John Renbourn (born August 8, 1944, Marylebone, North London, England) is a British guitarist and songwriter. He is possibly best-known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career both before, during and after that band's existence (1967-1973). August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Marylebone (sometimes written St. ... North London is that part of London which is north of the River Thames. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Pentangle is a British folk-rock band. ...

While most commonly labelled a folk musician, Renbourn's musical tastes and interests take in early music, classical music, blues and world music. His most influential album, Sir John Alot (1968), featured his take on songs from the Medieval era. Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ... The blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on the use of the blue notes and a repetitive pattern that typically follows a twelve-bar structure. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Career

John Renbourn studied classical guitar at school and it was during this period that he was introduced to Early Music. In the 1950s, along with many others, he was greatly influenced by the musical craze of "Skiffle" and this eventually led him to explore the work of artists such as Leadbelly, Josh White and Big Bill Broonzy. Doghouse Skiffle Group Skiffle is a type of folk music with a jazz and blues influence, usually using homemade or improvised instruments such as the washboard, tea chest bass, kazoo, cigar-box fiddle, musical saw, comb and paper, and so forth, as well as more conventional instruments such as acoustic... Leadbelly, also known as Lead Belly (born Huddie William Ledbetter; January 20, 1889 (although this is debatable) - December 6, 1949), was an American folk and blues musician, notable for his clear and forceful singing, his virtuosity on the twelve string guitar, and the rich songbook of folk standards he introduced. ... Josh White (born Josha Daniel White in Greensboro, North Carolina, February 11, 1914 or 1915; d. ... Big Bill Broonzy (1893 or 1898-1958) was a prolific United States composer, recorder and performer of blues songs. ...

In the 1960s the new craze in popular music was Rhythm and Blues, also the impact of Davey Graham was being felt. In 1961 Renbourn toured the South West with Mac MacLeod and repeated the tour in 1963. Renbourn briefly played in an R'n'B band while studying at the Kingston College of Art in London. Although the British 'Folk Revival' was underway at this time, most folk clubs were biased towards traditional, unaccompanied folk songs and guitar players were not always welcome. However the Roundhouse in London had a more tolerant attitude and here, John Renbourn joined Blues and Gospel singer Dorris Henderson, playing backing guitar and recording two albums with her. Hat, released in 1969 Davey Graham (originally Davy Graham, b. ... Keith MacLeod (known as Mac MacLeod) is a British musician. ... The Roundhouse was built in 1847 as a turntable engine shed for the London and Birmingham Railway at Chalk Farm (near Camden Town), in London, England. ...

Possibly the best known London venue for contemporary folk music in the early 1960s was "Les Cousins" in Greek Street, Soho, which became the main meeting place for guitar players and contemporary singer-songwriters from Britain and America. Around 1963, Renbourn teamed up with guitarist Bert Jansch who was visiting London from Edinburgh and together they developed an intricate duet style that became known as "folk baroque". Their album "Bert and John" is a fine example of their playing. The 1970 album: 49 Greek St, produced by Sandy Roberton Les Cousins was a folk and blues club in the basement of a restaurant in Greek Street, in the Soho district of London. ... Soho is an area of central Londons West End, in the borough of the City of Westminster. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...

Renbourn released several albums on the Transatlantic label during the 1960s. Two of them, "Sir John Alot" and "Lady And The Unicorn" sum up Renbourn's playing style and material from this period. "Sir John Alot" has a mixture of jazz/blues/folk playing alongside a more classical/early music style. "Lady And The Unicorn" is heavily influenced by Renbourn's interest in early music. Transatlantic Records was an independent British record label. ...

At around this time, Renbourn also started playing with Jacqui McShee who sang traditional British folk songs. Together with Bert Jansch, bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Terry Cox, they went on to form Pentangle. The group became very successful, touring America in 1968, playing at the Carnegie Hall and at the Newport Folk Festival. Jacqui McShee is an English singer. ... The Newport Folk Festival is an annual folk-oriented music festival founded in 1959 by George Wein, founder of the already-well-established Newport Jazz Festival, and his partner, Albert Grossman. ...

Renbourn went on to record more solo albums in the Seventies and Eighties. Much of the music is based on traditional material with a Celtic influence, interwoven with other styles. He also collaborated with American guitarist Stefan Grossman in the late 1970s recording two albums with him, which at times hark back to the folk baroque days with Bert Jansch. Stefan Grossman is a New York guitarist. ...

In the mid-1980s Renbourn went back to university to earn a degree in composition, since which time he has focused mainly on writing classical music, while still performing in folk settings.

