Fairport Convention are a British folk rock band, formed in 1967 by Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Ashley Hutchings and Shaun Frater, with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig. They started out heavily influenced by American folk rock and singer-songwriter material, with a setlist dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname 'the British Jefferson Airplane'. Vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews joined them before the recording of their self-titled debut in 1968; afterwards, Dyble was replaced by Sandy Denny, with Matthews leaving during the recording of their third album.
Dave Pegg 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 rock groups including the Ian Campbell Folk Group and Jethro Tull.
David Cyril Eric Swarbrick was an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as "the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none" and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British and many world folk violin players who have followed him. He was one of the most highly regarded musicians produced by the second British folk revival, contributing to some of the most important groups and projects of the 1960s, and he became a much sought-after session musician, which led him throughout his career to work with many of the major figures in folk and folk rock music.
Christopher Julien Leslie is a British folk rock musician. He is Buddhist, a vegetarian, and a teetotaler.
Full House is a 1970 album by British folk rock group Fairport Convention, their fifth since their debut, Fairport Convention in 1968. The album was their first without a female vocalist, as Sandy Denny had left to form Fotheringay. Founder member Ashley Hutchings had also left for Steeleye Span, and Dave Pegg had joined on bass.
Unhalfbricking is the third album by the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and their second album released in 1969. It is seen as a transitional album in their history and marked a further musical move away from American influences towards more traditional English folk songs that had begun on their previous album, What We Did on Our Holidays and reached its peak on the follow-up, Liege & Lief, released later the same year.
Smiddyburn is a 1981 folk album recorded by Dave Swarbrick and named after the farm in Aberdeenshire where Swarbrick lived at the time. The tracks are mostly renditions of traditional folk tunes, and Swarbrick is assisted by his erstwhile colleagues from Fairport Convention as well as his early mentor, Beryl Marriott.
Simon John Breckenridge Nicol 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 band. He has also been involved with the Albion Band and a wide range of musical projects, both as a collaborator, producer and as a solo artist. He has received several awards for his work and career.
Glasgerion is Child ballad 67,, existing in several variants.
"Babbacombe" Lee is a 1971 album by British folk rock group Fairport Convention, which tells the life story of John Babbacombe Lee, a Victorian-era alleged murderer who was condemned to death but reprieved after the gallows failed on three occasions to work properly. After the commercial and chart success of its predecessor, Angel Delight, the album sold disappointingly, though was critically acclaimed, and is regarded by the authors of The Electric Muse (1975) as the first "folk rock opera". It is the band's seventh album since their debut in 1968.
The Bonny Bunch of Roses is the twelfth studio album by Fairport Convention.
Live at the L.A. Troubadour along with its reissued counterpart House Full are the only live Fairport Convention albums recorded while Richard Thompson was a full-time band member. It was recorded in 1970 on the Full House tour and was reissued in 1986 and again in 2007, with modifications. Seven of the eight tracks are available on the House Full album with one being found only on this album.
Nine is a 1973 album by the British folk rock group Fairport Convention. It is their the ninth album since their debut in 1968, and the second to include Trevor Lucas and Jerry Donahue. No original members of Fairport Convention were involved in making the album. According to AllMusic, it is the band's most uneven album.
Fairport Live Convention is a 1974 live album by British folk rock band Fairport Convention originally released in 1974 by Island Records. It was recorded live at the Sydney Opera House, the London Rainbow and the Fairfield Halls, Croydon by John Wood and mixed down at Sound Techniques, London. It was produced by Trevor Lucas & John Wood.
The Cropredy Box is an album by Fairport Convention recorded at their annual live concert in Cropredy, Oxfordshire, England to celebrate the band's thirtieth anniversary in 1997. Featuring many songs for which the band had become noted, the set also features performances from many former members including violinist Dave Swarbrick, original vocalist Judy Dyble, and Ralph McTell. Commentary is provided by their first manager, Joe Boyd, and Ashley Hutchings.
Farewell, Farewell is a live Fairport Convention album recorded on the band's farewell tour in 1979. It is the last Fairport album to feature fiddler/mandolinist Dave Swarbrick. Tracks are drawn from three performances of the Farewell Tour during Spring 1979: at Birmingham University, Southampton University and at Derby Assembly Rooms. Most of the songs are performances of already familiar tracks from previous studio albums. In 1997 to mark the 30th anniversary of Fairport Convention, the album was remastered, repackaged and re-released as "Encore Encore". This version included the 1980 studio single "Rubber Band" plus three additional tracks recorded on the 1979 tour: "The Hens March Through the Midden/Four Poster Bed", "Flatback Caper" and "Dirty Linen".
Gottle O'Geer is the eleventh studio album by English folk rock band Fairport Convention. The album was released through Island Records in May 1976.
Expletive Delighted! is the fifteenth studio album by folk rock band Fairport Convention. It is the band's only album consisting solely of instrumental tracks, despite the claim "Lyric sheet enclosed" on the album cover.
XXXV is the twenty-second studio album by Fairport Convention. It is subtitled "The 35th Anniversary Album", and was released in celebration of the band's existence from 1967–2002.
Live at the BBC is a compilation album by English folk-rock band Fairport Convention released in 2007. It includes tracks recorded for the BBC for various radio programmes between 1968 and 1974 and consists of four CDs in a fold-out package with a fifty-page booklet including song lyrics and numerous contemporary photographs.
