Martha Tilston

“Martha Tilston has carved her niche in the English folk scene with sharp, original songs that dissect the modern world.” GUARDIAN

“It’s always a joy to hear from her – to my mind she’s one of the most underrated voices on the UK folk and roots scene.” R2

Martha Tilston has grown up immersed in music. So much so that she thinks of song writing as the coat she wears on the journey, not the destination she is travelling to. It has taken her to many interesting places; opening the acoustic stage at Glastonbury; touring the far reaches of the globe; gaining a BBC nomination for best new-comer at the folk awards; recording and releasing several of her own albums, being a guest vocalist for zero 7, and meeting and playing with some of the world’s most inspiring musicians.

Her new album ‘The Sea’ was released to critical acclaim on Oct 6th 2014 and it really is a box of treasures. Recorded by the sea at Prussia Cove, and in Tilston’s Cornish home, it features quite a few guest appearances from members of Martha’s family. ”I’ve always had it in mind to make a traditional album” says singer and contemporary songwriter Martha Tilston. “Singing trad songs is what I grew up with, not just from my father (Steve Tilston) and step mother (Maggie Boyle) but also on my stepfather’s side of the family with its Geordie heritage” (her stepfather is Frank Whately and uncle Kevin Whately, the actor known for his iconic roles in such beloved TV series as ‘Lewis’ and ‘Morse’).

Among the family friends of her childhood was the legendary Bert Jansch (and Martha includes ‘Black Waterside’ as a nod to his influence and presence in her work). ‘The Sea’ is a brand new album of traditional songs about the sea and the stories of those whose lives are intertwined with and guided by contact with it. Each song has one of the above‐mentioned family members, plus brother Joe Tilston and friends, singing or playing with Martha.

The end result is music that is captivating, beautiful and as much a joy to listen to as it, undoubtedly, was to make. Traditional folk songs about the sea, collected, sung and played by Martha with family and friends; a personal and family testimony to the power of song and traditions forged by kith and kin.

“If there was any justice, Martha Tilston would be enshrined as a national treasure; everything she touches she manages to imbue with a fragile beauty that can bring tears to your eyes.”  ACOUSTIC

“The cycle of sea songs are beautifully sung and atmospherically arranged in unusual ways” MOJO