John Smith doesn’t like to sit still for long. His fifth album, due out in May, will be called Headlong – a fitting title for a record written during touring stints with Lianne La Havas, Lisa Hannigan and others, not to mention his own solo dates. Presented with the opportunity to settle down and write, Smith got itchy feet and hit the road again. “I felt like I had time on my hands, and I thought rather than go home and try to write where it just didn’t feel natural, I wanted to keep on touring. It felt right,” he said. It was while Smith was on the road that he got the news that his close friend, Pentangle’s John Renbourn, had died, and the new album is dedicated to his memory. “He was so much more to me than someone I’d played with, and who had encouraged me,” Smith said. “He was a friend as well, so I wanted to reference him on this album – that’s why I’ve dedicated it to his memory.” We’re delighted to bring you the first premiere from the new record, ‘Far Too Good’, which fans who have seen him live lately will recognise as the regular opening song on the setlist. “This is one of my favourites from the new batch, I’ve opened all my live shows with this lately,” he said. “It’s one of those songs that wrote itself, a rare occurrence – I’d just got off the phone with a friend who was having a hard time, so this one is for him”. Headlong is due out on May 12, but in keeping with Smith’s restless nature, it’s not the only project he’s been working on – he will also appear on Joan Baez’s next record and is due to work with Martin Simpson. And of course he’s heading out on tour in support of the new record – you can find the extensive list of dates below.
Upcoming live dates:
29 March BRIGHTON Komedia – Tickets
31 March LEEDS Howard Assembly Room – Tickets
1 April SHEFFIELD Upper Chapel – Tickets
2 April BIRMINGHAM Glee Club – Tickets
3 April EXETER Phoenix
4 April BRISTOL The Lantern – Tickets
6 April LONDON Union Chapel – Tickets
7 April MANCHESTER Dancehouse – Tickets
Euro Headline Tour
9 April AMSTERDAM Paradiso – Tickets
19 April FELDKIRCH Theater Am Saumarkt – Tickets
20 April VIENNA Haus der Musik – Tickets
21 April COLOGNE Theater der Wohngemeinschaft – Tickets
22 April STADE Hanse Song Festival – Tickets
23 April BERLIN Grüner Salon – Tickets
24 April MÜNSTER Pension Schmidt – Tickets
26 April ODENSE Dexter – Tickets
27 April COPENHAGEN Beta – Tickets
29 April BASEL-CITY Parterre
30 April WINTERHUR Albani
1 May AARAU Tuchlaube
4 May BARCELONA Antiga Fàbrica Damm – Tickets
7 May ZARAGOZA Delicias – Tickets
8 May CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA Teatra Del Raval – Tickets
10 May FERROL Centro cultural Torrente Ballester – Tickets
Summer Festivals
22 July Deer Shed Festival 8
31 Aug-3 Sept End Of The Road