Biography
Kevin Brown is one of the UK’s most respected blues guitarists, singers and songwriters, renowned for his masterful slide guitar playing and lifelong commitment to the blues tradition. Born in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, in 1950, he discovered the music as a teenager after seeing Muddy Waters and Sister Rosetta Tharpe on television, beginning a passion that has shaped his career for more than four decades. While busking in London’s Portobello Road in the late 1960s, Kevin met the legendary Delta bluesman Son House. Their encounter proved pivotal, with House informally mentoring the young musician and leaving a lasting influence on Kevin’s distinctive slide guitar style.
Kevin later travelled to Austin, Texas, immersing himself in American roots music before settling in Bath, Somerset, in 1978. After initially working as an art teacher, he turned to music full-time. His recording career began when producer Joe Boyd discovered him, leading to the release of his debut album, Road Dreams, in 1983. Since then he has released a series of acclaimed albums, including Rust, Time Marches On, Sunny Side Up, Mojave Dust, Grit and Six Strings and a Dream, while collaborating with artists such as Moussa Kouyate and performing with his band The Shackdusters.
A master of slide acoustic guitar, lap steel and Weissenborn guitar, Kevin has developed a distinctive sound that blends Delta blues with folk, country and world music. His performances are celebrated for their musicianship, warmth, humour and storytelling. As Mark Knopfler observed, Kevin “offers far more than your average slide player.”
Kevin has performed extensively throughout the UK and the United States, from intimate clubs to festivals including Glastonbury. He continues to tour widely, particularly across the South West of England, earning enduring respect as one of Britain’s most authentic and accomplished blues musicians.
Kevin Brown has never ceased making joyful, soulful, tuneful, beautifully produced music. He’s an ace, no one like him Joe Boyd
Kevin is far more than just a great slide player Mark Knopfler
Kevin Brown is the real deal Martin Simpson
What singles him out is his voice Robin Denselow, The Guardian
A great player and a great guy Andy Fairweather Lowe