Al Stewart

Al Stewart

Al Stewart is a British singer-songwriter and musician from Glasgow, Scotland, born in 1945. He grows up in Bournemouth, Dorset, and later moves to London to pursue music. He is associated with folk, folk rock, folk pop, contemporary folk, baroque pop, pop rock, soft rock and classic rock, and is credited with helping to shape what is often described as “historical folk rock”, using the past as a main source for his songs.

Early in his career, Stewart plays in a beat group with future BBC DJ Tony Blackburn. He buys his first guitar from future Police guitarist Andy Summers, then switches from electric to acoustic guitar when he is offered a weekly slot at Bunjies Coffee House in Soho in 1965. He also performs at the Les Cousins folk club on Greek Street, appearing alongside Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper and Ralph McTell. At one stage he takes guitar lessons from King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.

His second release, Love Chronicles, is named Folk Album of the Year by Melody Maker in January 1970. He becomes widely known in the mid-1970s after Year of the Cat and its 1978 follow-up Time Passages, both produced by Alan Parsons. As his career takes off, he moves to the United States and lives in California, where he continues to tour regularly in the US and in Europe. Concert recordings are often issued through his fan clubs.