Oliver Knight (musician)
Encyclopedia
Oliver Knight is a singer/songwriter/sound engineer from the UK. He is son to folk singer/songwriter Lal Waterson
and George Knight. He is brother and stage partner to folk musician Marry Waterson
.
in 1969. Son to George & Elaine Knight (Lal Waterson) with one sister Maria Knight (Marry Waterson), he and his family lived in Park Avenue, Hull until 1976 and then moved to St. Ives Farm, Robin Hood's Bay
.
He attended Bricknall Ave in Hull, then Fylingthorpe C of E, Eskdale and then Whitby. Oliver then went to Scarborough Technical College
to study Art & Design for 1 year.
At the age of 14, Oliver started to play electric guitar, “Although encouraged by my parents, it wasn’t until I found Uncle Martin
’s Fender Telecaster under a bed, hi-jacked his amp and started to play along to Pink Floyd that I felt inspired to play the guitar”, Oliver says, “At college I made friends with some guys from Whitby who were playing, and before long we had a band called Sons Of Gods Mate. We even made a video of one of our songs to send to The Tube
but I don’t think we ever sent it. There was quite a music scene in Whitby at this time, a gig most weekends and good fun.”
He did various labouring jobs until settling down in 1989 as a self-employed subcontracting gardener for a local firm based at Ravenscar, North Yorkshire
. In 1986 Oliver moved from St. Ives Farm into the Village of Robin Hood's Bay
.
, to highlight the songwriting talent they had in their organisation. “Mum and I had played songs together in the past and we were always saying to each other, “What do you think to this track or that”, but it wasn’t until she asked me to play guitar for her on Midnight Feast that we clicked.” Oliver developed a writing partnership with his mother and eventually they collaboratively recorded the studio album Once In A Blue Moon released in 1996 to much acclaim, with a vinyl reissue in 2009.
Lal Waterson died in 1998, just before their second album, A Bed Of Roses, was finished. The material was fully recorded already, and it was released posthumously.
Around 1995, Ray Williams decided to sell the studio to Oliver. Relocating the studio to Robin Hood's Bay, Knight soon gained a good reputation for studio work and live sound, working in other studios and touring in America, Canada and Europe.
In 1996, Knight left his gardening job and became a full-time self-employed sound engineer. Over the course of working at Panda Sound, Knight has recorded over 120 albums.
Oliver tour-managed and was live sound engineer for Kate & Anna McGarrigle.
In 2006 he was involved with the band Van Eyken
. He recorded and co-produced their album Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves, from which the track Barleycorn won Best Traditional Track in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
2007.
In 2007 The Waterson Family were asked to create a show to be performed at The Royal Albert Hall and later that year Knight, along with James Yorkston
, coordinated the show A Tribute To Lal Waterson for the BBC Electric Proms.
These two shows marked the start of Waterson-Knight working together, leading to their album The Days That Shaped Me in 2011.
In 2008, Knight decided to take a break from live sound and tour managing, took a condensed course and became an electrician. “My dad has been an electrician for 25 years so we now work together and I fit the music side of things in between.”
Lal Waterson
Lal Waterson was an English folksinger and songwriter. She sang with, among others, The Watersons, The Waterdaughters and Blue Murder. She was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and died suddenly in Robin Hood's Bay, of cancer diagnosed only ten days before...
and George Knight. He is brother and stage partner to folk musician Marry Waterson
Maria Gilhooley
Maria Gilhooley, also known as Marie Gilhooley, Marie Knight and Marie/Maria/Marry Waterson is a singer and artist best known for her contributions to numerous recordings and live performances by various members of the Waterson family....
.
Early Life
Oliver Knight was born in Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
in 1969. Son to George & Elaine Knight (Lal Waterson) with one sister Maria Knight (Marry Waterson), he and his family lived in Park Avenue, Hull until 1976 and then moved to St. Ives Farm, Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood’s Bay is a small fishing village and a bay located five miles south of Whitby and 15 miles north of Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire, England. Bay Town, its local name, is in the ancient chapelry of Fylingdales in the wapentake of Whitby Strand.-Toponymy:The origin of the name...
.
He attended Bricknall Ave in Hull, then Fylingthorpe C of E, Eskdale and then Whitby. Oliver then went to Scarborough Technical College
Yorkshire Coast College
Yorkshire Coast College is a further education college located over three sites in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, and was formerly known as Scarborough Technical College...
to study Art & Design for 1 year.
At the age of 14, Oliver started to play electric guitar, “Although encouraged by my parents, it wasn’t until I found Uncle Martin
Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy MBE is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days...
’s Fender Telecaster under a bed, hi-jacked his amp and started to play along to Pink Floyd that I felt inspired to play the guitar”, Oliver says, “At college I made friends with some guys from Whitby who were playing, and before long we had a band called Sons Of Gods Mate. We even made a video of one of our songs to send to The Tube
The Tube (TV series)
The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for five seasons, from 5 November 1982 until 1987...
but I don’t think we ever sent it. There was quite a music scene in Whitby at this time, a gig most weekends and good fun.”
He did various labouring jobs until settling down in 1989 as a self-employed subcontracting gardener for a local firm based at Ravenscar, North Yorkshire
Ravenscar, North Yorkshire
Ravenscar is a coastal village in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England, approximately north of Scarborough. It is within the civil parish of Staintondale....
