VENUES & EVENTS
A weekly club in Birmingham UK founded by myself and bass player Ken Stratford. It features local and national artists, and always has an open mic. session to start off the evening. Ken and myself have recently handed over the batten of the weekly running to ace harp player Tony Stokes...but we won't be strangers there....
Huge free festival featuring a range of venues and a vast range of entertainment..and it's all free. I always try and play this event as it is such fun. 10-12th September 2010.
I'll be attending the Mojo Guitar fairs through the year with my range of cigar box guitars and accessories...check the website for one near you. At Mojo Guitar Fairs you will find a wide range of new, second hand and vintage guitars (electric / acoustic), amps and accessories. Very friendly and local, and some great bargains to be had.
Another chance to get your hands on my guitars at shows throughout the North of England at Haydock Park, Leeds, Middlesborough and Merseyside. I'll be dem-oing them live and loud of course! Please check the website for dates and venues.
MUSICIANS
This is my band. The line-up is always fluid, as we have such a great pool of local musicians to draw from, but we always have fun, and hope our audiences do too.
Check it out for clips old and new.
The master of lo-fi thrash punk blues. It's a cliche to say it but....he's the UK's answer to Seasick Steve..in overdrive.
Founder of Sutton Blues Collective and a great bluesman. Paul's gives unstinting and generous support to everything he's involved in, and without a doubt, the local blues scene just wouldn't exist without him.
Brilliant UK blues guitarist and singer. In my opinion, Jim's guitar workshops are the best I've come across: don't miss the opportunity to learn with this quietly spoken wizzard of the strings.
A useful contact point for slide and resonator guitar enthusiasts, hosted by ace UK slide player Michael Messer.
A great USA guitar player - larger than life personality and the master of string-twanging deep Delta blues. Regularly tours the UK - don't miss him next time he's in your town!
A uniquely powerful player and raconteur of the blues. Lapstyle slide, harp and kalimba, played by a truck-driving Vietnam vet member of Mensa...what a character!!
The best old-timey music band out there - bar none! A trio of multi instumentalists reclaiming American string band music for today's society. Simply outstanding.
A young UK outfit at the cutting edge of contemporary blues-influenced music, combining old-timey sensibilities with a modern vibe. Very cool, very mellow..and always coming up with something new and surprising.
CIGAR BOX GUITAR, STRINGS, PARTS etc
A great website resource for all things cigar box guitar
A mainstay of the UK CBG scene - Ben's presence permeated the first UK Cigar Box Guitar Festival. An enthusiastic and helpful bloke.
The most immaculately crafted cigar box guitars EVER. Up there with the top flight luthiers, the attention to detail and craftsmanship is unbelievable - great hand wound pickups too. As played by Hollowbelly.
For cheap strings, the only place to go.....it's where I buy ALL my strings from. Good prices, wide range, cheap & quick delivery, personal service (I sometimes even have my order delivered personally!)...you won't go into a music shop again to buy strings after buying from here.
Excellent resophonic guitars at a great price. In collaboration with Michael Messer, the company have paid attention to authentic 1930s specifications and details to produce a range of impressive guitars at an affordable price.
