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John Renbourn
Person · male · United Kingdom · Marylebone · born 1944 · died 2015 · recording since 1965
English guitarist and songwriter (1944–2015)
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Also known as John William Mark Renbourn · The John Renbourn Group · ジョン・レンボーン
Timeline
25 events▣ Album 22◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1† Death 1
1940s
1960s
· Debut release
Debut release: There You Go!
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
· Album
Album: Sir John Alot of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & ye Grene Knygte
Album
source: musicbrainz
1970s
1980s
1990s
2010s
Biography
English biography883 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1365482396
Biography
John Renbourn (8 August 1944 – 26 March 2015) was an English guitarist and songwriter. He was best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career before, during and after that band's existence (1967–1973). Several albums were credited to the John Renbourn Group. He worked later in a duo with Stefan Grossman.
While most commonly labelled a folk musician, Renbourn's musical tastes and interests took in early music, classical music, jazz, blues and world music. His most influential album, Sir John Alot (1968), featured his take on tunes from the medieval period.
Biography
John Renbourn studied classical guitar at school and it was during this period that he was introduced to early music. In the 1950s, along with many others, he was greatly influenced by the musical craze of skiffle and this eventually led him to explore the work of artists such as Lead Belly, Josh White and Big Bill Broonzy.
In the 1960s, the new craze in popular music was Rhythm and Blues, also the impact of Davey Graham was being felt. In 1961, Renbourn toured the South West with Mac MacLeod and repeated the tour in 1963. On returning from the South West Renbourn and MacLeod recorded a demo tape together. Renbourn briefly played in an R&B band while studying at the Kingston College of Art in London. Although the British folk revival was underway, most folk clubs were biased towards traditional, unaccompanied folk songs, and guitar players were not always welcome. However, the Roundhouse in London had a more tolerant attitude and here, John Renbourn joined blues and gospel singer Dorris Henderson, playing backing guitar and recording two albums with her.
Possibly the best known London venue for contemporary folk music in the early 1960s was Les Cousins on Greek Street, Soho, which became the main meeting place for guitar players and contemporary singer-songwriters from Britain and America. Around 1963, Renbourn teamed up with guitarist Bert Jansch who had moved to London from Edinburgh, and together they developed an intricate duet style that became known as folk baroque. Their album Bert and John is a fine example of their playing.
Renbourn released several albums on the Transatlantic label during the 1960s. Two of them, Sir John Alot and Lady and the Unicorn, sum up Renbourn's playing style and material from this period. Sir John Alot has a mixture of jazz/blues/folk playing alongside a more classical/early music style. Lady and the Unicorn is heavily influenced by Renbourn's interest in early music.
At around that time Renbourn also started playing and recording with Jacqui McShee, who sang traditional English folk songs, and with American fiddler Sue Draheim. In 1967, Renbourn, Jansch, McShee, bassist Danny Thompson, and drummer Terry Cox formed the band Pentangle. The group became successful, touring America in 1968, playing at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Folk Festival.
Renbourn went on to record more solo albums in the 1970s and 1980s. Much of the music is based on traditional material with a Celtic influence, interwoven with other styles. He also collaborated with American guitarist Stefan Grossman in the late 1970s, recording two albums with him, which at times recall his folk baroque days with Bert Jansch.
In the mid-1980s Renbourn went back to university, to earn a degree in composition at Dartington College of Arts. Subsequently, he focused mainly on writing classical music, while still performing in folk settings. He also added acoustic guitars for the movie soundtrack Scream for Help, a studio project with his neighbour John Paul Jones.
In 1988, Renbourn briefly formed a group called Ship of Fools with Tony Roberts (flute), Maggie Boyle (lyrics, miscellaneous instruments) and Steve Tilston (guitar). They recorded one eponymous album together. After practising by mailing tapes to each other in England, they held their first concert, comprising two sold-out shows, at Harvard's Hasty Pudding Club Theater. Regrettably, the soundboard bootleg tape was not saved due to a dispute between the concert promoter and the audio engineer.
