Turning Pirate Presents: John Smith

“There’s something wonderfully unforced about both his playing and his vocals...in the

weight of experience that he brings to his songs...it’s rare these days to find an audience

so wrapped up in a performance”

- Simon O'Hagan, The Independent

“You’re smiling even as tears catch in your throat.” -MOJO

“Far from the connotations his name brings, John Smith is one of a kind.” -Wonderland

“Refreshing openness and honesty.” -Total Guitar

“He’s a magician.” -Ben Howard

“I believe in John Smith; his motivations are pure, his vision is straight, his music is

honest and true.” -Kelly Joe Phelps

“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

“the guitarists’ guitarist” -The Sunday Times

“Staggeringly good.” -Acoustic Magazine

Renowned folk artist John Smith hails from the English seaside in

Devon and has long had links to Ireland, not least thanks to his long standing

touring relationships with Lisa Hannigan and Cara Dillon.

John Smith will return this autumn for three intimate live shows, at Coughlans, Cork

on Thursday 20th October and Friday 21st October, as well as at The Grand Social,

Dublin on Saturday 22nd October, presented by Turing Pirate.

Tickets €20 (Cork) and €16 (Dublin) on sale

now from johnsmithjohnsmith.com

Known for his intimate songwriting, his honey-on-gravel voice and pioneering guitar

playing, John Smith has spent the last fifteen years touring internationally and has

amassed over 80 million streams on Spotify. As a session musician he has played

guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas

and Tom Jones.

John Smith says: “As long as I have been touring and releasing records, Ireland has

been the real touchstone. My audience has grown from those first bar gigs, fifteen

years ago, to headline shows across the country. I feel so fortunate to have found a

place in this musical country where I can play my songs to the best audience in the

world. The support I’ve received from radio & media has been so generous and

instrumental in making the whole thing work. I can’t wait to get back there and

sing these new songs to people I haven’t seen in three years.”

John Smith’s most recent album ‘The Fray’ - his sixth studio album - garnered praise

from folk music aficionados across the globe, with Americana UK saying, “Everything

about this album reaches deep.”

Smith co-produced ‘The Fray’ with long-time friend and producer Sam Lakeman.

They recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio, with pianist Jason Rebello (Sting,

John Mayer), bass player Ben Nicholls (Seth Lakeman, Nadine Shah), Drummer Jay

Sikora (Paolo Nutini) and Jessica Staveley-Taylor of The Staves. The album is a true

reflection of the times, with American collaborators Sarah Jarosz, Courtney Hartman,

The Milk Carton Kids and Bill Frisell recording remotely and sending contributions

over international borders. Lisa Hannigan contributed via a virtual studio session in

Dublin.

Smith co-wrote a couple of songs for the album whilst on tour before the pandemic.

Driving a rental car from Asheville to Nashville, John stopped to write the standout

track ‘Eye to Eye’ with North Carolina-based Sarah Siskind. The Americana influence

is a thread throughout the album which beautifully compliments Smith’s

unmistakeable British Folk roots.

Connect with John Smith

www.johnsmithjohnsmith.com

- ENDS -

For more information

Sheena Madden, Amplify Agency

+353 87 245 8046

sheena@amplifyagency.ie

For interview requests please contact Sheena Madden at the details above.

Recommended radio track:

‘Star Crossed Lovers (feat. Lisa Hannigan)’