Lil' Ian was born in the UK but now lives in Northland, New Zealand. There seemed to be no musical influences in his family until the arrival of a dozen or so 78's including the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochrane when Ian was about 10 years of age. That seemed to be the turning point for him as far as music goes - or so it seemed. At the age of 13 Ian saw Ray Charles live. A year later he went out and bought his first LP - Beethoven's fourth piano concerto. That same year he saw The Rolling Stones for the first time and bought his second LP - The Stones first album. He also paid his first visit to the Royal Ballet and so the musical eclecticism carried on. Listening to a pirate radio station in the late 60's Ian became increasingly appreciative of folk and blues acoustic guitarists such as Davey Graham, Robert Johnson, Bert Jansch, John Renbourne, Rev. Gary Davis and Josh White.

Despite having started to learn the trumpet, it seemed that Ian's chosen instrument was to be the guitar. However, although he 'dabbled' with the instrument over a period of years, he never really took it seriously until his late 20's and within two years he was playing his first paid gig in the North East of England. Despite playing solo spots here and there - playing the likes of John Fahey, Leo Kottke, and of course blues and slide guitar at that time - this gig was not to be a solo gig but rather one with a traditional folk band named Shire Reeve with the late Graham Whitley. He was a regular at the local folk club and had been seen by the band and 'enlisted'. Given the afformentioned eclecticism it was not a surprise to either him or his friends that he did this.

Ian was keen to do more of his solo work and left the band after about a year and embarked on a solo career playing folk, ragtime, celtic airs and jigs and blues. At this time slide had become a regular part of his playing and he was increasingly asked to perform more of it. In the late 80's he hooked up with another acoustic guitarist and formed the 'Knob Hill Stiffs' from, what he was assured was from a film and as he later found out, was a suburb of San Francisco. The Stiffs played contemporary, folk and blues and played around the North East of England. Ian's solo work continued though and he played various clubs and festivals, performed on radio and satellite TV in the UK gathering a following along the way. He has supported Stefan Grossman and Dave 'Honeyboy' Edwards, played the same stages as Duck Baker, John James and Steve Tilston.

In 2001 he recorded his first New Zealand CD which had great reviews from the likes of Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records and the UK blues magazine - Blueprint - indeed it made the Blues In Britain charts that year. It was also voted top acoustic blues CD at the longest running Blues Radio Show in Tauranga New Zealand. He now has two CD's in the Alexander Turnbull Library Archives of New Zealand music. The National Radio Station - Radio Hauraki - featured him over two weeks and dubbed him "Kiwi slide guitarist extraordinaire". He continues to play and tours New Zealand, Australia and lately back in the UK. His CD's are played on radio in New Zealand, Australia, UK and Scandanavia. HIs sets are as likely to include some Merle Travis, Bob Wills swing, O'Carolan jigs as much as the blistering slide work and ragtime he is so well known for.

and

Sites.

Cheers for now,

Lil' Ian