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Gordon was born on 6 April 1948, at the British Home for Mothers and Babies in Brenchley, Kent. The son of a labourer, he grew up in an austere but protective community of terraced houses in Deptford, south-east London. His obsession with stringed instruments began nine years later, when a friend turned up at the house with an out-of-tune Spanish guitar. Keen to encourage his new hobby, his parents bought him a plastic ukulele with a picture of Elvis on the headstock, then a Martin Coletti archtop jazz guitar with a sunburst finish and a brown canvas case. Without a teacher to guide him, Gordon unwittingly taught himself a hybrid technique of plectrum and little finger, but in doing so, created the individual sound that is still his trademark.

Gordon joined his first band when barely in his teens, and relished the opportunity to play songs by his idols - Cliff Richard, The Shadows and The Everly Brothers. He set his sights on Art College, but bowed to his father's insistence that he learn "a trade", and unenthusiastically grafted his way through a series of unrewarding jobs. He continued to play the guitar in his spare time, and in November 1966, his individuality and passion earned him a recording contract with Transatlantic. Gordon served his apprenticeship as a singer/songwriter on the London folk club circuit, and his self-titled debut album was released in 1968. Each subsequent album broke new ground, and he developed a extraordinary repertoire while establishing a reputation for thrilling live performances.

In the late Seventies, Gordon enjoyed a brief spell as a pop star, with a hit album (Perilous Journey) and two hit singles ('Heartsong' and 'Fear of the Dark'). 'Heartsong' was nominated for an Ivor Novello award, and is fondly remembered as the theme tune to the BBC's Holiday programme. 'Fear of the Dark' was the first 12-inch colour picture disc to be released in the UK, and featured a heavily-made-up and unflattering image of what was then being marketed as The Gordon Giltrap Band. All the musical trends at the time were moving away from acoustic music, and Gordon retreated gracefully from the pop spotlight.

Over the years, Gordon has worked with an amazingly broad range of artists, from rock musicians such as Brian May, Rick Wakeman and Midge Ure to the jazz virtuoso Martin Taylor, the classical guitarist Raymond Burley and the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1996, Gordon realised a dream of playing guitar alongside Cliff Richard, on stage in Cliff's West End musical Heathcliff. As well as performing in the role of The Troubadour, Gordon arranged the overture and wrote two pieces of music.

Gordon has been a keen supporter of arthritis and leukaemia charities. In 2000 Gordon felt very honoured to be invited to become a member of The Grand Order of Water Rats...The GOWR is the oldest show business charity in the UK and has among its members Rick Wakeman, Brian May, John Lodge (Moody Blues), Joe Brown, Bert Weedon, Jim Marshall and recently Nico McBrain the drummer with Iron Maiden. Past Water Rats include Charlie Chaplin, Sir John Mills, Tommy Cooper and many more. His first performance DVD - Live At Huntingdon Hall - was released in 2003, and reveals the ample skill and charm of one of this country's national treasures. In 2005, Gordon staged a special concert at Birmingham Symphony Hall, performing his own compositions as a solo artist, with guest musicians from contrasting disciplines, and with the Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra.

Gordon's music continues to evade categorisation, influenced as it is by the rock guitar of Hank Marvin and Pete Townshend, the folk guitar of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, and the classical guitar of Julian Bream and John Williams. He has released 25 original studio albums, plus numerous live albums and compilations. There is currently no sign of Gordon hanging up his guitars, and he still performs dozens of concerts a year around the country, earning the respect of fans and fellow musicians alike. >

Graham Hazelwood (March 2006)