A BIT ABOUT THE ARTISTS.... Gary Grainger

GARY GRAINGER (Featured on the CD)

Gary’s musical apprenticeship began in the working men’s clubs of the North East of England in the early seventies where, among other stories too wild to tell here, he supported Bill Haley & The Comets. At the same time a revolution was happening in his head – he’d listened to radio shows by Mike Raven, Alexis Korner & John Peel – and he heard THE BLUES. Since that time the blues has been a strong influence on everything Gary has played – one Country & Western Band leader told Gary: “Stop Playing The Blues – or go join a Blues Band” – advice which Gary promptly followed.

But it has always been acoustic music in general, and the Blues in particular, that have held their place in Gary’s heart and he currently presents an eclectic mix of Blues and Americana at pubs and festivals around the North East of England.

Gary’s current acoustic set includes a mixture of traditional & modern blues tunes, featuring Gary’s lived-in voice & dextrous fingerpicking & slide guitar. His set also includes songs not so much from left field, rather from the West Coast – of the USA. Gary features songs by bands such as Little Feat, Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers - & ZZ Top!

In 2012, Gary headlined the Acoustic Stage at Durham Blues Festival when he played guitar for Jo Harman, and has played recent support slots with Guy Tortora and Kirsten Thien (both from the USA), Mitch Laddie, Virgil & The Accelerators, Trevor Sewell & Dave Arcari.

2013 festival gigs include Durham & Cleethorpes Blues Festivals, Maryport, Colne (where he presented The British Blues Awards) & Newark (where he was also main stage MC). Now in his 60th year, Gary has decided it is time to record his solo CD, which should be available at this summer’s gigs.