THE songs of Steve Tilston are in demand from folk luminaries Fairport Convention and legendary Irish singer Dolores Keane. Find out why when he plays the Black Swan Folk Club, in York, on Thursday.

Born in Liverpool and raised in the Midlands, singer and guitarist Tilston has ploughed his folk furrow in quiet fashion since the early 1970s, writing songs born of the traditions of English and Irish folk, blues and Latin music.

The Slip Jigs And Reels in particular has worked its way into the repertoire of many acts, most notably being covered by Fairport Convention, who have recorded two more of his compositions: The Naked Highwayman and Here's To Tom Paine.

They are soon to add to that list another Tilston song, This Rocky Road, taken from Solurubato, his album for the Fellside label. Dolores Keane, meanwhile, has chosen one of his pieces as the title song of her latest album, The Night Owl.

Tilston has toured as guitarist with Ballet Rambert, and he joined Maartin Allcock and Pete Zorn in Waz! and was a member of Ship Of Fools with John Renbourn.

Albums to seek out are his 1999 compilation The Greening Wind, 2001's Live Hemistry and last year's Such & Such, released by Market Square Records, with bass player Allcock, multi-instrumentalist Anna Ryder and saxophonist Andy Sheppard among its guest contributors.

Doors open at 8pm on Thursday at the Black Swan Inn, Peasholme Green, and admission is £6, concessions £5.

Updated: 15:44 Thursday, September 02, 2004