Steve Gifford
West Malvern Social Club at 8pm on Friday 21st April 2023
Steve Gifford is a singer/songwriter who has been charming audiences in England with his original acoustic music for many years. He now lives in Ramsgate and has been playing in seaside towns in Thanet. He often performs at intimate venues such as pubs and cafes and his gigs usually end with the audience dancing. Gifford has opened for well-known artists and has performed at several UK festivals. He will be touring Art Centres and intimate venues throughout the UK this year. Gifford has been writing songs for twenty-two years and his tunes are about family and life, growing out of his personal experiences. Storytelling is a big part of what he does and his songs often come with stories. Some of his well-known songs include “Knolls’ Wood” and “Boy on a Beach”.
Steve Gifford wrote a soulful song called the Geordie Trawler Man, which is about his grandfather and his eight brothers who worked on the trawler in North Shields.
“I’d rather play in front of four to five people that I’ve connected with than 200 people who weren’t fully engaged with my songs,” Gifford said. “A big audience to me isn’t really important. It’s the people who really listen.” Steve Gifford
The song talks about their fish wives who used to work smoking fish in big plastic tents on the quayside. Gifford felt a connection with his family while walking on the harbour in Blythe and smelling the salty air and fish. He just needs to pick up his guitar and share this story and many others to feel that nostalgia. Gifford’s father was a short charismatic man who played the guitar, drums, and Ukulele in a skiffle band in clubs around Luton. Gifford began playing at a local folk club in Leighton Buzzard and became popular strumming the American cover tunes of various musicians. He has released six studio albums and is currently touring with his current album “The Gods will Decide,” which was released in 2019.