Masters of Song: Bill Knight & Richard Tait

Bill Knight and Richard Tait are once again combining their love of the singer-songwriter tradition for a gig at The Alma Café. Drawing on material from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Harry Chapin, they’ll take the audience through an autobiographical and story led journey of memories, joy and heartache, innocence and experience, and everything in between.

Fri 20 March

Tickets R160pp (show only)

18h30 for 19h00 (kitchen orders close at 19h00)

*Live Music Starts AFTER Dinner Service is completed*

Dinner, Dessert and Drinks available

Fully Licensed, BYOB not permitted

Card / Cash Payment

15% Service Fee Charged

More on the Artists:

Richard Tait started out his musical career in Gospel groups during the seventies, moving into acoustic music and three part harmony, having being captured by the spirit of the Woodstock generation of musicians. Throughout the 80’s, a solo career, playing the length and breadth of Cape Town and South Africa in general turned into a storied period in the 90’s, playing some of the biggest show bands in Cape Town, notably Station 70, Beatlemania, Creedence Clearwater Revival. A Solo Tribute to Neil Young is still remembered by locals.

Bill Knight first started learning guitar at the age of 16, while at Boarding School, inspired by Bob Dylan's performance at “the Concert for Bangladesh”, the Songs of Leonard Cohen and the bayou blues of John Fogerty. Three years later, while at Rhodes University, I met Richard, who has been a lifelong Friend and Musical collaborator. The same year I met Carl Raubenheimer (“Corporal Punishment”, “ Illegal Gathering”), who encouraged me to start writing my own Songs.

I was also inspired by the African guitar music of my childhood in Botswana, Miriam Makeba, the Mbaqanga music of Mahlathini & the Mahotella Queens, the crossover music of Tony Bird and Johnny Clegg, and the Boland Blues of David Kramer.

In 1978, Richard introduced me to the Barleycorn Folk club (which celebrated its 50^th year last year), and I started performing semi-professionally. In 1994 I released my first album, “Skollie Rock”, produced by Dave Ledbetter, on cassette. In 1975, my first CD, “Through your Window” was released. Since then, I have released 6 self-recorded albums, followed by two with the late Chris Davidson as “Scarecrows in a Field”, and two with my band “the Old Dogs”.

In 2000, I left my day-job at the City Council and began a full-time career as a working musician, and founded the “Cottage Club”, a music performance venue, dedicated to the celebration of Original South-African music, run from my Home in Fish Hoek.