Glasgow
John Smith
Born in Essex, raised by the Devon seaside, and making his bones in the bars and clubs of Liverpool, John Smith boasts over 100 million Spotify streams.
He has played to audiences all over the world in living rooms, festival tents and sold-out concert halls, barely pausing for breath during his eighteen years as a full-time independent touring musician.
Steeped in the lineage of British folk and American guitar music, taking his cue from Richard Thompson, John Martyn and Ry Cooder, Smith has evolved a transatlantic blend of fingerstyle and slide guitar techniques.
His deeply romantic and vivid songwriting, combined with his innovative guitar work, have won him a loyal following.
His honey-on-gravel voice and mesmerizing fingerstyle guitar are undeniable. Sometimes using a slide, sometimes with guitar on his lap, sometimes detuning mid-song or pulling subtle expressions out of an array of effect pedals, Smith’s obsession with the instrument has made a master of him.
Whether by way of an album or a live show, he always leads the listener on a viscerally emotional journey
His career began opening for folk greats including John Martyn, Davy Graham and John Renbourn, who called him “the future of folk music.”
John Smith Tickets
Most Popular Shows and Events in Liverpool
Matilda The Musical
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tue 2 Dec 2025 - Sun 4 Jan 2026
Only Fools and Horses The Musical
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Mon 9 - Sat 21 Jun 2025
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tue 15 - Sun 20 Jul 2025
Fawlty Towers - The Play
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tue 11 - Sat 15 Nov 2025
TINA - The Tina Turner Musical
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tue 12 - Sat 23 Aug 2025