Renbourn continues to record and tour. In 2005 he toured Japan (his fifth tour of that country) with Tokio Uchida and Woody Mann. In 2006 he played at number of venues in England, including appearances with Robin Williamson and with Jacqui McShee. In the same year, he was working on a new solo album and collaborated with Clive Carroll on the score for the film Driving Lessons directed by Jeremy Brock. Tokio Uchida (1958 – ) is an influential acoustic guitar player who combines elements of American country blues with musical influences from his native Japan. ... Woody Mann is an American acoustic guitarist. ... Robin Williamson (born 1943, Edinburgh) is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist musician. ... Jacqui McShee is an English singer. ... Driving Lessons (2006), written and directed by Jeremy Brock, is a coming-of-age story that centres on Ben (Rupert Grint), the shy son of a vicar. ...

Guitars

In Renbourn's early recordings, he was using a Scarth guitar. Scarths were British-made guitars, mainly used by dance band players, having maple back and sides, arched top, and tailpiece (like most jazz guitars), but featuring a round soundhole. The guitar is clearly visible on the cover of the 1965 John Renbourn album.

In the mid 1960s, he acquired a Gibson J-50. This was the main acoustic guitar that he used through the late 1960s and early 1970s: for example, he is seen playing it in the cover picture of the 1971 Faro Annie album. Through that period, he also used a Gibson ES-335 "dot", semi-acoustic guitar, playing it fingerstyle as well as for lead lines. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Gibson ES-335 was the worlds first commercial semi-hollowbody electric guitar, released by Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1958. ...

In the mid 1970s, Renbourn acquired a Guild D-55 which he used on several albums, including his collaborations with Stefan Grossman. Later in the 1970s, having seen the Franklin guitar owned by Grossman, he started using a Franklin OM guitar, based on the style of Martin OM guitars, made by Nick Kukich who founded the Franklin guitar company. Renbourn continues to use this guitar and another OM-style instrument, made by Ralph Bown in 1985. The Guild Guitar Company is a USA based guitar manufacturer begun in 1952 by Alfred Dronge. ... C.F. Martin & Company (Martin) is a US guitar manufacturer that was established in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin. ...

Discography

Solo albums

• John Renbourn (1965)
• Another Monday (1967)
• Sir John A Lot of Merry Englandes Musyk Thynge and ye Grene Knyghte (1968)
• The Lady and the Unicorn (1970)
• Faro Annie (1972)
• So Clear (1973)
• Heads and Tails (1973)
• The Guitar of John Renbourn (1976, released 2005, aka The Guitar Artistry of John Renbourn)
• The Hermit (1976)
• The Black Balloon (1979)
• One Morning Very Early (1979)
• Under the Volcano (1980)
• Enchanted Garden (1980)
• The Nine Maidens (1986)
• Shines Bright (1987)
• Folk Blues of John Renbourn (1988)
• Medieval Almanac (1989)
• Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1995)
• Lost Sessions (1996)
• Traveller's Prayer (1998)

The Black Balloon is a 1979 album by John Renbourn. ... The Nine Maidens is a 1985 album by John Renbourn. ... Travellers Prayer is a 1998 album by John Renbourn. ...

Group albums

With The John Renbourn Group

• A Maid in Bedlam (1977)
• The Enchanted Garden (1980)

With Ship of Fools A Maid in Bedlam is a 1977 album by The John Renbourn Group. ...

• Ship of Fools (1988)

Collaborations

With Dorris Henderson

• There You Go (1965)
• Watch the Stars (1967)

With Stefan Grossman

• Live In (1978)
• John Renbourn and Stefan Grossman (1978)
• Keeper of the Vine (1982)
• The Three Kingdoms (1986)
• Snap a Little Owl (1997)

With Bert Jansch

• Bert and John (1966)
• After The Dance (1992)

With Bert Jansch and Conundrum

• Thirteen Down (1979)

Compilations

• The Essential Collection Vol 1: The Soho Years (1986)
• The Essential Collection Vol 2: The Moon Shines Bright (1987)
• Essential John Renbourn (1992)
• Collection (1995)
• Definitive Transatlantic Collection (1998)

Live albums

• Live in America (1981) - The John Renbourn Group
• Live ... In Concert (1984) - John Renbourn and Stefan Grossman.

DVDs

• Rare Performances 1965 - 1995 (2004)
• In Concert (2004)

External links

• john-renbourn.com
• John Renbourn Official Home Page
• John Renbourn website
• The Complete John Renbourn Discography Listings at the Folk Blues & Beyond website