The 3 Bands That Made The British Folk Revival In The 60s and 70s
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Back in 2019, Grapefruit Records released Strangers in the Room: A Journey Through the British Folk-Rock Scene 1967–1973, a compilation that shines a light on the artists who blended old British folk with new sounds like rock and psychedelia. While bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin were racing toward the future, these folk-rock pioneers were grounding their music in history and tradition—yet still moving it forward in their own unique way.
Let’s take a closer look at three of the key bands that helped British folk evolve during this golden era.
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention started out influenced by American folk legends like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. But over time, they turned to their British roots. On their 1969 album Unhalfbricking, the song “A Sailor’s Life” pulls a centuries-old tune into modern times. And Sandy Denny’s beautiful “Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” remains one of the greatest contributions to British folk music.
Fairport also introduced the world to the songwriting and guitar work of Richard Thompson. He left the band in 1971 and built an acclaimed solo career. His songs have been covered by stars like David Gilmour, Emmylou Harris, and Bonnie Raitt.
Pentangle
Pentangle came together in London in 1967, but “folk-rock” didn’t quite capture their sound. Led by guitar masters Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, the band blended folk, jazz, blues, and pop into something totally fresh.
Renbourn wasn’t a fan of the folk-rock label, and bassist Danny Thompson once called their music “folk-jazz.” With Jacqui McShee on vocals and Terry Cox on drums, Pentangle inspired major names like Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page.
Steeleye Span
Formed by Fairport’s Ashley Hutchings in 1969, Steeleye Span leaned hard into traditional folk songs. Their debut album, Hark! The Village Wait was all acoustic, but by the mid-’70s, they were plugging in and shaking things up.
They had a Top 10 hit in 1975 with the catchy “All Around My Hat” and gave haunting beauty to the old Christmas carol “Gaudete.” Hutchings left the band in 1971 when they started heading toward a pop sound, but by then, Steeleye Span had already made their mark.
