Steve Gifford and the Leon String Quartet

Singer-songwriter Steve Gifford discovered his passion for music at nine, inspired by his father’s skiffle group to learn a few ukulele chords. By his teens, he had moved to guitar, performing songs by James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne in London folk clubs.

After years on the London music scene, Steve returned to make his debut album, Cut and Run, in 2002. He has since released six albums, with his seventh, Patterns, currently in the works. His 2014 album Beaudesert was produced by Ben Walker, who later won a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award. Steve’s best-known songs include Geordie Trawler Man and World in His Hands.

A respected headline Steve has shared stages with Shawn Colvin, The Strawbs, Lindisfarne, Carl Palmer and Ten Years After, and performed at major UK venues and festivals.

Now based in Ramsgate, Steve combines warm acoustic melodies with heartfelt, observational lyrics. He continues to write, record and tour, with recent adventures including a 2025 European tour, playing 12 gigs across five countries in 28 days.