But despite decades in the music business and three times selling-out London’s Royal Albert Hall as one half of Show Of Hands, the spotlight has evaded him.

Until now, that is. Steve and his long-time musical partner Phil Beer took the awards for best original song and best duo at last month’s Radio2 Folk Awards ceremony.

The song that won the award was Arrogance, Ignorance And Greed (AIG), a passionate and rocky swipe at the banking industry, and on Saturday night (Feb 27) he performed it to a packed house at Papplewick Village Hall.

Steve appeared with his young protègé, Jenna Witts. Both were promoting their latest albums, Knightley’s already highly-successful Arrogance, Ignorance And Greed, and Brother, from, Jenna.

She is also from the West Country, but her and Knightley’s Cornwall is more Jamaica Inn than The Wurzels.

Their music is filled with evil-doing and storms — emotional and meteorological — and the spirit of the region oozes from them with an uncanny naturalness.

AIG is just Knightley’s latest stab at social injustice in England. He is renowned for tackling such difficult subjects as rural poverty, his frustration at a Government minister’s stated dislike of English folk music and international skulduggery.

He gave his audience a couple of verses of what he called a work in progress, Stop Copying Me, a song which takes in the darker side of the worldwide web, with much sinister double entendres. Despite these dark topics, the pair had the audience eating out of their hand — FJC.