Beverley Martyn, influential British folk singer and songwriter, passes away at 79

Beverley Martyn, the renowned British folk singer and songwriter, has died peacefully at the age of 79. Known for her collaborations with her former husband, John Martyn, and her notable solo work, Beverley made a significant impact on the folk music scene from the 1960s onwards. Born Beverley Kutner near Coventry in 1947, she moved to London as a teenager to pursue drama but quickly immersed herself in the city’s thriving folk scene, learning guitar from folk legend Bert Jansch. Her early work included singles with her band, the Levee Breakers, and solo recordings like ‘Happy New Year’, featuring early sessions with Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. Beverley also had brief connections with Paul Simon, performing at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and appearing on the Simon & Garfunkel album ‘Bookends’. In 1969, she married John Martyn and together they recorded ‘Stormbringer!’ and ‘The Road to Ruin’. After their marriage ended due to John Martyn’s struggles with addiction, Beverley moved to Brighton, continuing to create music intermittently. She made a strong solo comeback with her 2014 album ‘The Phoenix and the Turtle’, followed by a compilation of her 1960s tracks in 2018. Her contributions to British folk music, alongside her collaborations with notable artists, cement her legacy as a remarkable and influential musician.