Renbourn continued to record and tour. He toured the US with Archie Fisher. In 2005 he toured Japan (his fifth tour of that country) with Tokio Uchida and Woody Mann. In 2006 he played at number of venues in England, including the Green Man Festival in Wales and appearances with Robin Williamson and with Jacqui McShee. In the same year, he was working on a new solo album and collaborated with Clive Carroll on the score for the film Driving Lessons, directed by Jeremy Brock.
In 2011, he released Palermo Snow, a collection of instrumental guitar solos also featuring clarinetist Dick Lee. The title track is a complex mix of classical, folk, jazz and blues. This piece is a departure, in that there is a classical core, with other styles intermixing, rather than the core style being blues, folk or jazz.
Since 2012, he had toured with Wizz Jones, playing a mixture of solo and duo material. Renbourn previously appeared on Jones's album Lucky the Man (2001) with other former members of Pentangle. In 2016, an album by the pair, titled Joint Control
Joint ControlSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Hey Hey3:042Buckets of Rain4:203Glory of Love2:414Getting There3:185National Seven4:046Mountain Rain4:427Great Dream From Heaven6:188Strolling Down the Highway4:599In Stormy Weather3:0610Balham Moon3:1711Blues Run the Game3:3412Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning4:3113Joint Control5:49, was released.
Renbourn died on 26 March 2015 from a heart attack at his home in the Borthwick valley near Hawick in the Scottish Borders, aged 70.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 50 | 94.3th |
| Studio albums | 25 | 97.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 25 | 95.6th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 10 | 96.5th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (50 release groups · 25 studio albums)
Albums · 25
1965 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 44:31
A1Sally Free and Easy3:56A2Single Girl2:30A3Ribbon Bow1:28A4Cotton Eyed Joe2:16A5Mr. Tambourine Man3:47A6Mist on the Mountain1:46A7The Lag’s Song2:34A8American Jail Song2:42A9The Water Is Wide2:42B1Something Lonesome2:09B2Song2:04B3Winter Is Gone2:51B4Strange Lullaby1:49B5You’re Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond3:17B6One Morning in May2:24B7A Banjo Tune3:07B8Going to Memphis3:091965 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 41:31
1Judy1:562Beth's Blues2:063Song1:574Down on the Barge1:565John Henry3:226Plainsong3:467Louisiana Blues3:018Blue Bones4:409Train Tune2:3710Candy Man3:1811The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:0512National Seven2:5913Motherless Children3:2714Winter Is Gone2:1515Noah and Rabbit2:061966 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 28:01
1Another Monday1:542Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe1:333I Know My Babe3:314Waltz2:025Lost Lover Blues1:596One For William2:537Buffalo2:378Sugar Babe4:349Debbie Anne1:4310Can't Keep From Crying2:0511Day at the Seaside1:1512Nobodys Fault but Mine1:551967 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 37:59
A1When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin'1:44A2It's Been a Long Time2:04A330 Days in Jail2:36A4No More My Lord2:27A5Watch the Stars2:16A6There's Anger in This Land2:08A7Mosaic Patterns2:18A8Tomorrow Is a Long Time3:23B1For Lovin' Me2:55B2Come Up Horsey1:44B3God Bless the Child3:01B4The Time Has Come2:27B5Poems of Solitude: Poems of My Heart / Eighteen Tedious Ways / Magic String2:17B6Lonely Mood2:52B7Gonna Tell My Lord3:47Sir John Alot of Merrie Englandes Musyk Thyng & ye Grene Knygte
