouds of the Somme’ installation in 2016. He also
collaborated with actors Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton on an Album of Great War
Poetry and music.
Knightley’s commitment to addressing social issues is evident in songs like ‘Country
Life’ and ‘Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed,’ earning recognition at the BBC Radio 2
Folk Awards. His impact extends beyond accolades, with compositions like ‘The
Galway Farmer’ recognised as a ‘traditional’ Irish folk song, and ‘Cousin Jack’ now
taught in Cornish schools. In 2014 he began the
ground breaking ‘Grow your Own Gig’ tour empowering local communities to host concerts without financial risk.
Plymouth University made Steve an Honorary Doctor of Music and he was also made
an Honorary Rifleman by the local 6th Rifles Regiment. Despite pandemic challenges,
his creative output remained robust, generating over 100 hours of content. With more
than 4,000 performances and over fifty appearances at Glastonbury, Knightley leaves
an enduring impact on audiences worldwide.
Described by Tony Hall as ‘A Showman and Craftsman at the peak of his powers,’
praised by Mark Radcliffe for writing ‘some of the best songs in the last twenty years,’
and acknowledged by former head of Sony publishing Fran Malyan as ‘One of my
favourite frontmen,’ Knightley’s essence is best encapsulated by Robin Denselow of The
Guardian as ‘The Gravel- voiced Spokesman of the rural poor.
Manchester Folk Festival marks 10 years with Eliza Carthy & The Restitution, Belinda O’Hooley & Jackie Oates, Spiers & Boden, Leveret, Olivia Chaney, Fionn Regan, Pokey LaFarge, Catrin Finch & Aoife Ní Bhriain and many more performing from Wednesday 10th – Saturday 13th March 2027.
Manchester Folk Festival is a multi-venue festival taking place in the heart of the city, bringing together a diverse range of artists who represent the broad definition of contemporary folk music. Discover the best traditional folk, roots and acoustic music across a variety of the city’s iconic music venues.
Their four-day Festival Legends 2027 wristbands offer full access to every gig, session, ceilidh and event during the festival – you can book those here. Individual tickets for all headline shows are also now available.
“Arguably the UK’s leading urban folk festival, which given its relatively short history is a real endorsement of the event” – BBC Radio
