Renowned, affable, maverick and critically acclaimed popular songwriter Martin Stephensonwill return to Galtres Parklands Festival in 2014 - by popular demand following his wonderful appearance in 2012.

Martin's career began back in the early 1980's when along with fellow Newcastle band Prefab Sprout he was signed to Kitchenware records.

His debut album with the Daintees 'Boat to Bolivia' was released in 1985 to critical acclaim, and still regularly features in many critics top ten albums of that decade.

Tours with Prefab Sprout, Aztec Camera, Janis Ian, and John Martyn followed as well as a series of successful headlining tours playing to thousands of people.

However, after 3 more albums for a major label Martin grew wary of the record industry, broke up The Daintees, retreated to live in Scotland, and plough his own musical furrow. Now some 17 years, and 17 albums later Martin is at home releasing his own albums encompassing his eclectic musical tastes including folk, rockabilly, bluegrass, ragtime, delta blues as well as pop. He also reforms The Daintees annually for a series of sell out concerts including his native North East.

A gifted, yet self effacing, and modest singer songwriter, musician and performer Martin comes to life on stage, and his gigs have been known to last up to 3 hours. Martin relishes playing in smaller venues where he can converse with the audience, and regularly plays sell out concerts in the U.K and abroad. He also runs very successful guitar and songwriting weekends twice a year that give people the opportunity to enhance and develop their own abilities.

Martin is not only a superb songwriter, and musician, and one of the finest performers on the live circuit, but he is also a very affable, and likeable person. His songs are punctuated by banter and anecdotes from his life and career, sometimes surreal and often amusing.

As a soloist, Martin has recorded approximately twenty albums and is one of the busiest performers in the country, gigging all over the globe with his humerous one man show.