Peter Knight

• Born — 27 May 1947 • Birthplace — London, England, UK • Genre — Folk • Instrument — Violin, mandolin, vocals • Years Active — 1960s–present • Past Member Of — Steeleye Span • Spouse — Deborah Knight

Born in London, Knight learnt to play the violin and mandolin as a child before going to the Royal Academy of Music from 1960 to 1964, enrolling at thirteen and graduating at sixteen. The recordings of the Irish fiddlers Michael Coleman and Michael Gorman inspired him to take part in Irish pub sessions.

Knight teamed up with guitarist and singer Bob Johnson until 1970 when he joined Steeleye Span. The parting was short-lived, as Johnson himself also joined Steeleye Span in 1972. In 1971, he performed on Roy Bailey's debut album. In the mid-70s he was once secretly a member of The Wombles and appeared on Top of The Pops as Uncle Bulgaria, with Rick Kemp and Bob Johnson also in Womble suits; when speaking about his experience as a Womble, Knight said: "It's a bit embarrassing... but all my Wombles are in America," was how Mike Batt had raised the issue. "He was producing one of Steeleye Span's albums, and he was looking for someone to be the Wombles on Top of the Pops. We (Knight, Kemp and Johnson) all jumped at the opportunity." He left Steeleye Span in January 1977, when it started to look as if the band was about to break up. Knight teamed up with Johnson again to record a concept album The King of Elfland's Daughter (1978), based on the novel by Lord Dunsany. It included one song sung by blues legend Alexis Korner and another by Mary Hopkin. In 1980 he returned to Steeleye Span and appeared on every one of their albums since then up until Wintersmith (released October 2013). Also in the 1980s, he met saxophonist Trevor Watts and was introduced to free improvisation. He played with Watts in bands such as Moiré Music and The Drum Orchestra. In 1995 he recorded an album with bass-player Danny Thompson, best known for his work with John Martyn. Knight formed Tanna with guitarist Kevin Dempsey and Tom Leary during the 2000s. He appeared as a guest on Mostly Autumn's 2007 album Heart Full of Sky and performed as a guest at their album launch show at the London Astoria on 10 February 2007. In 2012, he was appointed Patron of the Fiddle Festival of Britain. Knight formed his own band, Gigspanner, a trio turned six-piece folk band he still tours with as of 2026. He announced his decision to leave Steeleye Span at the end of 2013 on his website on 14 November 2013. Knight's exact reasons for leaving Steeleye Span are still unclear, but when asked in a 2013 interview, lead singer Maddy Prior said: "I'm not quite sure, maybe it's time to have a break and do other things. Gigspanner is his baby and that's what he wants to do. It's a bit late on for returns but I would never say it's out of the question." Since 2016, he has performed as a duo with Bellowhead founder and melodeon player, John Spiers. He appeared as a guest on The Lost Trades's 2021 album The Bird, The Book & The Barrel

Knight lives with his wife, Deborah Walker Knight, who he married in Kingsand in 2011.

• Year — Title • 1991 — An Ancient Cause • 1998 — The Gemini Cadenza • 2005 — Too Late For Shadows

• Year — Title — Notes • 1977 — The King of Elfland's Daughter — Made with Bob Johnson • 1995 — Peter Knight and Danny Thompson — Made with Danny Thompson • 2000 — Ballads and Candles — Made with Maddy Prior • 2002 — Feast of Fiddles — Made with Chris Leslie, Tom Leary, Ian Cutler, Phil Beer, Hugh Crabtree and Brian McNeill • 2004 — Nicely Wrong — Made with Chris Leslie, Tom Leary, Ian Cutler, Phil Beer, Hugh Crabtree and Brian McNeill • 2006 — Still Live — Made with Chris Leslie, Tom Leary, Ian Cutler, Phil Beer, Hugh Crabtree and Brian McNeill • 2018 — Well Met — Made with John Spiers • 2021 — The Bird, The Book & The Barrel — Made with The Lost Trades • Both in a Tune — Made with John Spiers

• Year — Title — Notes • 2009 — Lipreading The Poet • 2010 — Doors At Eight — Live from May 2010 tour • 2015 — Layers of Ages • 2017 — The Wife Of Urban Law • Live — Released as Gigspanner "Big Band" / live at Fairport's Cropredy Convention, 9 August 2017 • 2020 — Natural Invention — Released as Gigspanner "Big Band" • 2021 — From Poets To Wives — Compilation from the above 4 Gigspanner albums • 2025 — Turnstone — Released as Gigspanner "Big Band"