Steve Turner (18)

b. 18 March 1950, Manchester, England. Turner began his career in 1967 playing guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo, and singing. From 1971-79, he played with Canny Fettle, a group from Newcastle, which featured Bob Diehl (fiddle), Phil Bartlett (fiddle, concertina, mandolin, harmonium), Gerry Murphy (concertina, small pipes, whistle), Dave Hillery (concertina, vocals), Dave Howes (whistle, melodeon, vocals), and Bob Morton (guitar). Together they released Varry Canny and A Trip To Harrogate. Although Turner is known for his concertina playing, it was only in 1974 that he started to play the instrument. In 1980, he won a ‘Stars Of The 80s’ contest organized by Karl Dallas and the following year he turned professional. In addition to his solo work, Turner occasionally performs with the Steve Turner Band, which comprises George Faux (fiddle, guitar, vocals), Dave Walters (vocals, guitar), Bill Martin, previously with Pyewackett (keyboards), and Steve Schwartek (bass). A fine interpreter of traditional song, Turner is held in esteem by others on the folk circuit. His albums, all on Fellside Records, include a number of noted folk personnel including Nic Jones, Paul Metsers, Martin Simpson and Jim Couza. Apart from the sleeve, which prompted some adverse comment, Braiding included the much-recorded Stephen Foster song ‘Hard Times’, plus two other Foster songs, ‘Nelly Was A Lady’ and ‘Glendy Burk/Swanee River Hornpipe’. In club performances, Turner has often encored with the classic ‘The Man On The Flying Trapeze’. Although not a prolific recording artist, Turner remains an important performer. Not to be confused with the USA guitarist from Mudhoney who has recorded under this name. (c) allmusic.com