Introducing Steve Tilston
Born in Liverpool and brought up in Leicestershire, and now based in Yorkshire, Steve Tilston is one of the most respected singer-songwriters and guitarists English folk has produced. A graphic designer before taking up music in 1971, he lived in Bristol, where he recorded his first album, An Acoustic Confusion — and more than fifty years on he is still writing, recording and touring. Along the way he ran a folk club with Bert Jansch in London, played in John Renbourn’s Ship of Fools, and toured with Ballet Rambert as guitarist and mandolin player in the on-stage band.
A Songwriter’s Songwriter
Steve’s songs have travelled far beyond his own records. They have been recorded by Fairport Convention, Dolores Keane, The House Band, Peter Bellamy, Bob Fox and others, and Dolores Keane even named her 1998 album after his song “Night Owl”. In 2012 the title track of The Reckoning won Best Original Song at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, and he has performed on Later… with Jools Holland and BBC Four’s Songwriters’ Circle. There’s a remarkable story behind him too: in 1971 John Lennon wrote the young Steve a letter of encouragement after reading a magazine interview, but it was never delivered — Steve only learned of it decades later, and it went on to inspire the 2015 Al Pacino film Danny Collins.
Dazzling Guitar, Warm Storytelling
Drawing on folk, blues, jazz and classical influences, he has developed a sound that is unmistakably his own, with intricate fingerpicking that rewards close listening. As Bob Harris put it, “The more you listen, the more there is to discover.” On stage he is a natural storyteller, introducing songs with their background and plenty of humour. His most recent album, Last Call, was released on Talking Elephant Records in March 2025 and is expected to be his last; the Guardian praised his voice as warm and spry as ever.
Why You’ll Love Him
If you love beautifully crafted songs, guitar playing of the very highest order and a performer with half a century of stories to tell, an evening with Steve Tilston is something special. With Last Call billed as his final album, this is a precious chance to hear one of English folk’s great songwriters in the intimacy of Ulpha — not to be missed.