John Crampton is the UK’s top slide guitarist and a dynamic solo classic blues and bluegrass musician. A solo artist who sounds like a full band, John plays the finest blues you’re likely to hear this side of Memphis.
” … Crampton creates a big powerful sound which gets your feet tapping, your body dancing and your heart singing…everybody was blown away…” Digital Blues
John Crampton is the UK’s top slide guitarist and a dynamic solo blues and bluegrass musician. A solo artist who sounds like a full band, John has been touring the world for years playing steel guitar with his own compositions, classic blues, rock and bluegrass songs.
Born in London, John taught himself steel slide guitar, banjo and harmonica. Influenced by Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Bukka White, John Hammond and Mississippi Fred McDowell, he is now an inspiration himself to many in his wake.
With his unique ability to make his one-man-band act sound like a whole blues and rock suite, John Crampton is one of the most formidable talents on the blues, rock and bluegrass scenes.
He has recently played in Italy, Spain, Sweden, San Francisco, Tasmania, New Zealand, Greece, Florida, France, Germany, Ireland, Canada, Slovakia, Switzerland, Poland, Norway, Prague and Belgium at festivals, venues and all kinds of events.
The finest blues you’re likely to hear this side of Memphis, book John Crampton for your next event.
John Crampton is perfect for: Weddings, birthdays, festivals, hotel and restaurant entertainment, blues events, music events, corporate events, themed events, private functions
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Testimonials
What the press say…
“… you can practically fry eggs on the man as he radiates energy into the room … his gravel-gargling voice is a perfect complement to his 1930s National steel guitar, harmonica and footboard … the sounds he produces have astonishing depth…” Bill Grainger, Beaford Arts
“… totally compelling … furious energy … he blew me away …” NetRhytms
“… suddenly it’s like being hit by a baseball bat repeatedly without any let-up… incredibly intense … it was one of the most exciting musical experiences I’ve ever had … you feel a bit like you are in a wind tunnel with your hair blowing back and your teeth exposed … for sheer passion and balls alone it’s a must-see …” Billy Bonkers
“…powerful attacking style…John Crampton takes no prisoners …” Blues in London
“… John Crampton does not so much approach the raw blues of Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Bukka White with reverence as wrestle it to the floor and stamp his unique mark on it …” Blues Matters Magazine
” …rough house emotionality and gutsy physical immediacy like nothing I have ever heard …” NetRhythms
” … the finest blues you are likely to hear this side of Memphis …” Metro
“… for the Tawe Delta Blues Club to have a solo artist is very rare, and for them to return so quickly is just as rare, but we now know that John Crampton is special … when he last visited the club he showed himself to be a master of the slide guitar and harp whilst using his feet to create a foot-stomping blues that sounds like a band…” Tawe Delta Blues Club
“… stunning blues voice … I was blown away …” Blues in Britain
“… one of the finest blues solo acts on the British blues scene …” Blues Matters Magazine
” … there is a deeper sweetness to his playing that comes from a great deal of conviction … ” Blues in London
” … we have put together a line up of three of the finest acoustic players in the punk rock blues in the world today … first up is John Crampton, one of only about two members of the British blues old guard we’d give the time of day to … John is incredible, he takes to the stage with nothing more than a National steel guitar, a harp and miked up stompbox and then lets rip …” The Spitz, London
“… stomping and unstoppable … like a runaway train … an act well worth watching …” Blues in Britain
” … John Crampton, an amazing one-man blues band with steely reverberating guitar and harmonica galore … his playing was like a locomotive, his singing like an angry chainsaw as he steamed through his set ..” BBC Southern Counties
“… a one-man band, he is, but you would have thought he had an entourage of musicians as he managed to create so many sounds …” Blues in Britain
“… the slide playing is outstanding … ” L’Agenda du Blues, France
” … Crampton creates a big powerful sound which gets your feet tapping, your body dancing and your heart singing … everybody was blown away …” Digital Blues
“… Crampton’s slide guitar playing was in a different class to anyone who appeared at that magical weekend festival …” Mettman Blues Festival, Germany
“… next up was the extraordinarily talented John Crampton, the despair of every band that had to go on after him … all eyes were on John as he cast his manic spell over the music fans assembled … I don’t think this city had ever seen anything like him before … he does about four jobs at once: pounding a foot on his stompbox, playing guitar like a demon, blowing up a frenzy on the harmonica and growling out those tough lyrics (many self-penned) with awesome commitment … for some of us he stole the show …” The Venue
