The Mike Harding Show - 15/12/2010

Mike Harding presents an hour of the very best in folk, roots and acoustic music, including an interview with one of the British folk scene's best-loved performers, Ralph McTell. Ralph's latest album, Somewhere Down The Road, is his first of original material for a decade, adding to a canon of songs that has been treasured by generations of music fans. But he hasn't been idle for the last ten years: Ralph has released numerous compilations and concert films, extended his autobiography, continued to tour extensively, and in 2009 was honoured by Parliament's All Party Folk Music Group for his contributions to the folk world. And this was by no means his first major accolade: Since beginning his career more than forty years ago, Ralph McTell has collected an Ivor Novello Award for his international hit Streets Of London, seen country star Nanci Griffith record his song From Clare To Here on a Grammy Award-winning album, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Ralph talks to his old friend Mike Harding about the things that inspired his new collection of songs, and what motivates him this far into his esteemed career.