Martin Carthy, the folk master who taught Bob Dylan and influenced his career

When Bob Dylan stated that he "learned a lot from Martin Carthy", he was recognizing the enormous influence the British musician had on his artistic formation. Carthy became one of the main people responsible for introducing the young Dylan to traditional British folk melodies, arrangements and songs during the 1960s. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} The two met when Dylan visited England in the early 1960s. Although Carthy had not yet heard Dylan sing in person, the two quickly began exchanging repertoires and discussing traditional music. It was during this period that the American discovered several English folk ballads that would later influence his own compositions. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} Among the best-known contributions is "Scarborough Fair". Martin Carthy presented his version of the traditional English song, whose melody inspired Dylan in the creation of "Girl from the North Country". Later, the same song would also be adapted by Paul Simon in "Scarborough Fair/Canticle". :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} Years later, Dylan made a point of publicly thanking Carthy in the notes for the "Biograph" box set, released in 1985. At the time, he wrote that the British musician was "incredible" and explicitly acknowledged that he had learned a lot from him. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} Martin Carthy is considered one of the most important figures in British folk. His work has preserved old traditional songs and influenced artists such as Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Paul Simon and countless musicians on the international folk scene. For Bob Dylan, the meeting with Carthy represented a decisive stage in his musical learning, demonstrating that much of his training came from direct contact with masters of the British popular tradition.