Steeleye Span are a British folk rock band formed in 1969 in England by Fairport Convention bass player Ashley Hutchings and established London folk club duo Tim Hart and Maddy Prior. The band were part of the 1970s British folk revival, and were commercially successful in that period, with four Top 40 albums and two hit singles: "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat".
Steeleye Span, Glastonbury Festival, 2019
Steeleye Span, Spanfest, 2008
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater. They started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set list 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 later leaving during the recording of their third album.
Fairport Convention performing in 2023
Fairport Convention, Kralingen 1970. Left to right: Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks, Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick, Simon Nicol.
Fairport Convention "Nine" line-up, reunited on stage at Cropredy 1982
Simon Nicol and Ric Sanders of Fairport Convention on stage at Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2005