SINGER, songwriter, performer, entertainer. Martin Stephenson is the complete package.
He first grabbed people's attention on the national scene in the '80s with his band, The Daintees.
However, they went their separate ways in 1992, and Stephenson's disenchantment with major label politics led him to sever ties with the mainstream industry completely, eventually retreating to the Highlands in the late 90s.
However he remains as industrious and prolific a talent as ever.
And now he is back on the road and heading for Sheffield, for a show at the Boardwalk on Sunday.
He continues to inject his performances with a rich blend of enthusiasm and skill.
And his talents at knocking our knock-dead songs has never dimmed.
His shows are even more attention grabbing these days, as he concentrates on smaller venues.
He once commented: "My first vague memory of visiting the Highlands was when I went with the Daintees in '87 or '88 and played the Ice Centre or Eden Court.
"But my first vivid memory is when I went under apprenticeship with Gypsy Dave Smith (a blues player from Australia returning to the roots of his Celtic ancestors).
"We ended up in the Highlands and I think we played The Phoenix – a little pub in Inverness. I found out then that I'd rather go and play a small folk club with Gypsy Dave than play the Dominion for two nights, and I remember doing big gigs during the '80s but feeling hollow inside."
Up close and intimate is how he likes his shows. And that is what fans will get at the Boardwalk, which is renown for its highly charged atmospheres.
Martin Stephenson, the Boardwalk, July 20: tickets £7.READ MOREYour letters.
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