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John started his career as a guitarist some 25 years ago. After years on tour playing festivals and concerts all over the world, John now resides in France. A choice he made some four years ago to settle on his boat on the Charente and find himself a wife. Which he soon did.

John has shared the scene with musicians such as Jules Holland, Tina Turner, New Model Army to name, Lindisfarne and Fairport Convention to name but a few. John toured with Tower Struck Down for several years playing festivals such as Glastonbury 6 years running and recieved much acclaim in Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

John comes from a musical family with younger brothers Damin Darlington, Gareth Darlington who find much success in their own right. Damian - lead guitar vocals - Australian Pink Floyd, Accoustic Unlimited. Gareth Darlington - fiddle, guitar, keyboards - Accoustic Unlimited and chief sound engineer for the Australian Pink Floyd.

When younger brother Gareth is'nt in demand with his brilliant skills as sound engineer with APFS or playing gigs with Accoustc Unlimited the two brothers John and Gareth are 'Chew The Roots'. With their own unique repertoir of Celtic rock, country blues and kickin' boogie woogie.

John is a rock 'n'roll magnet and where ever he goes he attracts musicans. After several jam sessions at 'La Bonne Chauffe' he was lucky enough to stumble across a couple of real pros just moved over to France recently. Gary McClandlish - Bass and talented young French drummer Jerome Bellicaud. They soon formed together as a blues country, rock group 'The Big Blue Bag' and got the local Charentais dancing on the tables. The name the Big Blue Bag didn't stick but the band certainly did they now have an army of Anglo/Franco fans around the Charente. They are now known as the 'CHAMPAGNE CHARLIES' the name came about thanks to Lord Plume the harmonica player who turned up at each gig with a bottle of Champagne for aperitif, one evening Angela told him 'You're a real Champagne Charlie and the name of the band just seemed so appropriate. A vibrant group of musicians with Gary McCandlish on bass, Didier Landreau lead guitar, Jerome Bellicaud the drummer and of course the original CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE Lord Plume.

John has played gigs from venues such as a tin shack in Soweto, a de-commissioned nuclear bunker in the former Eastern block to camps in the Arabian desert.

When asked whom he'd most like to meet and go down the pub for a drink with he said 'Keith Richards'. When John isn't busy gigging and livening up the Charente he can be found worling on his boat. More often than not though he can be heard strumming his guitar and chilling out on board the 'Lady Gerda'.