Born in Greenock, Scotland but raised in Wimborne, Dorset, England, folk and rock singer-songwriter Al Stewart is best-known for his 1977 international hit “Year of the Cat.” However, before he had achieved that success, he had already made a formidable mark in the UK as one of the prime singer-songwriters on the British folk scene. He bought his first guitar from future Police instrumentalist Andy Summers but traded it in for an acoustic guitar when he landed a residency at Bunjie's Coffee House in Soho, London. While there, he played alongside contemporaries such as Cat Stevens, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison, Roy Harper, and Ralph McTell. Al Stewart released his first single, “The Elf,” in 1966 - with Jimmy Page on guitar - and became a hero among singer-songwriters after the release of his first album, Bedsitter Images, in 1967. The 18-minute title track of his second album Love Chronicles, aroused controversy due to its frank account of his sexual activities and use of the F-word. In 1970, Al Stewart appeared at the first-ever Glastonbury Festival. Acclaimed albums like Zero She Flies (1970), and Orange (1972) followed, but the influence of prog-rock and psychedelia on Past Present & Future (1973) and Modern Times (1975) broadened his fan base. It was the 1976 album Year of the Cat, however, which made him a star and his winning formula of melodic tunes and thoughtful lyrics continued with another hit album, 1978’s Time Passages, and a series of critically successful albums through the 1980s and 1990s. Although he was no longer appearing in the higher reaches of the album charts, he remained a popular live act. In 2000, Al Stewart made a concept album Down in The Cellar, based on his passion for wine, and continued to satisfy his considerable fan base with A Beach Full of Shells (2005), Sparks of Ancient Light (2008) and the live album Uncorked (2009). While he has not released a studio album since 2008, there have been many deluxe repackaging of most of his back catalog which culminated in the release of a 50 CD box set – The Admiralty Lights – which included all of his previously released albums plus many discs filled with previously unreleased live and studio recordings. Remaining a popular live performer, he released a live album with his backing band entitled Al Stewart & the Empty Pockets Live (2024) which features an appearance from his long-time touring partner Peter White on nylon guitar.
