Wigan native John Fairhurst has been honing his craft on the road combining his passions for people and music for years.

The result is a wall of sound rooted in his northern blues background with a gritty mournful deep-south attitude.

Introduced to Sarod Master K Sridhar at the age of five, when he stayed with John’s family, Fairhurst’s music has a distinctly eastern feel.

With a bottleneck style blues referencing the likes of Son House and Bukka White, comparisons to the fingerpicking of John Fahey, a leaning towards the psychedelic 60s rock of Hendrix and Led Zeppelin and the ever present influence of K Sridhar and Indian raga, John’s music is a real melting-pot of diverse musical traditions.

With three independent albums under his belt, he has garnered critical acclaim for 2008’s instrumental debut album Joys of Spring. His following releases 2010’s John Fairhurst Band and 2012’s Hungry Blues were also hailed in similar manner.

Coupled with his tenacious attitude to touring and following a summer of explosive live shows both in the UK and Europe, John has built on previous festival appearances at Glastonbury, SXSW, Green Man and Edinburgh Festival.

John Fairhurst will be appearing at Telford’s Warehouse in Chester on Saturday, April 12. Free entry before 9pm, £4 thereafter. Call 01244 390 090 or visit www.telfordswarehouse.com.