Clive Carroll was born in Chelmsford, England in 1975 and has been immersed in a diverse range of music ever since. Clive’s father made him his first banjo in 1977 and a few years later he began to learn Bluegrass and Irish music. During his pre-teens Clive played banjo in the family band and by the age of eleven he had picked up the guitar. Throughout his teenage years, he also played at local venues in rock bands, funk & soul bands, a country group and several orchestras.
In 1998, he gained a 1st Class Honours degree in Composition & Guitar from Trinity College, London. Throughout the college years Clive was also awarded many prizes including: John Halford Prize for Composition (1994), Gladys Puttick Memorial Prize for Extemporisation (‘94,’98), Ivor Mairants Guitar Award (1997), Montagu Cleeve Prize for Guitar (1998) and Essex Young Musician of the Year (1999).
Whilst at college, Clive was also awarded a concerto prize and recorded Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' with the Trinity orchestra.
In 1998, he was given the opportunity to play at his local pub with John Renbourn. That night Renbourn encouraged him to record a solo album, and finally in 1999 after playing a support to Chris Newman & Maire Ni Chathasaigh, Clive was given his first record deal by their Celtic label, ‘Old Bridge Music’. His first solo CD, Sixth Sense received an unusually high level of attention from radio shows, reviewers and journalists and has since been described as ‘a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar’. Over the next two years John Renbourn took Clive on tour all over Europe and America.
In 2002 the BMG/RCA record label took an interest in Clive. He recorded solo for them on one album, which is still selling very well.
Over the past two years Clive has toured as a solo performer and he has also played alongside many great artists in the traditional Irish, acoustic, and pop/rock worlds.
His long awaited 2nd solo album, The Red Guitar was released on 25 Nov 2004 and contains eleven original pieces as well as works by Gilbert Biberian & Wayne Shorter.
He lives in London, and has two beautiful children. When he’s not changing nappies you can find him on the local tennis court or at the Rose & Crown pub in Stoke Newington.
Czardas
Mississippi Blues
Eliza's Eyes
Press Reviews
'Carroll manages to couch the seemingly slight-of-hand technical abilities of a Legg or Akkerman in a musical context that's always passionate, warm, richly organic and consistently welcoming'
Guitar Magazine
'a milestone on the journey of the steel string guitar'
This years festival is headlined by Billy Bragg (Friday), Seth Lakeman (Sunday) and Peatbog Faeries (Saturday) with many more top artists also performing incl the award winning The Demon Barbers.
"Music has always been a place where anything is possible - a refuge, a magical world where anyone can go, all kinds of people can come together, and anything can happen. We are limited only by our imagination. I believe that what we do and learn inside the world of music can affect what goes on in the world in a big, positive way. Music is so important - like food and water. There are so many possibilities, and many doors yet to opened." (Bill Frisell)
Hi Clive, just to thank you again for yet another brilliant performance here on Saturday. Love the new album too. We do hope you'll be back again soon! M
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