Stephen Fretwell

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Stephen Fretwell is an English singer-songwriter from Scunthorpe. His music blends folk rock and psychedelic folk. He has released four studio albums and is known for the song Run, which was the theme tune for Gavin & Stacey.

Early life
Fretwell was born on 10 November 1981 in Scunthorpe, England. He grew up inspired by Bob Dylan after finding Dylan’s Greatest Hits in a bargain bin. He attended schools in Scunthorpe and Ashby and later went to John Leggott College. As a teen, he formed his first band, Label. He moved to Manchester to study English at Salford University but left after a short time and began to attract attention in music magazines.

Career beginnings and Magpie
In Manchester, he self-released music including 8 Songs on Northern Ambition, plus the Something’s Got to Give EP and The Lines. He supported bands like Travis, Elbow, Athlete, Keane, and KT Tunstall. Fretwell signed with Fiction Records, and his debut album Magpie came out in November 2004, recorded at Abbey Road Studios. It reached No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart in 2005. The singles Run and Emily were popular, and he released the Four Letter Words EP. He also contributed a cover to the Tim and Jeff Buckley tribute and had his music featured in films and TV.

Further work and Man on the Roof
His song Play appeared in the film Love + Hate, and Cameron Crowe admired his work, later asking him to write for the film Elizabethtown. In 2007, he released the album Man on the Roof, which was recorded in New York and included the track Scar. The album peaked at No. 44 in the UK. He also played bass on tour with the Last Shadow Puppets and his song Play was used in the 2009 movie The Joneses.

Later work and hiatus
In 2011, Fretwell contributed the track Tamarind to the charity album Ten by Manchester Aid to Kosovo. He stepped away from music in 2012 to focus on his family.

Return with Busy Guy
In 2021, after a long break, Fretwell released the single Oval and announced a new album, Busy Guy, on the indie label Speedy Wunderground. The album received praise from critics for its thoughtful, color-filled songs and quiet, honest mood.