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On this day, 23 January 1976, singer songwriter Ralph McTell played Cardiff’s New Theatre.
McTell has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s and is best known for his song "Streets of London" (1969), which has been covered by over two hundred artists around the world.
McTell modelled his guitar style on American country blues guitar players of the early 20th century, including Blind Blake, Robert Johnson and Blind Willie McTell.
These influences led a friend to suggest his professional surname. An accomplished performer on piano and harmonica as well as guitar, McTell issued his first album in 1968 and found acclaim on the folk circuit.
He reached his greatest commercial success in 1974 when a new recording of "Streets of London" became a No. 2 hit on the UK Singles Chart. Another of his notable compositions is "From Clare to Here", a ballad about Irish emigration.
During 1976, McTell topped the bill at Montreux Jazz Festival and played another sold-out concert at The Royal Albert Hall. This was followed by his first tour of Australia and the far east. At McTell's insistence, local buskers were given free tickets for the flagship concert at Sydney Opera House.