1968 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 31:43
A1The Earle of Salisbury1:23A2The Trees They Do Grow High3:37A3Lady Goes to Church2:54A4Morgana7:29B1Transfusion2:02B2Forty-Eight2:55B3My Dear Boy1:20B4White Fishes2:51B5Sweet Potato3:23B6Seven Up3:491970 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 34:14
A1aTrotto0:40A1bSaltarello1:53A2aLamento di Tristano1:58A2bLa Rotta0:55A3aVeri Floris0:44A3bTriple Ballade2:00A4aBransle Gay1:13A4bBransle de Bourgoyne1:34A5aAlman1:25A5bMelancholy Galliard2:47A6Sarabande in B Minor2:41B1The Lady and the Unicorn3:21B2aMy Johnny Was a Shoemaker4:16B2bWesteron Wynde1:25B2cScarborough Fair7:221971 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 41:36
A1White House Blues3:35A2Buffalo Skinners3:37A3Kokomo Blues3:54A4Little Sadie3:16A5Shake Shake Mamma3:33B1Willy o’ Winsbury5:39B2The Cuckoo3:57B3Come On In My Kitchen3:52B4Country Blues3:36B5Faro Annie3:25B6Back on the Road Again3:121973 · studio album
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Tracklist · 27 tracks · 1:13:17
1Judy2:042Beth's Blues2:113Song2:054Down on the Barge2:025John Henry3:316Plainsong3:577Louisianna Blues3:108Blue Bones4:499Train Tune2:4510Candy Man3:2711The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:1312National Seven3:1013Motherless Children3:3414Winter is Gone2:2715Noah and Rabbit2:5616Another Monday1:5917Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe1:3718I Know My Babe3:3719Waltz2:0620Lost Lover Blues2:0321One for William2:5922Buffalo2:4023Sugar Babe4:4124Debbie Anne1:4625Can't Keep From Crying2:0926Day at the Seaside1:1827Nobody's Fault But Mine2:011976 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks
A1The HermitA2John’s TuneA3Little AliceA4Old Mac BladgittA5Faro’s RagA6Caroline’s TuneB1Three Pieces by O’Carolan: The Lamentation of Owen Roe O’Neill / Lord Inchiquin / Mrs. Power (O’Carolan’s Concerto)B2The Princess and the PuddingsB3Pavanna (Anna Bannana)B4Medley: A Toye / Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home1977 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 38:22
A1Swallow Flight2:50A2Light Traveller3:27A3Reflections 11:55A4Reflections 21:55A5Freedom Road3:00A6Introspection3:24A7Passing Time3:21B1Portrait of a Village3:26B2Summer Song3:38B3Glastonbury3:49B4Little Hands4:02B5Deserted Streets3:35Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn
1978 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 36:42
A1Snap A Little Owl3:29A2Bermuda Triangle Exit2:12A3Theme From Charles Mingus' The Shoes Of The Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers4:10A4Luckett Sunday2:51A5Why A Duck2:58A6The Drifter3:50B1Looper's Corner2:17B2Luke's Little Summer2:24B3Spirit Levels5:29B4The Way She Walks3:35B5Woman From Donori3:271979 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 40:50
1Idaho Potato4:592Medley: Sheebeg and Sheemar / Drunken Wagoner3:553Under the Volcano10:324Medley: Bonaparte's Retreat / Billy in the Lowgrounds2:535Swedish Jig2:326Water Gypsy4:107All Things Parallel Must Converge6:178The Blarney Pilgrim2:089Mississippi Blues No. 33:241979 · studio album
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Tracklist · 6 tracks · 37:28
1The Moon Shines Bright3:592The English Dance2:533Bourree I and II2:244Medley: The Mist Covered Mountains of Home / The Orphan / Tarboulton9:315The Pelican7:076The Black Balloon11:341980 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 40:16
