Seth Lakeman biography
Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo. Nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, Lakeman has belonged to several musical ensembles, including one with his two brothers, fellow folk musicians Sam Lakeman and Sean Lakeman, but has most recently established himself as a solo headlining act. '''
Career
The Lakeman Brothers
Seth Lakeman began playing music with his parents and two brothers Sean and Sam Lakeman at an early age.
As The Lakeman Brothers, the three brothers released their critically acclaimed debut album ''Three Piece Suite'' in 1994. Later that same year they were invited by two Yorkshire based singers Kathryn Roberts and Kate Rusby to join them as a backing group on a tour of Portugal. After the tour the five musicians became a permanent group and called themselves Equation. The group swiftly garnered critical praise and were signed in a record deal with Time Warner in 1995. After three full albums (''Return to Me'' in 1996, ''Hazy Daze'' in 1998, and ''The Lucky Few'' in 2000), and tours in the UK, Europe and the United States, Lakeman left Equation in 2001. He joined his brother Sam and Sam's wife Cara Dillon and appeared on Dillon's acclaimed eponymous debut album, which featured Seth on fiddle, guitar and vocals. The album won two awards at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Solo work
In 2002 Lakeman released his first solo album, ''The Punch Bowl'', which received wide critical acclaim including a review in ''fRoots'' magazine which said: "The songs don't just glide smoothly by.....they get their claws into you".
''Kitty Jay'', Lakeman's second solo album was released in 2004. The title track of the album tells the story of Jay's Grave, a well known location on Dartmoor. The album was recorded for a cost of less than £300. That same year he collaborated with Devon singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and young local singer Jenna Witts on the album ''Western Approaches''.
A sell-out UK tour in Autumn 2005 followed his Mercury Music Prize nomination, after which Lakeman and his band (regularly brother Sean (guitar), Ben Nichols (bass), Andy Tween(drums), toured extensively with folk-rock giants The Levellers, who took to closing their set with a "fiddle off" between Lakeman and Levellers' fiddler Jonathan Sevink. Other support tours with Billy Bragg and Jools Holland brought Lakeman's music to a wider audience.
In March 2006 Lakeman began a UK tour in order to promote his new album ''Freedom Fields'' which was released on iScream. He signed to a new major record label, Relentless Records, promptly releasing a new single "Lady of the Sea" in early August 2006.
His fourth solo album, ''Poor Man's Heaven'', was released 30 June 2008 with an accompanying tour. It introduced a rockier edge to the folk of the previous albums.
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