Dave Swarbrick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Swarbrick
Swarbrick performing in London, 2006
Background information
Birth name	David Cyril Eric Swarbrick
Also known as	Swarb
Born	(1941-04-05)5 April 1941 Stoneleigh, Surrey, England
Died	3 June 2016 (aged 75) Aberystwyth, Wales
Genres	Folk music British folk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter arranger
Instruments	Violin mandolin viola guitar 12-string guitar
Years active	1960s – 2016
Labels	Transatlantic Sonet Logo
Associated acts	Ian Campbell Folk Group Martin Carthy Fairport Convention Whippersnapper Swarb's Lazarus

David Cyril Eric Swarbrick (born 5 April 1941 – died 3 June 2016) was a famous English folk musician. He played the violin and sang. Many British and international folk violin players have copied his unique style.

Dave Swarbrick was one of the most respected musicians of the "second British folk revival." This was a time when traditional folk music became popular again. He played in many important groups and projects in the 1960s. He was also a highly requested musician who played on other artists' recordings. This led him to work with many big names in folk and folk rock music.

He joined the band Fairport Convention in 1969. He helped them create their important album Liege & Lief (1969). This album started the British folk rock movement, which mixes folk music with rock. His work helped people become more interested in traditional British music. After 1970, he became the main leader of Fairport Convention. He guided the band through several important albums until they stopped playing together in 1979.

He also played in smaller, acoustic groups and worked on his own music. He released many recordings and was always well-known. He made a huge contribution to how traditional British music was played and understood.

History

Early Music Days (Before 1969)

Dave Swarbrick was born on 5 April 1941 in Stoneleigh, Surrey. His family later moved to Linton, North Yorkshire. There, he learned to play the violin. In the late 1940s, his family moved to Birmingham. He studied art there, planning to become a printer.

He won a talent show with his skiffle band, where he played guitar. After this, he met Beryl and Roger Marriott, who were important local folk musicians. They encouraged him to go back to playing the violin. He then joined the Beryl Marriott Ceilidh Band, which played traditional dance music.

In 1960, he joined the Ian Campbell Folk Group. This was the start of his recording career. He played on many songs and albums with them. He also helped with the BBC Radio Ballads series. These were recordings with key figures in British folk music like A. L. Lloyd, Ewan MacColl, and Peggy Seeger.

From 1965, he started working with Martin Carthy. He played on Carthy's first album. Their partnership was very successful. Their next album, Second Album (1966), gave them equal credit. They made four more popular albums together, including Byker Hill (1967). These albums had new ways of arranging traditional songs. This made Byker Hill one of the most important folk albums of that time.

Dave Swarbrick also played on albums for other artists. He became known as a top violin player for traditional music. He was also a very popular "session musician." This means he was hired to play on recordings for many different artists. In 1967, he released his first solo album, Rags, Reels and Airs. This album became a guide for many folk violin players who came after him.

Joining Fairport Convention (1969–1979)

In 1969, Dave Swarbrick was first asked to play as a session musician for Fairport Convention. They were a rising folk rock band. He added violin parts to their song "Cajun Woman." Fairport Convention then decided to play a traditional song called "A Sailor's Life." Swarbrick had already recorded this song with Martin Carthy. He was asked to play violin on this track too. The result was a long, exciting song on their 1969 album Unhalfbricking. This song showed a new direction for the band.

Swarbrick as a member of Fairport Convention, appearing on the Dutch television show TopPop in 1972

After this, Swarbrick was asked to join Fairport Convention. He was the first folk fiddler to use an electric violin. He and guitarist Richard Thompson wrote the groundbreaking album Liege & Lief (1969). His energetic and unique violin playing was key to the band's new sound. He arranged a medley of four jigs and reels for the album. These became a famous part of almost every Fairport performance.

After Liege & Lief was released, some key members left the band. But Swarbrick stayed, excited to mix traditional music with rock. His experience and knowledge of folk songs made him the main leader of the band for the next ten years. He encouraged the band to bring in Dave Pegg on bass. However, Swarbrick began to have hearing problems, which continued throughout his career.

The next album with this new lineup was Full House (1970). It sold well and is still highly regarded. It had traditional tunes and songs written by Swarbrick and Richard Thompson. One of these was the long anti-war song "Sloth." Their collaboration ended when Thompson left the band. The song "Sloth" has been covered by other artists. A poet named Ian McMillan said Swarbrick's playing on "Sloth" was very moving.

As former Fairport Convention members started their own careers, Swarbrick often played on their albums. He played on important folk albums by John Renbourn, Al Stewart, and Peter Bellamy. In the late 1970s, he started releasing his own solo albums.

Swarbrick in concert at Convocation Hall, Toronto, 1977

Without Richard Thompson, Swarbrick took on more responsibility for leading, writing, and singing. This led to a folk-rock opera album called "Babbacombe" Lee. Swarbrick wrote most of it. It told the true story of John Babbacombe Lee, a man who survived three attempts to hang him. The album got some attention, but critics felt it lacked variety. When Simon Nicol left in 1971, Swarbrick was the longest-serving member. He worked hard to keep the band going through many changes.