A1So Early in the Spring4:05A2Lindsay2:39A3The Mist Covered Mountain Home/The Orphan3:28A4To Glastonbury3:17A5The English Dance2:57A6The Bank of Sweet Primroses4:08B1Blues Run the Game4:05B2Great Dreams From Heaven3:58B3Peacock Rag2:25B4If You Haven't Any Hay2:32B5The Young Man That Wouldn't Hoe Corn3:51B6Buckets of Rain2:511985 · studio album
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Tracklist · 6 tracks · 36:35
A1New Nothynge4:07A2The Fish in the Well2:31A3Pavan d'Aragon5:46A4Variations on My Lady Carey's Dompe6:15B1Circle Dance4:29B2The Nine Maidens13:271991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 11 tracks · 45:21
1The Three Kingdoms4:322'Round About Midnight5:053Dollar Town3:014Catwalk4:135Cherry5:186Rites of Passage4:577Medley: Kiera's Dream / Parson's Mud5:068Keeper of the Vine3:279Minuet in D Minor3:2210Farewell to Mr. Mingus3:2811Medley: Abide With Me / Old Gloryland2:521992 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 50:23
1Waltz on Sunday3:212Old World3:543A Thousand Words2:464Friday2:345What the Wind Went Whispering4:046Europa3:167Mr. Jellyroll Soul3:358B. Rod's Rag2:289The Magus4:3310Blood of the Lamb5:2411Lashta's Room4:2812The Tao of Swing2:5413Little Boy3:3514God Save Us From Angels3:311993 · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 1:06:04
1South Wind / Blarney Pilgrim3:582The Curragh of Kildare / Milliner's Daughter5:013Bunyan's Hymn / Saw Three Ships / English Dance4:374The Lights of Sweet Anne's4:225The Snows5:376Finn and the Old Man's House (Story)8:047Matt Highland6:488Little Niles6:549The Rocks of Bawn5:2110Lindsay5:5711Port Patrick4:0712Wheel of Fortune5:181996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 37:42
1Just Like Me3:462Sleepy John4:203Riverboat Song3:554Green Willow4:205Seven Sleepers5:176To Glastonbury4:167Floating Stone4:198O Death3:099The Young Man's Song4:201998 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 52:28
1Bunyan's Hymn (Monks Gate)3:122When the Wind Begins to Sing6:173Wexford Lullaby4:374I Saw Three Ships / Newgate Hornpipe7:395Planxty Llanthony / Loftus Jones5:376Fagottanz4:027At the Break of Day3:498Traveller's Prayer2:469South Wind / Feathered Nest9:1410Estampie5:152011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 46:48
1Palermo Snow7:182Dery Miss Grsk5:273Bella Terra5:464Cirque d'Hiver3:025Ugly James3:386Sarabande4:367Cello Prelude in G2:448Weebles Wobble (But They Won't Fall Down)4:309Little Niles6:5810Blueberry Hill2:492016 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 53:43
1Hey Hey3:042Buckets of Rain4:203Glory of Love2:414Getting There3:185National Seven4:046Mountain Rain4:427Great Dream From Heaven6:188Strolling Down the Highway4:599In Stormy Weather3:0610Balham Moon3:1711Blues Run the Game3:3412Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning4:3113Joint Control5:49— · studio album
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Tracklist · 8 tracks · 58:42
1The Nine Maidens13:272Circle Dance4:283Celtic Guitar - The Black Balloon11:344Belle. Qui Tiens ma Vie a) Pavane, b) Tourdion5:565The lady an the unicorn7:206The Plains Of Waterloo7:317Three Pieces By O'Carolan5:078The Hermit3:19— · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 42:44
1Searching for Lambs3:422Sandwood Down to Kyle3:563Bogey's Bonnie Belle3:554Lark in the Clear Air3:005The Martinmass Wind6:136Cobbler's Jig / Maltese Brawl3:287I Live Not Where I Love4:078The Verdant Braes of Screen5:009Ship of Fools6:4510Travellers' Prayer2:38— · studio album
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Tracklist · 28 tracks · 1:12:32
