Family Album Revisited

Available now

Remastered with two extra tracks, Steve Ashley’s Family Album makes a long-overdue return to the limelight. This well-loved Fairport-backed album was first recorded in 1979 and contains many classic Ashley originals – including Family Love, Once In A While, Feeling Lazy, Pancake Day and The Rough With The Smooth.

It also features a fascinating line-up of Fairport Convention members past and present, namely, Dave Pegg, Simon Nicol, Chris Leslie and the late, Bruce Rowland. The 12 page booklet includes recollections from Steve Ashley, Dave Pegg and Chris Leslie with an overview by Simon Jones.

The Family Album was eventually released on Dave and Chris Pegg’s, Woodworm label in 1982. Today, Peggy, who produced the album, reflects upon its reissue: “Steve’s ‘Family Album’ was one of our first releases and to my ears, still stands up today with the quality of the song writing and the ‘vibe’ of all the musicians involved. It was great fun to do and I still love listening to it. It’s lovely to know it’s being made available again.”

With one track reinstated from the original sessions and Steve’s poignant memorial to his friend Bruce Rowland, for those that know The Family Album of old, this new version will bring many fresh insights. For newcomers, this unique album is a classic collection of folk-rock songs about family life by an English singer-songwriter in his prime, with impeccable support from members of another great enduring family Fairport Convention.