Singer and guitarist Martin Carthy has been among the most important figures in English traditional music since the 1960s. He began his musical career as a boy chorister at the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy in London and learned quitar from recordings of Big Bill Broonzy and Elizabeth Cotten, developing a distinctive percussive yet melodic picking style that makes extensive use of open tunings.

He has sung with the Watersons since 1972, was a member of Steeleye Span and the Albion band on and off through the 70s, played as a duo with fiddler Dave Swarbrick in the 80s and 90s, and has performed with his wife, singer Norma Waterson, and their daughter, Eliza Carthy (as Waterson:Carthy) since the late 90s.

In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him an MBE, he was honored at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2002 and 2005, 2007 (with Swarbrick), and 2014.

John Doyle‘s gifts as a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer have played an essential role in the ongoing renaissance of Irish traditional music. While preserving the tasteful simplicity of tradition, Doyle adds a contemporary edge, finding fresh life in even the most well-worn of tunes. His playing encompasses hard-driving strumming, inventive chord voicings, precise single-note runs, and powerful rhythmic effects borrowed from traditional instruments such as the bodhran and fiddle.

As a member of Irish-American supergroup Solas – and a highly sought-after session player – Doyle pioneered a rhythmic, sophisticated approach to Irish guitar accompaniment, setting a new standard for the instrument. When the original members of Solas parted ways, Doyle embarked on a solo career, producing albums for other artists and touring as a sideman as well as recording his own material.