Biography

 

In 2014 Folk Radio UK described Richard Kitson as ‘one of the best guitar pickers of his generation’. Kitson has earned this reputation over a decade of honing his skills both as a solo acoustic performer and occasional band leader. Kitson’s love of the blues began when he heard the song ‘Bye Bye Bird’ by Sonny Boy Williamson II not long after he started teaching himself to play the harmonica at the age of eleven. A desire to learn the guitar soon followed. After pestering his parents for an acoustic guitar they relented and by the age of fourteen he was teaching himself to play under the influence of Bob Dylan, Big Bill Broonzy, Robert Johnson, Rory Gallagher and Mississippi John Hurt. These musicians (among many others) helped Kitson develop his fingerstyle and slide guitar playing alongside his original song writing.

In 2014 Folk Radio UK called Richard Kitson ‘one of the best guitar pickers of his generation’. Kitson has earned this reputation over the best part of twenty years of honing his skills both as a solo acoustic performer and occasional band leader. It all started for Kitson in 1998 when he joined his first band Strawberry Jack, a punk/rock four piece who were infamously barred from most of the pubs they played due to their raucous music and onstage antics. Despite Strawberry Jack’s punk format, Kitson brought his love of the blues into the band. After just two years the band called it a day and Kitson began performing his original folk/blues based songs as an acoustic soloist. Heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, Big Bill Broonzy and Mississippi John Hurt, Kitson could mainly be found in Sheffield folk clubs and other venues in and around South Yorkshire often supporting established touring artists such as Wilko Johnson, Otis Gibbs, Peggy Seeger and John Tamms. In a typical set solo acoustic set Kitson can be found playing classic country and delta blues covers by the likes of his aforementioned influences alongside his self-penned folk/blues style songs. A skilled raconteur, Kitson often embellishes his sets with humorous links and background stories to his songs.

Richard Kitson Trio

Richard Kitson returned to playing electric guitar during the summer of 2015 and formed the Richard Kitson Trio. Cajoled by bassist Chris Scarfe and drummer Steve Booth who both dropped a few hints that it was time Kitson dusted of his Strat and made some noise again. Kitson and Scarfe (a regular collaborator with Kitson on previous electric outings) met as students during their Barnsley College days and have maintained a friendship ever since. In previous trio’s they supported touring blues acts such as Wilko Johnson, Dr Feelgood, Stan Webb, Nimo Brothers, King King and Ainsley Lister. Steve Booth (mostly referred to as Boovy) had been in the popular band Mynas with Scarfe and together they make for a formidable rhythm section perfectly placed to complement Kitson’s guitar in this newest incarnation of the band.

Collectively the three members of the Richard Kitson Trio bring together diverse musical tastes ranging from folk to funk. Predominantly though it’s the blues that glues all the threads together with Kitson’s song writing bringing both originality and modern appeal to the songs. Audiences will hear hints of Cream, Led Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher and Jimi Hendrix with the song writing influence of Mark Knopfler and Tom Waits for good measure.