Tony, Billy, Ralph, Lal Waterson and loads more.........(3)

The 1970's was a wondrous decade for anyone to go out and see live music, or indeed play. The whole country was strewn with clubs booking live artists every night of the week. A popular haunt for me was 'The Highcliffe Hotel' in Sheffield where I would often do the 'residency' (posh name for warm up act) on a saturday night supporting performers like Bert Jansch. Cappo played the Highcliffe and also worked for BBC Radio 2 (Folkweave) and Radio Sheffield as a daytime presenter. Tony was a natural presenter and would talk over the airwaves just as he'd talk in a pub (well nearly!). Often on a Sunday morning Tony would interview guests from the Highcliffe the night before, usually with mega hangovers. He possibly gave Billy Conolly his first radio interview. Many of Tonys' favourite musicians (and mine) played the Highcliffe, including Ralph McTell (photo), The Watersons (he was particularly fond of Lal Watersons' songs), Mike Harding and hundreds more. Rev Gary Davis played shortly before he passed away,- I was there awesome!! The people of South Yorkshire loved Tony Capstick, his humour was blinding, his mind was a library of every thing that mattered in life, his passion for music came second only to the proud and doting father in him. When I drive over the Yorkshire moors now on a summers evening I still look up into the brilliant sky and catch the sight of a Kestrel soaring and circling, calculating its next prey, and I think of Cappo and just smile that inside smile.

Added 22 Jul 2026