. In 1986 Oliver moved from St. Ives Farm into the Village of Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood’s Bay is a small fishing village and a bay located five miles south of Whitby and 15 miles north of Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire, England. Bay Town, its local name, is in the ancient chapelry of Fylingdales in the wapentake of Whitby Strand.-Toponymy:The origin of the name...
.
Collaboration with Lal Waterson
After buying a 4-track machine, Knight started experimenting with recording music, leaving home temporarily and playing in various blues and rock cover bands, but moving back to his parents' house in 1993. His mother had been asked to provide a track for a sampler CD for the musicians' co-op No MastersNo Masters
No Masters is a British record label, based in the north of England, specialising in folk with a political edge.The label was founded in 1990 by John Tams and Jim Boyes. Originally working as singer, John Tams is now famous as an actor in the TV series "Sharpe". He does much of the production work...
, to highlight the songwriting talent they had in their organisation. “Mum and I had played songs together in the past and we were always saying to each other, “What do you think to this track or that”, but it wasn’t until she asked me to play guitar for her on Midnight Feast that we clicked.” Oliver developed a writing partnership with his mother and eventually they collaboratively recorded the studio album Once In A Blue Moon released in 1996 to much acclaim, with a vinyl reissue in 2009.
Lal Waterson died in 1998, just before their second album, A Bed Of Roses, was finished. The material was fully recorded already, and it was released posthumously.
Live Sound
In 1994, Knight decided to branch out as a live sound engineer and his first job was with a band called The Whisky Priest. “Two months touring Germany was a good way to learn your trade”, says Oliver. “I remember the first gig very well, we were two and a half hours late, the band should have been on at 8:30 and we arrived at 9:00 so it was straight on the stage and go. Live sound is very different to studio work, as I quickly realised. As the house engineer knew the band were bringing their own guy, he had left to get his tea. When he came back, he came running over to me shouting "What the ... are you doing, that sounds terrible!" So he sorted it out, and by the end of the two months I knew what I was doing. I did another three-month tour with them in Germany, and owe a lot to those guys for the experience.”Panda Sound
The song Midnight Feast was recorded it at a studio in North Dalton called Panda Sound (P.A. North Dalton Associates), owned and run by Ray Williams. Knight was instantly taken by the recording process and becoming a sound engineer, and although still working as a gardener, whenever Ray had a session in he would invite Knight to help him and teach him all he could.Around 1995, Ray Williams decided to sell the studio to Oliver. Relocating the studio to Robin Hood's Bay, Knight soon gained a good reputation for studio work and live sound, working in other studios and touring in America, Canada and Europe.
In 1996, Knight left his gardening job and became a full-time self-employed sound engineer. Over the course of working at Panda Sound, Knight has recorded over 120 albums.
Oliver tour-managed and was live sound engineer for Kate & Anna McGarrigle.
Marry Waterson
In 2002 Knight released his solo album Mysterious Day with various guest vocalists.In 2006 he was involved with the band Van Eyken
Tim Van Eyken
Tim van Eyken is an English guitarist and melodeon player of Belgian descent.-Biography:Van Eyken first started playing penny whistle after seeing James Galway on television. He graduated to playing for his mother, then a member of the Beetlecrushers clog dance team. There was pressure from the...
. He recorded and co-produced their album Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves, from which the track Barleycorn won Best Traditional Track in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2....
2007.
In 2007 The Waterson Family were asked to create a show to be performed at The Royal Albert Hall and later that year Knight, along with James Yorkston
James Yorkston
-Music career:A native of Fife, James Yorkston was an integral early member of the Fence Collective whose reach across contemporary music continues to lengthen: King Creosote, The Aliens, KT Tunstall, The Beta Band...
, coordinated the show A Tribute To Lal Waterson for the BBC Electric Proms.
These two shows marked the start of Waterson-Knight working together, leading to their album The Days That Shaped Me in 2011.
Personal Life
Knight is married to Helen, with a child Mae. Knight and his family moved out of Robin Hood's Bay and now live in the neighbouring village of Fylingthorpe.In 2008, Knight decided to take a break from live sound and tour managing, took a condensed course and became an electrician. “My dad has been an electrician for 25 years so we now work together and I fit the music side of things in between.”
Discography
- Once in a Blue Moon (1996) (with Lal WatersonLal WatersonLal Waterson was an English folksinger and songwriter. She sang with, among others, The Watersons, The Waterdaughters and Blue Murder. She was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and died suddenly in Robin Hood's Bay, of cancer diagnosed only ten days before...
) - A Bed of Roses (1998) (with Lal WatersonLal WatersonLal Waterson was an English folksinger and songwriter. She sang with, among others, The Watersons, The Waterdaughters and Blue Murder. She was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and died suddenly in Robin Hood's Bay, of cancer diagnosed only ten days before...
) - Mysterious Day (2002)
- The Days That Shaped Me (2011) (with Marry WatersonMaria GilhooleyMaria Gilhooley, also known as Marie Gilhooley, Marie Knight and Marie/Maria/Marry Waterson is a singer and artist best known for her contributions to numerous recordings and live performances by various members of the Waterson family....
)