The focus of the band changed with the introduction of Dave Swarbrick into the line up, who brought a virtuosity on the fiddle and a wealth of traditional tunes.

[3] Hutchings' new band Steeleye Span was formed by putting together two established folk duos Tim Hart and Maddy Prior with Terry and Gay Woods.

The resulting line-up toured small concert venues, and released two highly regarded albums Please to See the King (March 1971) and Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again (December 1971), both featuring traditional folk songs and dance tunes with innovative electric arrangements.

The bringing in of manager Jo Lustig who pushed for a more commercial sound was probably[citation needed] what prompted the more traditionally minded Carthy and Hutchings to leave the band, which continued with changes of line-up and achieved considerable mainstream success.

He had gathered together the first incarnation of what has been the major outlet for his work, the Albion Country Band, to provide backing for his then wife Shirley Collins on her solo collection, No Roses (1971).

[6] From this point he often combined writing and narration with his music, as in By Gloucester Docks I Sat Down and Wept: A Love Story (1987), which was produced as a live show and album in 1990.

In the 1990s he returned to his own musical roots of skiffle and rock and roll, touring and recording with the Ashley Hutchings Big Beat Combo, which resulted in the album Twangin' and a Traddin' (1994).

[7] His career has been celebrated with the release of archive series, The Guv'nor and Burning Bright (2005) a boxed set of four CDs, which contain many rare and previously unreleased recordings.

[8] On 12 December 2013 Hutchings was presented with the Gold Badge Award of the English Folk Dance and Song Society at an Albion Christmas Band concert held at Kings Place, London.