STEVE Knightley, one half of the folk duo Show of Hands, heard his older step-brothers playing Joan Baez records so he began learning guitar from the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Today the multi-instrumentalist plays roots, folk rock and folk music on guitar, mandocello, cuatro mandolin and tenor guitar, but he began on acoustic guitar when he was only 14 at Exmouth School. After seeing Martin Carthy and David Swarbrick at Sidmouth Folk Festival, Steve formed a trio called Gawain with former school pal Paul Downes and fiddle player John Bat Evans. It was during this time that Steve met another folk treasurer, Phil Beer, now the other half of Show of Hands. Steve went to Sussex University in Brighton and from there to London where he became a teacher and member of pub rock bands Short Stores, The Cheats and Total Strangers. He and Phil Beer would occasionally help each other out playing in each others bands, but it wasn’t until It was duing the time Phil Beer was with the Albion Band that they began the duo that was to become Show of Hands. Steve moved to Dorset and opened a guest house but he still continued as music teacher and one of his pupils, Polly Jean Harvey, went on to become the pop star P J Harvey. Steve is performing at St Mary’s Church Hall, Marlborough, tomorrow Friday 2nd March 2018. Tickets are £19 from 801672 512465 or visit www.marlboroughfolk-roots.co.uk .