Jon Wilks

Jon Wilks is an acclaimed fingerpicking guitarist and singer of traditional folk songs and broadside ballads from the English repertoire.  

www.jonwilks.online
His background as a journalist, (He is the editor of Tradfolk.co. previously worked as the editorial director of Time Out Tokyo, and editor of Time Out Abu Dhabi and contributor to Dazed & Confused, The Guardian and other publications) means that he has a great eye and ear for a story, and this shows in his live shows – an amusing mix of folk song performance and storytelling. He throws in weird and wonderful titbits about the original singers and collectors that he has unearthed during his substantial writing and podcasting research on traditional folk music in the UK, and his performance is often described as both entertaining and informative.

To date, Jon has recorded three full-length folk albums and one EP. He has also co-arranged and performed tracks on Jackie Oates’s Gracious Wings album.

‘The sort of performer folk circles mean when they talk of the living tradition. Jon’s passion informs his live shows, the songs liberally sprinkled with anecdotes, humour and history, his singing and personality hugely engaging.’

Folking.com

‘One of the best of the New Wave of Folk Blokes.’ fRoots Mag
‘Beautiful, delicate with love and loss.’

The Guardian

Jon will have a new album out before May 2023, this time moving away from Midlands folk material.