What is Martin Carthy?
{{Infobox Musical artist | Name = Martin Carthy | Img = Martin Carthy.JPG | Img_capt = Carthy in 2008 | image_size = | Background = solo_singer | birth_name = Martin Dominic Forbes Carthy | Alias = | birth_date= {{birth date and age|1941|5|21|df=y}} | death_date= | Origin = [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]], [[Hertfordshire]] | Instrument = [[acoustic guitar]]<br />[[electric guitar]]<br />[[mandolin]]<br />[[banjo]]<br />[[Appalachian dulcimer|dulcimer]] | Genre = [[Folk Music of England|English Folk]] | Occupation = [[Singer]]<br />[[musician]]<br />[[songwriter]]<br />[[record producer]]<br />[[actor]] | Years_active = 1960 - present | Label = [[Topic Records|Topic]], [[Fontana Records|Fontana]], [[Philips Records|Philips]] | associated_acts = [[Waterson:Carthy]]<br />[[Blue Murder (folk)|Blue Murder]]<br />[[The Watersons]]<br />[[Steeleye Span]]<br />[[Albion Country Band]]<br />[[Brass Monkey (band)|Brass Monkey]] | website = http://www.watersoncarthy.com/ }} '''Martin Carthy''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]], is an [[England|English]] [[folk music|folk]] singer and [[guitarist]]. He was one of the first performers in the renewed interest in [[British]] folk music in the 1960s. He has inspired other musicians such as [[Bob Dylan]], [[Paul Simon]] and [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]]. He is seen as one of the most important people in English folk music. == Early life == Martin Carthy was born in [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]] on 21 May 1941. He grew up in [[Hampstead]], [[North London]]. After he left school he had a number of jobs. He worked behind the scenes at the open air [[theatre]] at [[Regent's Park]] as a prompter (helping actors who forgot their words). He later worked as an assistant stage manager (ASM) on a tour of ''[[The Merry Widow]]''. He then worked at [[Stephen Joseph Theatre|Theatre in