Singer and songwriter Davy Steele has died following a long illness. A singer with a distinctive, weathered voice and a songwriter who drew inspiration from his family's experiences in East Lothian, Steele first gained attention in the late 1980s with the band Ceolbeg.
In the 1990s, along with Dick Gaughan and Brian McNeill, Steele formed Clan Alba, a Scottish folk supergroup which also included his wife, Patsy Seddon. The band never realised its potential, however, and its first album proved to be its swan song.
With Clan Alba in limbo, Steele, Seddon, and several other members augmented the line-up to form Caledon. After a promising start this band also foundered and, between gigging as a solo singer-guitarist and with his group Urbn Ri, Steele continued to work for the Stoneyport Agency, booking artists.
He was also a fine stand-in for Rod Paterson in The Big Picnic in 1994 and contributed songs to Dr Fred Freeman's Complete Songs of Robert Burns.
When, in 1997, Steele replaced Alistair Russell in the Battlefield Band, he was in his element. After completing two albums and undertaking much touring, however, he was found to have a brain tumour and retired last year. He is survived by his wife and their son, and a family from an earlier marriage.
Davy Steele, singer, songwriter, instrumentalist; born December 10, 1948 in Prestonpans, died April 11, 2001 in Edinburgh.
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