Simon Nicol
The steadfast heartbeat of Fairport Convention, his warm voice and steady guitar have anchored British folk rock for over five decades.
Born 1950 (age 76)·English musician·Birthday: October 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
If Fairport Convention is the ever-evolving ship of British folk rock, then Simon Nicol has been its constant captain and most reliable deckhand. As a teenager, he co-founded the band that would electrify traditional music, initially providing rhythm guitar and, after Sandy Denny's departure, stepping into the role of lead singer with a comforting, resonant baritone. While other legendary members embarked on solo flights or formed new groups, Nicol remained, his presence providing a vital link to the band's origins and a stabilizing force through countless lineup changes. His contributions extend far beyond Fairport; he was a pivotal member of the Albion Band, a sought-after collaborator, and a producer with a keen ear for acoustic texture. Nicol's playing is never showy, but deeply musical, serving the song with a rhythmic grace that makes complex arrangements feel effortless. His career is a testament to musical loyalty and the quiet power of consistency, making him a beloved elder statesman of a scene he helped create.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Simon was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Simon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Simon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- The only founding member to have remained continuously in Fairport Convention since its formation in 1967.
- Won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2002 as a member of Fairport Convention.
- Produced albums for a range of folk artists, including Shirley Collins's influential 'The Sweet Primeroses.'
- Played a key role in the Albion Band, contributing to several of their seminal albums in the 1970s and 80s.
Did You Know?
He is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
Nicol named his first son after Fairport bandmate and friend, the late Richard Thompson.
Before Fairport, he played in a band with future Fairport mate Ashley Hutchings called the Ethnicities.
“This music is a river, and I'm just here to keep it flowing.”
