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Magna Carta Biography
The band has seen a number of personnel changes, but the common factor has always been Chris Simpson. Song writer, poet, accoustic guitar player and vocalist, he has been largely responsible for the band's unique sound, and has had uncanny success in gathering high quality musicians around him. He founded the band with Lyell Tranter, guitarist, and Glen Stuart, vocalist extraordinaire, and their first professional gig was at the Cambridge Folk Festival. A year later the band cut the first of their 30 odd albums, six of which have gone Gold, and three Silver.
The essence of Magna Carta for the last twenty years has been Chris and Linda Simpson. Chris has been singing with Linda since 1984, and they married in 1990. In concert and on record they play with a variety of fine musicians, some of whom have been associated with Magna Carta for a long time. They continue to tour extensively.
Full details of the band's remarkable story can be read in Chris Simpson's own words.
Chris Simpson Biography
Chris grew up in the Yorkshire Dales, in a 16th century stone house lit by candles where, in the words of his song Wild Horses:
No T.V. or electric light
And the darkness fell like a Winter's night
Silence was a friend you did not question...
He is a true Dalesman. His influences are an eclectic mix of Steinbeck, Dickens, Buchan and Hemingway together with Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee and Chuck Berry. He has experienced a wide range of jobs, including butcher's boy, millhand, postman, farm worker, and post-mortem assistant.
He went to London University, where he started to play the guitar. There he met Lyell Tranter, an Australian guitar player, and Glen Stuart, an actor with a five octave range. They played at Coalhole Folk Club in Cambridge in May of 1969, and that was the birth of Magna Carta.
Chris Simpson is the heart of the band, and has written most of the band's songs
Linda Simpson Biography
Linda Taylor, originated from Halifax, where the air consisted of 80% smoke from the factory chimneys. She has loved music since she was very young, but has never learnt to read it.
Linda joined her first band at the age of fifteen - the other members being of similar age. She recalls that they were driven to their gigs by the father of the rhythm guitarist! Later she joined a rock band, and started to play original material.
She met Chris in 1983 during a studio session, and as she says "...the rest is history". Chris and Linda married in 1990.
Matthijs Barnhoorn Biography
Matthijs 'Matt' Barnhoorn, born in 1983 in Alphen a/d Rijn, always dreamt of being a musician. At the age of five his parents rented a violin for him and it took off from there. Alongside his classical violin lessons he taught himself folk (rock) tunes and songs, playing along with cassette tapes. This is how he came to know about among others Fairport Convention, Dave Swarbrick, and Whippersnapper.
It was in 1996 that he finally met his heroes Ric Sanders and Chris Leslie of Fairport Convention. After a short interview the three of them played some music together, and since then Matt has appeared regularly for Fairport Convention in Holland.
Matt met Chris and Linda in 2001 when Fairport Convention, Magna Carta, and Acoustic Rescue were sharing the bill for some concerts. After playing a concert with Fairport Convention in Zutphen, Matt got in touch with Chris and Linda. A week later he joined Magna Carta on stage and never left...
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Available CD's from: Magna Carta |
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