About

John Smith has built a reputation as one of the UK’s finest guitarists and songwriters.

Born in Essex, raised by the Devon seaside and making his bones in the bars and clubs of Liverpool, England’s one and only John Smith has been at the pioneering forefront of British Folk Guitar Music for twenty years. He has amassed over 100 million Spotify streams and played his songs all over the world. He cut his teeth opening for John Martyn and has since played with Joan Baez, Jackson Browne, Sarah Jarosz, Lisa Hannigan, David Gray, The Milk Carton Kids, Roseanne Cash, Jerry Douglas and Richard Hawley. His seventh album ‘The Living Kind’, produced by Joe Henry, is a soulful and intimate exploration of emotional, Americana-influenced atmospherics. John will be releasing a new album later in 2025.

Steeped in the lineage of British folk, taking his cue from Richard Thompson and John Martyn, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of fingerstyle and slide guitar techniques. John’s intimate takes on love, loss and the journey we make, combined with his innovative guitar work, have won him a loyal following. His honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerizing fingerstyle guitar are undeniable. Sometimes using a slide, sometimes with guitar on his lap, sometimes detuning mid-song, Smith’s obsession with the instrument has made a master of him. Whether by way of album or concert, he leads the listener, enthralled in his presence, on a viscerally emotional journey.

Zac looks after John Smith in the UK & Europe.