Nicknamed the Welsh Springsteen, Celtic rock singer and keen golfer Martyn Joseph swings into Faringdon this month.

Martyn was the youngest ever winner of the Glamorganshire Golf Club Championship at 17-years-old, but chose to bag up his clubs in favour of a career in music.

The singer uses his songs to highlight the plight of those facing injustice around the world, he is a fierce fighter for human rights and has set up a non-profit making organisation called Let Yourself Trust, which aims to raise issues through education, advocacy, campaigning and music.

Martyn's own songs reflect his political activist tendencies, with many of the tracks stemming directly from incidents that have enraged or saddened him.

His song The Good In Me Is Dead was written about a refugee from Kosovo, who ran from the atrocities in his country, Kindness was written after a trip to Canada, when Martyn saw the huge homeless problem in Toronto, and Five Sisters was written as a tribute to the five sisters who were killed by an Israeli shell in 2009, at the height of the attack on Gaza.

Even historical injustice still makes the singer's blood boil, inspiring him to honour such deeds as the Merthyr Rising of 1831 in song. The uprising is the background for The Ballad of Richard Lewis, based on the life of the Welsh labourer known as Dic Penderyn. Dic was sentenced to death for leading the uprising.

Martyn began recording in 1983 and has written 32 albums and notched up more than half a million record sales, beginning with his first album, An Aching And A Longing, which was self-financed.

A signing with Sony Record label followed and Martyn found himself working with Mick Glossop who produced albums for the Waterboys. Martyn scooped the Best Male Artist at the 2004 BBC Welsh Music Awards.

Over the years he has notched up five top 50 singles including Talk About It In The Morning, which he co wrote with Tom Robinson.

As a nod to those whose compared him to Bruce Springsteen, in 2013 Martyn released a CD of songs all written by the Boss.

He has shared the stage with artists such as Chris De Burgh, Joan Armatrading, Art Garfunkel, Suzanne Vega, Mike and The Mechanics, Celine Dion and even toured with Shirley Bassey.

More recently he has worked with Steve Knightley from Show Of Hands and his latest album, Sanctuary, was released last year.

He will be singing songs from the album when he visits the Corn Exchange in Faringdon on Saturday, November 26. Tickets are £16 from 013467 240281. – Flicky Harrison