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Acclaimed guitarist and singer-songwriter John Smith has announced the release of his new album Headlong, due out May 19 2017, through BARP Records. Produced by Sam Lakeman, mixed by Ruadhri Cushnan (Mumford & Sons, Flo Morrissey, The Maccabees) and featuring Cara Dillon on BVs, Headlong dedicated to the memory of John Renbourn is the follow up to Great Lakes, Johns widely-applauded and Radio 2-supported release of 2013.

A24-date UK & European tour will commence on March 29, including London Union Chapel on April 6, 2017. Speaking about Far Too Good driven by his trademark gravel-in-honey vocals John says; This is one of my favourites from the new batch, Ive opened all my live shows with this lately. Its one of those songs that wrote itself, a rare occurrence Id just got off the phone with a friend who was having a hard time, so this one is for him. Not by chance is it that Johns fifth album comes bearing a title implying impulsive, breakneck motion written as it was, across various touring stints playing guitar for the likes of Lianne La Havas and Lisa Hannigan (who fittingly lends a co-write to Headlong, on Coming Home) across the U.S. Having wound up his own successful 2 year stint touring Great Lakes round the UK & Europe (taking in sold-out shows at Union Chapel and The Purcell Rooms), in early 2016 John was finally afforded a chance to come off the road and settle in one place for a while. An opportunity which Smith soon elected to decline; I felt like I had time on my hands, and I thought rather than go home and try to write where it just didnt feel natural, I wanted to keep on touring. It felt recorded in Sam Lakemans Somerset studios in just over a week, Headlong is marked by the loss of Smiths close friend, Pentangles John Renbourn, who passed away whilst Smith was out on tour. Says John; He was so much more to me than someone Id played with, and who had encouraged me. He was a friend as well, so I wanted to reference him on this album- thats why Ive dedicated it to his memory. Renbourns presence is particularly palpable in Smiths equally sparing and striking electric guitar work- informed by a love for JJ Cale and Clapton which weaves through Headlong, marking a break of sorts from the lush string orchestration that characterised Great Lakes. Whilst John Smith has stood still just long enough to commit this new album to record, theres yet little danger of moss gathering. With a 24 date UK & European tour beginning next month, Smith has also been tapped to play guitar on the forthcoming album from Joan Baez (with an appearance on the forthcoming Martin Simpson album also in the works), alongside his Great Lakes collaborator, Joe Henry.