To what does Dyer attribute Stewart's resurgence? "I think what happens is people go to their FIRST Al show out of a sense of nostalgia. They remember sitting around with friends and hearing "Year of the Cat" or "Time Passages" or "Roads to Moscow" or something and figure it might be nice to rekindle those memories," she suggest. "Then they go to a show and see there is a lot more to Al's work than a handful of hits. They tell their friends and drag them kicking and screaming to the next concert. Those people become fans, and drag their friends kicking and screaming to the next concert, and it just keeps growing. The passion of Al's fans is contagious."

Get more info on Al Stewart here.

Other Blogcritics Al Stewart April 2006 features:

April 1: For Your Consideration, Al Stewart (aka Al 101)

Stewart's music propels both body and brain into motion. Whether his song exposes a young man's romantic (or not-so-romantic) longings during the swinging '60s; laments the fate of a strung-out, washed-up, never-was '70s girl singer; presents the love of a couple nearly a century ago against a backdrop of impending world war; notes the steel-gray loneliness of present-day political candidates, it kick-starts one's senses.

April 5: A review of Stewart's latest CD release, A Beach Full of Shells.

In defiance of economic theory, A Beach Full of Shells offers increasing returns with each listen. ... [I]f you have yet to discover the talents of Al Stewart, whatever your age or genre of choice, [here is] a perfect opportunity.

April 10: A review of British writer Neville Judd's bi-Al-graphy, Al Stewart: The True-Life Adventures of a Folk-Rock Troubadour.

It is clear from page one that [the author] is passionate about music and about singer-songwriter Al Stewart in particular. Thank goodness for the novice writer's enthusiasm: His passion is what carries the reader through 312 densely packed pages of often-amusing anecdotes, free-flowing factoids, and the occasional surprise from the life story of the only artist from the '60s British folk-roots scene to score two LPs in the US Top Thirty.

April 12: Backstage with Al Stewart, New York City, 1998: A peek at the gifted singer-songwriter before the resurgence of his popularity - self-doubting and unaware of how appreciated he is.

"...[Y]ou were fine out there tonight."

"Be honest. I was better Tuesday." It must be noted that he didn't look or sound petulant - he wasn't seeking stroking or fishing for compliments. He was genuinely angry with himself — happens when an artist holds standards that exceed his or her admirers'. Al looked up from his dark thoughts and, remembering why we were there, gestured toward the dressing room. "Please come in. Have a seat."