Stories of our work
Dave Swarbrick

The Musicians Benevolent Fund gives essential help to professional musicians throughout their working lives when a crisis, such as an accident or illness, can have a devastating impact.

Violinist Dave Swarbrick has forged a long and successful career, playing with Fairport Convention and becoming one of the great legends of the folk world. However, through his career Dave has had to overcome some major hurdles, and the Musicians Benevolent Fund has been there to help.

In his early twenties, Dave lost his hearing in his left ear and then subsequently in his right. The Fund helped by buying modern hearing aids, which allowed Dave to continue to work. However his greatest challenge came in 2004 when he underwent a double lung transplant. After many years of very serious illness and hospitalisation due to the lung disease emphysema, Dave couldn’t possibly continue to work, and with debts mounting up and no other source of income available, he became insolvent.

“ The fact that I am able to continue this blessed way of life is due to the love of my wife, Jill, the NHS and the wonderful and holistic help I have had, and continue to have, from the Musicians Benevolent Fund. Thanks so much folks!”

Dave has made a recovery, and although he now uses a stick and performs sitting down, he is back out on the road doing what he loves and what he does best.

Dave Swarbrick grew up in Yorkshire and began playing the violin with the village fiddler, Mr Boothman. The family then moved to Birmingham where Dave began lessons with Madam Ida Neruda, where his passion for folk music was born. An encounter with Beryl Marriot, a folk pianist and extremely gifted musician, was a significant junction in his life. Under Beryl’s guidance and through playing in her ceilidh band, Dave went on to join the Ian Campbell folk group and record with folk singer A. L. Lloyd and songwriter, poet, singer and record producer Ewan McColl.

Dave then joined forces with Martin Carthy working as a duo, before joining Fairport Convention in 1969. He toured the world including twenty six American tours, played the Sydney Opera House twice and every major venue in the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York. “There have been so many highlights to my career. As they say, it’s been a blast!”

Dave is currently recording a full-length album with Canadian reggae star Jason Wilson entitled The Lion Rampant, and has asked his wife to start the substantial task of writing his biography.

Visit Dave Swarbrick’s official website to stay posted on live shows and new recordings.

Help us to make a difference to musicians such as Dave Swarbrick, visit How You Can Help Us.