Ewan MacColl

Playwright, poet, and songwriter Ewan MacColl was almost single-handedly responsible for the folk resurgence that hit Britain in the '50s and '60s. His notion that a country's residents should embrace the music of that particular country led to England's first folk club strictly for English Folk back in '53. His music dealt with a mixture of traditional ballads and his own spare songs sung in his pliant and distinct voice. He is best remembered for tracks like "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (the Roberta Flack version) and his marvelous "Dirty Old Town" (the Pogues version) as well as his strict adherence and total dedication to the idea of traditional folk music.