The next album, Rosie, is known for its title track, written by Swarbrick. This song is often linked to him. The following album, Nine (1974), had many songs written by Swarbrick and new member Trevor Lucas. The band's luck improved when Sandy Denny rejoined in 1974. On the album Rising for the Moon, Swarbrick took a less central role in writing and singing.

After Sandy Denny left the band for good, Swarbrick led them through three more studio albums. He turned a solo project into a Fairport album, Gottle O'Geer (1976). They also released The Bonny Bunch of Roses (1977) and Tipplers Tales (1978). These albums didn't sell well at the time. However, they are now seen as having some of Swarbrick's best violin work. All this happened while the band faced money problems. Swarbrick's hearing problems also became very serious, especially with loud performances. In 1979, the band played a farewell concert and broke up.

Back to Folk Music (From 1980)

Dave Swarbrick (right) with Simon Nicol at the 1981 Essex Festival

After 1980, Dave Swarbrick mostly played in smaller venues and acoustic shows. He still reunited with Fairport Convention sometimes, especially at the Cropredy Festival. His first project was a duo with former Fairport guitarist Simon Nicol. They made three albums together. In 1984, Swarbrick moved to Scotland, and their partnership ended. This meant he wasn't available when Fairport Convention got back together to record Gladys' Leap (1985). When the band reformed in 1986, he wasn't a full member, but he often played with them.

Swarbrick on stage in July 1995 (performing solo)

Swarbrick then joined a quartet called Whippersnapper. They released four albums between 1985 and 1989. After this, Swarbrick rejoined Martin Carthy. They made two albums: Life And Limb (1990) and Skin And Bone (1992). Then, Swarbrick moved to Australia.

In Australia, he formed a new partnership with guitarist and singer-songwriter Alistair Hulett. They made one album there. After both returned to the UK, they made two more albums. During this time, Swarbrick also played with other famous folk rock musicians. He continued his solo work and toured with Martin Carthy. He even played with artists outside of folk music, like Vivian Stanshall.

Health and Comeback

For many years, Dave Swarbrick had health problems that affected his breathing. In April 1999, The Daily Telegraph newspaper mistakenly published an obituary for him after he was hospitalized. He famously joked, "It's not the first time I've died in Coventry."

Friends and fellow musicians, Dave and Christine Pegg, started "SwarbAid." This included a concert and a special music release to raise money for Swarbrick while he was too unwell to work. After another health setback, they launched "SwarbAid II" in 2004. In October 2004, Swarbrick had a special operation to help his breathing. After that, he eagerly returned to his music career. He performed solo and toured every autumn with Martin Carthy.

Later Work

In 2006, Swarbrick started touring again with former Fairporter Maartin Allcock and Kevin Dempsey. Their group was called Swarb's Lazarus. This name was a playful reference to the newspaper mistakenly saying he had died. They released the album Live and Kicking (2006). In 2007, Swarbrick joined the 1969 Fairport Convention lineup at the Cropredy Festival. They performed their entire Liege & Lief album.

Swarbrick's solo album Raison d'être was released in July 2010. In 2014, he released a full album with Canadian musician Jason Wilson called Lion Rampant. This album was highly praised and featured special guests like Martin Carthy and Peggy Seeger. Working with the Jason Wilson Band, Swarbrick enjoyed playing with a larger group again. They performed in Canada and the UK. Their final studio album together, Kailyard Tales, was released in 2018.

In 2014, Swarbrick completed a tour of the UK. He personally asked the folk trio Said the Maiden to support him. The tour also featured young, upcoming folk artists at each venue. The autumn of 2015 saw the final UK tour for Swarbrick and Carthy.

Death

Dave Swarbrick passed away on 3 June 2016, in a hospital in Aberystwyth.

Personal Life

Dave Swarbrick was married several times. He had three children: Emily, Alexander, and Isobel. He also had eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His last marriage was to the painter Jill Swarbrick-Banks. They met in 1998 and married the next year. They lived together until his death in 2016.

Awards

Dave Swarbrick received many awards for his contributions to music:

• In 2003, he was given a 'Gold Badge' by the English Folk Dance and Song Society. He also received the 'Gold Badge of Merit' by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.
• In 2004, he earned a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
• At the 2006 Folk Awards, he and other Fairport Convention members received an award. Their album Liege & Lief was voted 'Most Influential Folk Album of All Time' by Radio 2 listeners.
• In 2007, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick won the 'Best Duo' Award.
• At the 2012 Fatea Awards, Swarbrick was given The Life Time Achievement Award.

Discography

Dave Swarbrick played on over 167 albums! This includes his early work with the Ian Campbell Folk Group, and with Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, and Peggy Seeger. It also includes his many guest appearances on other artists' recordings.

With Fairport Convention

With Martin Carthy

Solo Albums

Images for kids

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  Dave Swarbrick (right) with Simon Nicol at the 1981 Essex Festival

• 

  Swarbrick on stage in July 1995 (performing solo)

See also

In Spanish: Dave Swarbrick para niños