1Intro 10:532Intro 22:073Intro 30:354Intro 43:195Buffalo1:056Buffalo - Talk 14:317Buffalo - Talk 22:388Transfusion1:239Transfusion - Talk 11:5110Transfusion - Talk 21:5311My Dear Boy1:4212My Dear Boy - Talk 14:3513My Dear Boy - Talk 22:2414Little Niles7:0015Little Niles - Talk 13:1516Little Niles - Talk 20:3617Little Niles - Talk 33:1518Little Niles - Talk 41:3119Little Niles - Talk 52:4920Little Niles - Talk 61:1421Little Niles - Talk 72:4722Little Niles - Talk 86:2023Cherry3:3924Cherry - Talk 10:4325Cherry - Talk 24:2526Cherry - Talk 34:0127Cherry - Talk 40:2028The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home1:41
Album · 23
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The John Renbourn SamplerSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks1Judy 2Song 3I Know My Babe 4Debbie Anne 5Nobody's Fault But Mine 6Sweet Potato 7Lord Franklin 8Lady Nothynge's Toye Puffe 9The Trees They Do Grow High 10Alman; Melancholy Galliard 11Morgana 12One For William 13Orlando 14My Johnny Was A Shoemaker | Compilation | 1971 | |
| 1973 | So Clear - The John Renbourn Sampler Volume TwoSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 37:32A1Lady Goes To Church2:48 A2Another Monday1:49 A3Shake Shake Mamma3:20 A4aBransle Gay1:12 A4bBransle De Bourgogne1:34 A5So Clear4:51 A6The Lady And The Unicorn3:23 B1Plainsong3:45 B2Blues Run The Game3:04 B3Waltz1:58 B4Westron Wynde1:22 B5The Cuckoo3:53 B6Transfusion1:58 B7Country Blues2:35 | Compilation | 1973 | |
| 1986 | Vol 1 - The Soho YearsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 21 tracks · 1:00:251Judy2:00 2Candy Man3:20 3Lost Clover Blues1:59 4East Wind1:26 5Nobodys Fault but Mine2:01 6The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:09 7I Know My Babe3:32 8After the Dance2:29 9No Exit2:10 10Lord Franklin3:26 11The Cuckoo4:01 12Another Monday1:54 13Country Blues3:39 14Waltz2:04 15White House Blues3:38 16My Dear Boy1:21 17The Hermit3:22 18Buffalo Skinners3:39 19Sweet Potato3:24 20Kokomo Blues3:57 21So Clear4:54 | Compilation | 1986 | |
| 1988 | Snap a Little OwlSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 47:21A1Spirit Levels5:29 A2Water Gypsy3:56 A3Snap a Little Owl3:29 A4Bermuda Triangle Exit2:12 A5Looper's Corner2:17 A6Luke's Little Summer2:24 A7Woman From Donori3:27 B1Why a Duck2:58 B2Idaho Potato4:50 B3Luckett Sunday2:51 B4All Things Parallel Must Converge6:03 B5The Way She Walks3:35 B6The Drifter3:50 | Compilation | 1988 | |
| 1993 | Live... In ConcertSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks · 1:10:431Looper's Corner2:28 2The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers4:16 3Twelve Sticks2:19 4Cocaine Blues3:47 5Tightrope5:34 6Medley: Sheebeg An Sheemore / Drunken Wagoner5:28 7Medley: Cincinnati Flow Rag / New York City Rag / Hot Dogs5:21 8Medley: Judy / Angie4:31 9Medley: Lament for Owen Roe O'Neill / Mist Covered Mountains of Home5:16 10Great Dreams From Heaven4:11 11Sweet Potato4:16 12Goodbye Porkpie Hat5:23 13Midnight on the Water3:50 14Spirit Levels9:15 15Mississippi Blues No. 24:48 | Live | 1 December 1993 | |
| 1995 | Will the Circle Be Unbroken?Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 22 tracks · 1:10:371Judy1:58 2I Know My Babe3:29 3One for William2:53 4Lucky Thirteen3:36 5Kokomo Blues3:55 6Tic-Tocative1:57 7Sally Go Round the Roses3:38 8Forty-Eight2:54 9Lord Franklin3:24 10The Hermit3:20 11Goat Island2:56 12So Clear4:54 13The Lady and the Unicorn3:24 14Will the Circle Be Unbroken4:07 15Faro Annie3:27 16Transfusion2:01 17Willy O'Winsbury5:38 18Ladye Nothinge's Toye Puffe1:31 19Bicycle Tune2:22 20Back on the Road Again3:13 21No Exit (live)2:25 22Buffalo Skinners3:35 | Compilation | 1995 | |
