Thirty-five years into his career, the Lincolnshire folk singer and guitarist Martin Simpson has perfected a professorial fusion of British and American forms.
The Sheffield Apprentice’s provenance blurs in a hillbilly hootenanny, a transcript of an archive interview with the Kentucky musician Banjo Bill Cornet arcs around BJ Cole’s swooping pedal steel, and there’s a cinematically vast slide guitar reading of In The Pines.
But proficient and tasteful as Simpson is, his guests Dick Gaughan and June Tabor, both blessed with instantly affecting individual voices, steel the honours on Jamie Foyers and Strange Affair respectively.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter