Gareth Davies-Jones

Raised on the shores of Belfast Lough and now living in the Tyne Valley in Northumberland Gareth has been writing and playing his own songs since his mid-teens. After studying at Newcastle University and cutting his musical teeth busking, playing in local bands and working through his twenties, he turned professional in 2004 and set off on a solo singer-songwriter career which has been steadily gaining momentum ever since. Over the years he has patiently worked his own mailing list and played everywhere from house concerts to established venues like The Sage in Gateshead, from local halls to international events like The Queens Festival in Belfast. Across that time his music has been featured on BBC Television, national and local radio, and he has performed in a variety of unique settings - from marking the WW2 Arctic Convoy veterans Artic Star medal ceremony live on BBC National News to collaborating with Gamo tribal musicians in Arba Minch in the south of Ethiopia. The broad variety of the subject matter addressed in his songs continues to captivate and engage audiences at live shows up and down the country - odes to iconic Lighthouses, tales of maritime daring and tragedy, tributes to tunnellers in WW1, the landscape of Northumberland’s National Park, songs of hope, love and longing…. and everything in between. Over the years Gareth has collaborated with many well regarded artists such as Megson, Jez Lowe, Landermason, Yvonne Lyon, Calum Stewart and supported musical luminaries such as Phil Beer, Waterson Carthy, Spiers & Boden, Karine Polwart, Paul Field and Andy Flannagan.

“..an accomplished live performer – taking me back to a time and mood. You remember the days when you’d go to a folk club every week, irrespective? Occasionally, you’d go along one week (because that’s what you did) where you knew nothing in advance about the person who was playing ... and then you were wowed by what a great evening you’d had? That’s what this album (Truth, Tradition, Prophets & Loss 2021) reminds me of. It’s observant of traditional music but builds on it; it’s played and sung elegantly; above all, it’s an hour in the company of someone you’ve just come across – and you’re rather glad that you have.” Mike Wistow, Folking.com