Seasick Steve.

I saw this man play live in Limerick on July 4th last when he did support act to Bob Dylan who was headlining on that day. Californian born Seasick Steve shares the same birth year with Dylan (1941) but had a much, much later vocation to recording, to the point that his career is very unique indeed.
Better late than never, Steve Gene Wold, aka Seasick Steve recorded his first album called 'Cheap' in 2004, he was however no stranger to the music industry from previous years,  working as a producer and engineer for various indie record labels. His CV includes production work on the debut album by Seattle band Modest Mouse.
He also as a musician toured and performed and also befriended such people as Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell and  Nirvana vocalist Kurt Cobain along the way.
His songwriting focuses mostly on his young adventurous hobo life, living rough and riding on freight trains across America. (his step father was abusive and prompted Wold to run away from home when he was 13 years old.)

 2006 saw the release of his second album called 'Dog House Music' a collection of rugged blues songs that caught huge attention in Britain and Ireland especially after his television appearance on The Jools Holland Show. Seasick Steve puts on an amazing live show, you'll see him play various home made instruments including a one string guitar that makes as mush noise as a full band. he has played many huge rock festivals across Europe including Glastonbury, England last year to enormous appreciation. When I saw him last year he went down into the crowd after the gig and joined various fans for a chat and signed autographs. He lives in Norway today and has to date released six albums.

Long may he run.....here is a clip from the Glastonbury show, with him playing one of his home made guitars, designed from a broom handle.