Our new playlist of the best new Americana we’ve heard over the last month is out later today exclusively for AUK supporters which includes new tracks by Fruit Bats, Robbie Fulks, Margo Price, MJ Lenderman and Charley Crockett among others – as always we trawl through the best Americana we’ve heard recently so you don’t have to. And our giveaway this month is two tickets for one lucky supporter to see pioneering singer, songwriter and guitarist John Smith live, an artist who has been at the forefront of British folk and roots music for twenty years and who is heading around the UK for an extensive run of dates from next month, beginning on October 21st in Wolverhampton and concluding on December 18th at London’s famed Union Chapel.
Smith has amassed over 125 million Spotify streams and played his songs all over the world. He cut his teeth opening for the late, great John Martyn, and has since worked with a host of artists including Sarah Jarosz, the Milk Carton Kids, Patty Griffin, Joan Baez, David Gray, Tom Jones and Jackson Browne. As he marks his 20th anniversary in music this October, John’s new release Gatherings celebrates, revisits, and reimagines songs from his first three albums, with brand new interpretations of his own and audience favourites from over 2,000 live shows. Reflecting on these treasured compositions, John said: “I’ve learnt as time goes on that the songwriter isn’t necessarily in charge of the songs. Sometimes it feels as if it’s the other way round, that a song will reveal itself fully when it’s ready to be sung.”
Gatherings features guest appearances from Lisa Hannigan, The Staves, Siobhan Miller, and Dan Mangan (all on vocals), Adam Levy (guitar) and Nick Pini (bass). It was produced by John and mixed by Ryan Freeland (Bonnie Raitt, Aimee Mann, Joe Henry, Ray LaMontagne).
First single “Salty and Sweet” (featuring Lisa Hannigan) is out now – you can watch it below – about which John shared: “One morning in 2010, I woke up with this song in my head, sung in Lisa’s voice. The thing is, I didn’t yet know Lisa. I met her a little while after and told her about it. She told me that I should sing it myself, but she’d be happy to duet. This song is the one people always shout out for, it gets the biggest singalong at the end of a show. I wanted to record a version with just Lisa and I in the studio, no frills, as if we were sharing a mic in a room full of people.” You can pre-order the new album from this link and head over to this link for tickets for the shows.
You can become an AUK supporter for as little as £2.99 a month for which princely sum you will receive a monthly exclusive supporters playlist along with being entered into our monthly prize draw. Thanks for your support.
John Smith UK dates 2025:
21 October – Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton
22 October – Y Theatre, Leicester
23 October – Pavilion Arts Centre, Buxton
24 October – St Michael’s Church Hall, Liverpool
25 October – St Michael’s Church Hall, Liverpool
26 October – Hallé St Peter’s, Manchester
30 October – The Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio, Norwich
31 October – St Stephen’s Church, Ipswich
01 November – The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham
02 November – Bristol Beacon, Bristol
05 November – The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington
06 November – Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
07 November – The David Hall, South Petherton
08 November – The Brook, Southampton
12 November – City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds
13 November – Wylam Brewery Tap, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
14 November – The Mackintosh Church, Glasgow
15 November – Brewery Arts, Kendal
16 November – Acapela Studio, Cardiff
18 December – Union Chapel, London
