Glenn Kimpton

Glenn Kimpton

Glenn Kimpton is a freelance writer based in the west of England. His interest in English folk music came through players like Chris Wood and Martin Carthy, who also steered him towards alternate guitar tunings. From there, the solo acoustic instrumental genre, sometimes called American Primitive, became more important, with guitarists like Jack Rose, Glenn Jones and Robbie Basho eventually giving way to more contemporary players like William Tyler and Nick Jonah Davis. Most recently, Glenn has focused on a more improvised and experimental side to solo acoustic playing, both through his writing and his own music, with players like Bill Orcutt and Tashi Dorji being particularly significant.

Articles by: Glenn Kimpton

Xander and the Peace Pirates

Meet Xander & the Peace Pirates, the triple-guitar band discovered by an ex-Gibson CEO, featuring Liverpool's answer to Stevie Ray Vaughan

By Glenn Kimpton published

Henry Juszkiewicz broke the UK blues-rock outfit – they explain how they balance three distinctly different guitar styles

The Blackheart Orchestra

Two people, 13 instruments, countless happy accidents and a Hawaiian Gretsch: Inside The Blackheart Orchestra’s horizon-chasing sound

By Glenn Kimpton published

Chrissy Mostyn and Rick Pilkington explain how a project that started with just one acoustic guitar and two voices has become “the smallest orchestra in the world”

AA Williams

A.A. Williams: “I didn’t have lessons or learn other people’s tabs or anything. I think there’s a punk-rock quality in that”

By Glenn Kimpton published

A pianist and cellist who never learned to play guitar in standard tuning, Williams is a player like no other, and her new album, As the Moon Rests, is a wild trip into new sounds and textures

Samba Touré

Samba Touré: “I don’t know anything about music theory – everything happens between my head and hands, by feeling”

By Glenn Kimpton published

Touré discusses his self-taught Songhoy style and a guitar journey that saw him follow the example of the great Ali Farka Touré and take his sound in thrilling new directions

Marisa Anderson

Marisa Anderson on the art of improvisation versus composition and the everlasting allure of a sustaining electric guitar

By Glenn Kimpton published

The Portland, Oregon instrumentalist returns with Still, Here, and unpacks her approach to writing socially conscious guitar music

Brad Barr

Brad Barr: “I love cardboard guitars, man, and plastic instruments have a whole unique sound to them”

By Glenn Kimpton published

For Brad Barr, the guitar doesn't just have to sound nice – it has to feel nice. Here, he unpacks his improvisational folk and blues-rock sound and identifies Angus Young as his North Star

Laura Viers

Laura Veirs on how she took overdriven riot grrrl electrics into the realm of nylon-string country blues

By Glenn Kimpton published

The prolific recording artist – and children’s author – discusses her guitar playing and songwriting sensibility, evolving from DIY punk to encompass country blues fingerstyle and myriad other influences

Charlie Parr

Charlie Parr: “If I get to touch the strings and play a little lick and make some sounds, everything else is gravy”

By Glenn Kimpton published

The Minnesota blues legend joins us, with a beautiful Mule Resophonic guitar in hand, and explains why playing guitar is something he does without fail every day

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

10 essential Gibson SG albums

By Glenn Kimpton published

The solidbody double-cut with the instantly recognizable silhoeutte has graced some of the greatest recordings of all time

British instrumental folk artists

12 essential UK instrumental guitar folk albums

By Glenn Kimpton published

Featuring John Renbourn, Gwenifer Raymond and a host of acoustic artists old and new

Nick Jonah Davis

Nick Jonah Davis: “It’s easy to just say, ‘I’m going to be weird,’ and then stick some things on the guitar, but I need the listener’s trust before I get weird”

By Glenn Kimpton published

The latest album from Derbyshire guitarist Nick Jonah Davis, When The Sun Came, was recorded in a church and released just before lockdown – and it could well be his finest yet

Gwenifer Raymond

Gwenifer Raymond on American primitive fingerstyle, spooky tunings and the morbid potential of the acoustic guitar

By Glenn Kimpton published

The Welsh-born guitarist draws upon classical punk, grunge and folk-horror to write dark, immersive acoustic compositions

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