| 1996 | John Renbourn / Another MondaySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 27 tracks · 1:09:521Judy1:56 2Beth’s Blues2:06 3Song1:57 4Down on the Barge1:56 5John Henry3:22 6Plainsong3:46 7Louisiana Blues3:01 8Blue Bones4:40 9Train Tune2:37 10Candy Man3:18 11The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:05 12National Seven2:59 13Motherless Children3:27 14Winter Is Gone2:15 15Noah and Rabbit2:48 16Another Monday1:51 17Ladye Nothinge’s Toye Puffe1:31 18I Know My Babe3:29 19Waltz1:59 20Lost Lover Blues1:57 21One For William2:51 22Buffalo2:34 23Sugar Babe4:32 24Debbie Anne1:41 25Can’t Keep From Crying2:03 26Day at the Seaside1:13 27Nobodys Fault but Mine1:58 | Compilation | 1996 | |
| 1996 | BBC Live In ConcertSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 36:111All Things That Rise Must Converge4:35 2Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie2:27 3Tourdion2:32 4Douce Dame Jolie2:45 5Great Dreams From Heaven4:08 6Plains Of Waterloo6:34 7Sidi Brahim9:55 8Trees They Do Grow High3:15 | Live | 1996 | |
| 1996 | The Lady and the Unicorn / The HermitSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 16 tracks · 1:03:221Trotto / Saltarello2:35 2Lamento Di Tristan / La Rotta2:56 3Veri Floris / Triple Ballade2:46 4Bransle Gay / Bransle De Bourgogne2:50 5Alman / Melancholy Galliard4:41 6Sarabande2:45 7The Lady and the Unicorn3:25 8My Johnny Was a Shoemaker / Westeron Wynde / Scarborough Fair13:08 9The Hermit3:20 10Old Mac Bladgitt3:59 11Caroline's Tune3:21 12Three Pieces by O'Carolan: The Lamentation of Owen Roe O'Neill / Lord Inchiquin / Mrs Power5:08 13The Princess and the Puddings2:02 14Pavanna (Anna Bannana)3:40 15Toy for Two Lutes1:30 16Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home5:16 | Compilation | 1996 | |
| 1997 | So ClearSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 35 tracks · 2:10:35Disc 1 1Lucky Thirteen3:35 2Sally Go Round the Roses3:38 3Forty‐Eight2:56 4Tic‐Tocative1:58 5Lord Franklin3:26 6Lady Nothing’s Toye Puffe1:32 7The Hermit3:22 8Shake Shake Mama3:26 9Waltz5:07 10Faro Anne3:30 11White House Blues3:37 12Can’t Keep From Crying2:05 13My Sweet Potato3:23 14Kokomo Blues3:56 15So Clear4:56 16The Lady & The Unicorn3:27 17Will the Circle Be Unbroken4:09 18Bicycle Tune2:22 Disc 21Judy1:59 2I Know My Babe3:31 3Lost Lover Blues1:58 4One for William2:53 5Jack Orion (edit)13:40 6The Trees They Do Grow High3:37 7Goat Island2:57 8A Maid That’s Deep in Love5:31 9Back on the Road Again3:15 10Bransle Gay / Bransle de Bourgogne2:52 11The Earle of Salisbury1:24 12Come On In My Kitchen3:55 13Willy of Winsbury5:40 14Old Mac Bladgitt4:01 15In Time5:10 16Alman / Melancholy Galliard4:43 17Blues Run the Game3:04 | Compilation | 1997 | |
| 1997 | The Definitive Transatlantic CollectionSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 18 tracks1One For William 2Waltz 3After The Dance 4Ladye Nothing's Toye Puffe 5The Trees They Do Grow High 6Lady Goes To Church 7(a) Trotto (b) Saltarello 8Sweet Potato 9Shake Shake Mama 10The Hermit 11Three Pieces By O'Carolan (Medley) 12Lord Franklin 13So Clear 14The Moon Shines Bright 15The Pelican 16Circle Dance 17New Nothynge 18Variations On My Lady Carey's Dompe | Compilation | 5 June 1997 | |
| 1998 | La chitarra e le ballate celtiche di John Renbourn: Live in ItalySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 47:181Lord Franklin4:16 2South Wind + Barney Pilgrim5:31 3Sandwood Down to Kyle7:05 4Little Niles6:46 5Great Dream From Heaven6:58 6The Mist Covered Mountains of Home5:36 7Lindsay6:00 8Sweet Potato5:06 | Live | 1998 | |
