Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English folk singer-songwriter and acclaimed fingerstyle guitarist, an influential presence on the UK folk scene since the 1960s. He is best known for “Streets of London,” his Ivor Novello–winning signature song, which has been recorded by more than 200 artists worldwide.
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- Born Ralph May on December 3, 1944, in Farnborough, Kent, England.
- Took the stage surname “McTell” in homage to bluesman Blind Willie McTell.
- First recorded “Streets of London” on his 1969 album Spiral Staircase.
- The re-recorded single reached #2 on the UK chart in early 1975.
- “Streets of London” won the 1974 Ivor Novello Award.
- Received a BBC Radio 2 Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting in 2002.
