John Renbourn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Renbourn
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John Renbourn on the Custom House Square stage at New Bedford Summerfest 2005
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| Background information | |
| Born | 8 August 1944 Marylebone, London, England |
| Died | 26 March 2015 (aged 70) Hawick, Scotland |
| Genres | Folk, folk baroque, folk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Acoustic guitar, sitar, cittern, recorder, piano, Shakuhachi |
| Years active | 1961–2015 |
| Associated acts | Pentangle The John Renbourn Group Ship of Fools |
John Renbourn (born August 8, 1944 – died March 26, 2015) was an amazing English guitarist and songwriter. He was famous for working with another guitarist named Bert Jansch. He was also a key member of the folk group Pentangle. Even while in the band, he kept up his own solo music career. Later, he played in a duo with Stefan Grossman.
While many people called him a folk musician, John Renbourn loved many types of music. He enjoyed early music (music from long ago), classical music, jazz, blues, and even world music. His album Sir John Alot (released in 1968) was very important. On it, he played his own versions of songs from the Middle Ages.
Contents
Biography
How John Renbourn Started in Music
John Renbourn learned to play classical guitar when he was in school. This is when he first discovered early music. In the 1950s, a music style called skiffle became very popular. Skiffle was a type of folk music that mixed jazz, blues, and country. It used homemade or simple instruments. John was greatly influenced by this. It led him to explore the music of artists like Lead Belly, Josh White, and Big Bill Broonzy.
In the 1960s, a new music style called Rhythm and Blues became popular. John Renbourn also felt the impact of guitarist Davey Graham. In 1961, John toured the South West of England with Mac MacLeod. They did this tour again in 1963. After returning, Renbourn and MacLeod recorded a demo tape together. John also played briefly in an R&B band while studying art in London.
Playing in London's Folk Scene
At this time, the British folk revival was happening. This meant traditional folk music was becoming popular again. Many folk clubs preferred old, unaccompanied folk songs. Guitar players were not always welcome. However, a place called the Roundhouse in London was more open-minded. Here, John Renbourn joined blues and gospel singer Dorris Henderson. He played guitar for her and they recorded two albums together.
One of the most famous places for folk music in London in the early 1960s was Les Cousins. It was on Greek Street in Soho. This club became a main meeting spot for guitar players and songwriters from Britain and America. Around 1963, John Renbourn met guitarist Bert Jansch. Bert had moved to London from Edinburgh. Together, they created a special way of playing guitar duets. This style became known as folk baroque. Their album Bert and John is a great example of their music.
Solo Albums and Forming Pentangle
John Renbourn released several solo albums in the 1960s. These were on the Transatlantic record label. Two of his albums, Sir John Alot and Lady and the Unicorn, show his unique guitar style. They also show the kinds of songs he played during this time. Sir John Alot mixes jazz, blues, and folk with a more classical or early music feel. Lady and the Unicorn was strongly influenced by his love for early music.
Around this time, John also started playing with Jacqui McShee. She sang traditional English folk songs. He also played with American fiddler Sue Draheim. John, Jacqui, Bert Jansch, bassist Danny Thompson, and drummer Terry Cox then formed the band Pentangle. The group became very successful. They toured America in 1968. They even played at famous venues like Carnegie Hall and the Newport Folk Festival.
Later Career and Collaborations
After Pentangle, John Renbourn continued to record more solo albums in the 1970s and 1980s. Much of this music was based on traditional songs with a Celtic influence. He also mixed in other styles. In the late 1970s, he worked with American guitarist Stefan Grossman. They recorded two albums together. Their music sometimes reminded people of his folk baroque days with Bert Jansch.
In the mid-1980s, John Renbourn went back to university. He studied composition at Dartington College of Arts. After this, he mainly focused on writing classical music. However, he still performed folk music. He also played acoustic guitars for the movie soundtrack Scream for Help. This was a project with his neighbor, John Paul Jones.
In 1988, John briefly formed a group called Ship of Fools. The band included Tony Roberts (flute), Maggie Boyle (lyrics, other instruments), and Steve Tilston (guitar). They recorded one album with the same name.
Continuing to Tour and Record
John Renbourn kept recording and touring. He toured the US with Archie Fisher. In 2005, he toured Japan for the fifth time with Tokio Uchida and Woody Mann. In 2006, he played at many places in England. This included the Green Man Festival in Wales. He also performed with Robin Williamson and with Jacqui McShee. That same year, he worked on a new solo album. He also worked with Clive Carroll on the music for the film Driving Lessons.
In 2011, he released Palermo Snow. This album had many instrumental guitar solos. It also featured clarinetist Dick Lee. The main song, "Palermo Snow," mixes classical, folk, jazz, and blues music. This song was different because it had a classical base, with other styles mixed in. Usually, his core style was blues, folk, or jazz.
From 2012, he toured with Wizz Jones. They played a mix of solo and duo songs. John Renbourn had appeared on Wizz Jones's album Lucky the Man (2001). Other former members of Pentangle were also on that album. In 2016, an album by John and Wizz, called Joint Control, was released.
John Renbourn passed away on March 26, 2015. He died from a heart attack at his home in Hawick, Scotland. He was 70 years old.
Discography
See also
In Spanish: John Renbourn para niños