| 1999 | CollectedSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 1:13:431The English Dance2:52 2Variations on My Lady Carey's Dompe6:15 3The Maid on the Shore5:00 4New Nothynge4:07 5The Moon Shines Bright3:56 6John Barleycorn3:39 7The Black Balloon11:35 8Circle Dance4:25 9The Nine Maidens (Medley: Clarsach / The Nine Maidens / The Fiddler)13:28 10Floating Stone4:22 11Bourée I & II2:21 12Sidi Brahim8:33 13O Death3:10 | Compilation | 1999 | |
| 1999 | Keeper of the Vine: The Best of John Renbourn & Stefan GrossmanSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks · 1:09:241Why a Duck3:02 2The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife Are Some Jive Ass Slippers4:17 3Looper's Corner2:24 4All Things Parallel Must Converge6:16 5Swedish Jig2:32 6Idaho Potato4:57 7Under the Volcano: Resurrection of Blind Joe Death / Four for the Roses / Montagu's Pact6:00 8'Round About Midnight5:04 9The Three Kingdoms4:32 10Rites of Passage4:55 11Keeper of the Vine3:25 12Catwalk4:09 13Goodbye Porkpie Hat5:18 14Midnight on the Water3:50 15Spirit Levels8:43 | Compilation | 16 November 1999 | |
| 2000 | The Transatlantic AnthologySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 34 tracks · 1:52:39Disc 1 1Lucky Thirteen3:35 2Sally Go Round The Roses3:37 3Forty-Eight2:52 4Tic-Tocative1:57 5Lord Franklin3:24 6Lady Nothinge's Toye Puffe1:31 7The Hermit3:19 8Shake Shake Mama3:23 9Waltz2:00 10Faro Annie3:25 11White House Blues3:34 12Can't Keep From Crying2:03 13My Sweet Potato3:19 14Kokomo Blues3:53 15So Clear4:53 16The Lady And The Unicorn3:24 17Will The Circle Be Unbroken4:07 18Bicycle Tune2:21 Disc 21Judy1:58 2I Know My Babe3:29 3Lost Lover Blues1:58 4One For William2:52 5The Trees They Do Grow High3:34 6Goat Island2:56 7A Maid That's Deep In Love5:30 8Back On The Road Again3:11 9Bransle Gay / Bransle De Bourgogne2:51 10The Earle Of Salisbury1:22 11Come On In My Kitchen3:52 12Willy O'Winsbury5:37 13Old Mac Bladgitt3:59 14In Time5:10 15Alman / Melancholy Galliard4:40 16Blues Run The Game3:03 | Compilation | 2000 | |
| 2000 | Down on the BargeSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 19 tracks · 1:02:291Waltz2:00 2Kokomo Blues3:53 3I Know My Babe3:29 4Beth's Blues2:08 5National Seven3:00 6Can't Keep From Crying2:03 7Noah and Rabbit2:49 8After the Dance2:26 9White House Blues3:34 10Down on the Barge1:57 11Country Blues3:36 12John Henry3:23 13Lord Franklin3:24 14Caroline's Tune3:22 15The Hermit3:19 16Plainsong3:47 17The Pelican7:05 18Sweet Potato3:19 19The Cuckoo3:55 | Compilation | September 2000 | |
| 2001 | HeritageSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 17 tracks · 1:04:151Judy1:57 2Candy Man3:18 3Lost Lover Blues1:57 4Nobody's Fault but Mine1:58 5After the Dance2:26 6Another Monday1:51 7Waltz2:00 8Gypsy Dance3:28 9Ladye's Nothing's Toye Puffe1:30 10The Lady and the Unicorn3:25 11The Moon Shines Bright3:55 12My Johnny Was a Shoemaker13:07 13Melancholy Galliard4:41 14The Pelican7:03 15Three Pieces by O'Carolan5:08 16English Dance2:50 17Pavane belle que tiens ma vie3:41 | Compilation | 2001 | |
| 2001 | The Best of John RenbournSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 22 tracks · 1:06:561Goodbye Pork Pie Hat3:53 2The Hermit3:20 3White House Blues3:37 4The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:05 5Country Blues3:38 6Train Tune2:39 7Can't Keep From Crying2:04 8After the Dance2:27 9Lord Franklin3:25 10Sweet Potato3:21 11Beth's Blues2:08 12Winter Is Gone2:17 13I Know My Babe3:30 14Kokomo Blues3:55 15The Cuckoo3:59 16Faro's Rag2:41 17Will the Circle Be Unbroken?4:07 18Nobody's Fault But Mine1:58 19Sally Go Round the Roses3:38 20Debbie Anne1:42 21Piano Tune1:40 22So Clear4:52 | Compilation | 2001 | |
