Fairport Convention

The forefathers of British folk rock, Fairport Convention's roots were, at first glance, more American than British. Their 1967 debut album featured covers of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan tunes with the band sounding like an English version of the Byrds. The defining act of British folk rock during the late '60s and '70s, one of the group's best known songs is "Big William." The folk influence gradually faded in their later work but rebounded when the time was right. The band broke up toward the end of the decade, but reunion concerts led to a new lease on life and new line-ups. The band is strongly associated with England and still plays the Cropedy Festival, a concert in their hometown at which its still introduced as "... The rock gods of Oxfordshire." Generous, perhaps, but appreciated nevertheless. In 2002, the Fairport Convention was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award the BBC Radio Folk Awards.