General News

Nigel Kennedy John Etheridge concert

When I saw that John Etheridge and Nigel Kennedy along with Alec Dankworth were performing three nights at the Crooked Billet last month I thought it would be a great idea if Ric Sanders and I could attend the concert and for Ric to meet up with his old friends Nigel and John.

Because Ric has played there many times and also John it wasn't difficult to get tickets. On arriving after sound check we were enthusiastically greeted by the great man and the rest of the day was quite a joy.

Nigel is a larger-than-life character and that's an understatement with a cornucopia of expletives to match. Underneath this exterior is a man of depth and sincerity. He currently lives in Poland but is back in the UK in September, so another get together might be possible. I would just be interested in his musical response to my work and to witness first hand this world famous virtuoso jam over some GG material. He said he admired my music so we shall see, either way it would be fun otherwise why bother. There is no hidden agenda just the chance to create nice memories.

The concert was superb, and the playing of course was off the scale and I do like his engaging stage presence.

Guitar Auction

The Gardiner Houlgate guitar auction last month was a success in as much as all but four of my instruments sold. The main jewels in the crown were the famous Bailey Twin neck which has been my main historical instrument for so many years didn't reach it's 10k reserve, so I feel it wasn't meant to leave me at this juncture along with my Yamaha LA8 acoustic, my number 1 Vintage DLX and the beautiful Heritage archtop.

The auction house did me proud as you can see by the cover of the catalogue. The Fylde Prospero was bought by my friend the top session man David Holmes who has been captivated by my music since he was a teenager. David emailed me to say how thrilled he was to own the very first 12 string that Roger Bucknall made in his garage in 1973 when he was living in Lytham Saint Annes.

The guitar had undergone major changes over the years courtesy of a brand-new top so it wasn't as it left his workshop all those years ago but essentially was still the same instrument. I shall ask David to put into words how he feels about being its current owner and what it meant to him at the time with it being featured on the Visionary album and the recording of From the Four Winds.

There were a few surprises like an antique classical guitar that had never been played and was essentially a wall hanger. Apparently two people were bidding online from Australia! Goodness knows what it had but it was a nice old thing and had been restored by Rob Armstrong.

So, there you have it. If you want to part with an unwanted instrument and fancy going down the auction route then I can't recommend these guys more strongly.

Hartlepool Concert

A huge thankyou to everyone at St George's venue in Hartlepool. Staff, lighting and sound were superb the hospitality was second to none and the full capacity audience was a pure joy.

There was a power cut in the second half which necessitated me to soldier on purely acoustic, so I pulled out the few strummy pieces in my repertoire and all was well thanks to a very kind and patient audience.

Thankyou St George's with all my heart for staying with me to the end. God Bless You.

Special thanks to dear friends Liz and Roy Coleman for hosting me over the past few days and generally looking after me superbly. I love you guys.

Lovely to see old friend Margaret she of that GG piece written for her a while back entitled "Simply Margaret."

Many thanks to Paul Rodgers for the photoos and to Bob Mulvey for the review on Progressive Aspect, you can read it here:

https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2025/06/25/gordon-giltrap/

More Gordon Giltrap merch available

Just in case you missed the announcement, the range of items now available in The Gordon Giltrap Official shop has now been extended.

You can now purchase mugs, tote bags, short sleeve t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts and hoodies reflecting the following album designs: Classic Logo, Airwaves, Fear of the Dark, Perilous Journey, Troubadour and Visionary.

Which is your favourite album cover? Can’t decide? Get something from each range. The ultimate treat for yourself or the perfect gifts for any Gordon Giltrap fan.

Explore all the items here https://www.musicglue.com/gordon-giltrap-official-shop

Steve Pilkington

I hate to cast a dark cloud over my news page this month but life as we know isn't all smiles and fun and although I have my dark moments as we all do I try to put that to one side each month within the context of this news page.

My friend Steve Pilkington the author of my biography lost his loving wife Jan last month and needless to say he's devastated. Due to unforeseen circumstances her passing has left him destitute. Friends have suggested a Just Giving page which initially went against his grain but he has taken that sound advice and created an official page on his Facebook page. You can find it on there and if you feel moved to donate something no matter how small I know it will be gratefully received.

He is a lovely chap and spent months of his time writing my biography travelling miles from his Yorkshire home to complete the task. Those of you who have read the book can testify to this and can appreciate his journalism skills and heartfelt writing.

My heart goes out to him. Jan was severely disabled, and Steve was her devoted carer for many years. Grief as we know never goes away, we just find ways of dealing with it In my own case I threw myself into my work and embraced the love and help from dear friends and family.

Interview video

I so enjoyed chatting with Michael from America in this ZOOM interview for Music Night at the Majestic.

If you fancy viewing it then click on the link, I warn you now it’s long, so grab a coffee and a sandwich and settle in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp1DrGmhd1E

Prog Archives review

Another lovely review of Starfield

https://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=3198958