Harrogate music legend set to make 'rare appearance' in a special night devoted to Magna Carta
Harrogate is to host a special event to one of its own greatest living musicians who has sold nine million albums.
Presented by Vinyl Sessions and Charm, A Tribute to Chris Simpson and Magna Carta will take place on Wednesday, July 16 when the great man is expected to take part in person.
Held at Starling Independent Bar Cafe Kitchen, it will be the first public appearance in the UK by the legendary Harrogate-born singer-songwriter since 2020.
Born in Harrogate in 1942, Chris Simpson was brought up in the rural hills above Birstwith and went to Harrogate Grammar School.
After forming Magna Carta in London in the late 1960s in the middle of the great British folk rock boom, Simpson went on to become of the greatest songwriters this island has ever produced, performing in 78 different countries.
Magna Carta sold nine million albums and received six gold discs and three silver discs for much-loved semi-acoustic rock albums on the legendary Vertigo label such as Seasons, Songs From Wasties Orchard, Lord of the Ages and, in more recent years, The Fields of Eden.
The band famously sold out the Royal Albert Hall in 1971 for a performance of their classic Seasons with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra arranged by jazz great Johnny Dankworth.
Magna Carta changed constantly over the course of more than 50 years with past members including Tom Hoy, Will Jackson, Pick Withers of Dire Straits, Davey Johnstone of Elton John fame and Ken Nichol of Steeleye Span.
The event in Harrogate will be the veteran Chris Simpson’s first appearance of any description anywhere since his farewell show with Magna Carta in October 2022 in Holland for health reasons.
Hosted by Vinyl Sessions founder Colin Paine and the Harrogate Advertiser’s Graham Chalmers, the event will start at 7.30pm.
This rarest of evenings will feature the full classic Seasons album on playback on vintage hi fi, a musical video/slide show by Jim Dobbs, a prize raffle and, hopefully, a short Q&A with Chris Simpson himself.
All monies go directly to Harrogate Hospital Community Charity.
Advance booking is recommended at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vinyl-sessions-and-charm-presents-a-tribute-to-chris-simpson-and-magna-cart-tickets-1410405814759?aff=ebdssbdestsearch.