John Smith is a guitar man from Devon. He is twenty-seven. He is quietly becoming recognized as one of the most exciting voices on the British Folk scene. He has spent several years solidly on the road, touring with folk legend John Martyn and accompanying Davy Graham on his final tour. He has also supported John Renbourn, David Gray, Martin Carthy, Jools Holland, Tunng, and has shared the stage with Cara Dillon, James Yorkston, Martin Simpson and Ben Ottewell. This year John stormed Glastonbury and Cambridge.
At the end of 2008, armed with a laptop and a couple of microphones, John drove around the USA's deep south recording in forests, under bridges, on the bayou and in motel toilets. The result is his new record MAP OR DIRECTION.
John's first record, The Fox and The Monk, is now SOLD OUT but there are copies of the Live At The Roundhouse CD/DVD available from store.cmplive.com
"Spellbinding" - Time Out
"A guitar genius...He sounds as though he arrived 60 years ago but looks startlingly young, perched on a chair, quietly confident, charming and instantly engaging." - The Sun
"One man, a guitar and an incredible voice...mesmerising" - bbc.co.uk
"He sings melodic, epic narratives that are at once haunting and lively...John Smith breaks the old folk paradigm" - Miami Herald
"He possesses a common name but a rare talent" - The Independent
"The playing style he adopts may cause your jaw to hit the floor…he has all the flair for the gathering storm that made Jeff Buckley so attractive...one hesitates to mention Nick Drake but well, one already has done.” – Word Magazine
"His performance was an object lesson in how taste and imagination always outweigh mere musical virtuosity...unexpected and daring" - The Sunday Times
"John Smith continually swoons audiences with his own strain of nu-folk. It is only a matter of time before he is enormous." - NME
"Too good to be true" - Rock and Reel
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I'm absolutely loving it all - amazing sound. Hope to come and catch you live in Leeds. Take care and enjoy touring. x stef
