John Smith Tickets

Soothing Folk Music From Rising Star, John Smith

If you think of John Martyn mixed with more than a pinch of Ray Lamontagne, you wind up with John Smith. The inauspiciously named English folk singer and guitarist can already boast having supported and played alongside the best the folk scene has to offer. With a worldwide fan base and an experienced head on his shoulders, John Smith blends silky guitar playing and smooth, rugged vocals to create a timeless sound.

Schedule

John Smith is embarking on an English tour this year. Starting out in Hebden Bridge, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, John will then gig his way around England, including a show at the iconic Shepherds Bush Empire in London, before finishing in Manchester. The tour will venture as far North as Newcastle, and as far South as Aldershot, giving many fans a chance to purchase John Smith tickets.

Trivia

Rather romantically, very little is known about this singer, songwriter, and guitarist. However, it is clear that he tries to stay true to his music. Always seeking fresh ideas and techniques, John decided he wanted to achieve a different sound and atmosphere for his album Great Lakes. He eventually settled on recording it inside of a chapel, and decided to record the album as live as possible, to create an honest and personal feel.

Band

For a modest man from Devon, respected folk artist John Smith has shared stages with true greatness, having toured with giants of the folk music scene such as John Martyn, Davy Graham, Seth Lakeman, John Renbourn, Martin Carthy, Martin Simpson, Jools Holland, and even Gil Scott-Heron. Bestowed with the award of Young Acoustic Guitarist Of The Year in 2003, John Smith notes the late John Martyn as his main influence, and was given the honour of contributing to a tribute album following Martyns' death in 2009.

Due to his extensive touring, Smith has a large and loyal worldwide fan base, including countries such as Canada, Mexico, and Japan. John is a revered face on the folk scene. His superb vocal dynamics are complemented exquisitely by his natural, robustly-melodic guitar style. Rugged and reassuring, often husky, yet soulfully gentle, John Smiths' voice is refreshingly bold and as honest as the folk traditions of old, with the influence of his folk hero John Martyn abundantly evident. Able to turn his hand to the slide guitar, as well as playing from his lap, John's fluid string work is admired by both fans and fellow musicians alike.

Breakthrough

It is difficult to say when John Smith's breakthrough came about. It is hard to even decide whether it has actually happened yet. Perhaps, given what little we know about John's past, it is still more difficult to say whether he ever intends to, at least in any strict sense of the word, have a breakthrough at all. One thing is for sure though, in the upper echelons of folk music, John is already there. His more than impressive CV tells you all you need to know about the class of a musician who has quietly risen through the ranks of folk music, rubbing shoulders with greatness and playing for the love of the music.

Hit Albums

John Smith has produced four albums to date. All of these recordings are self-released. The Fox and the Monk was released in 2006. In this album, John's seamless finger-picking is abundantly draped over an assorted set of songs, each permeated by the sense of a deep respect for folk music. His 2009 release Map or Direction and the 2011 Eavesdropping continued much in the same vein. The latest offering, Great Lakes, is a starker affair, gaining critical acclaim from the likes of John Renbourn.

Show Experience

Expect a warm and comforting experience, as the man dubbed 'the future of folk music' shows off the talents his rich musical past has already afforded him. John Smith delivers a masterfully original and dynamic performance of his own acquired brand of English folk music. Influenced and educated by the best the genre has to offer, no folk fan should miss out.