| 2008 | Nobody’s Fault but Mine: The John Renbourn Anthology 1966–2005Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 37 tracks · 2:17:43Disc 1 1Plainsong3:47 2The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:08 3Lost Lover Blues1:58 4The Waggoner’s Lad3:28 5Come Up Horsey1:45 6Nobody’s Fault but Mine1:58 7After the Dance2:26 8My Sweet Potato3:22 9Kokomo Blues3:54 10Water Gypsy4:07 11Just Like Me3:45 12Shake Shake Mamma3:24 13Faro’s Rag2:40 14Catwalk4:09 15Medley: Dark Island / Hymn / Great Dreams (live)7:15 16Reflections 13:28 17Waltz on Sunday3:23 18Sally Go Round the Roses3:37 19Cannonball Stomp3:07 20So Clear4:50 Disc 21O’Carolan Medley: The Lamentation of Owen Roe O’Neill / Lord Inchiquin / Carolan’s Concerto5:08 2The Moon Shines Bright3:55 3The English Dance2:57 4Death & The Lady3:21 5The Trees They Grow High3:01 6Talk About Suffering3:29 7Circle Dance4:25 8The Truth From Above2:17 9My Johnny Was a Shoemaker2:47 10South Wind / Blarney Pilgrim3:57 11Lindsay5:56 12Sidi Brahim9:58 13Im Wunderschonen Monat Mai (live)1:38 14Traveller’s Prayer2:41 15Variations on My Lady Carey’s Dompe6:15 16At the Break of Day (live)4:22 17Going to Memphis3:05 | Compilation | 24 November 2008 | |
| 2015 | The Attic TapesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 20 tracks · 1:00:361Anji3:52 2Blues Run the Game3:24 3Rosslyn2:11 4Picking Up the Sunshine (live)3:46 5I Know My Babe (live at Les Cousins)3:42 6The Wildest Pig in Captivity2:13 7Candyman4:40 8Buffalo2:12 9National Seven (live)2:42 10Come Back Baby (live)2:44 11Train Tune (live)2:32 12Judy (live)1:58 13Beth's Blues (live)2:17 14Cocaine4:18 15Courting Blues3:08 16It Hurts Me Too1:40 17Portland Town (live)2:57 18Plainsong (live)3:00 19Can't Keep From Crying (live)2:39 20Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (live)4:41 | Compilation | 16 October 2015 | |
| 2018 | Live in Kyoto 1978Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 48:571Candyman3:29 2Anji2:16 3I Know My Babe3:40 4So Early in the Spring4:31 5Kokomo Blues4:24 6The Cuckoo3:38 7Banks of the Sweet Primroses4:17 8John Barleycorn2:32 9Peacock Rag2:52 10The Earle of Salisbury1:31 11Transfusion3:06 12Lamentation for Owen Roe O'Neill/The Orphan/The English Dance6:58 13Medley: Gypsy Dance/Jew's Dance5:43 | Live | 22 June 2018 | |
| 2019 | Unpentangled (The Sixties Albums)Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music | Compilation | 28 June 2019 | |
| — | Philadelphia Folk Festival, 1988Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 28:321John Renbourne & Stefan Grossman. Philadelphia folk Festival9:13 2Goodbye Porkpie Hat5:33 3Candyman3:54 4Mississippi Blues3:57 5'Round Midnight5:55 | Live | — |
Other · 2
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Guitar DuetsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 50:021Looper's Corner2:22 2Why a Duck3:03 3Snap a Little Owl3:33 4The Drifter3:52 5Woman From Donori3:31 6Idaho Potato4:52 7Swedish Jig2:33 8The Blarney Pilgrim2:08 9Midnight on the Water3:57 10Mississippi Blues No. 23:27 11The Resurrection of Blind Joe Death10:32 12All Things Parallel Must Converge6:12 | Compilation | 1992 | |
| — | John Renbourn and FriendsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 48 tracks · 1:11:071A Pastoral Prayer (a)3:07 2Traveller's Rest (a)6:13 3Lullaby of Hope4:33 4Joyful Morning (a)4:14 5Summer Country (a)3:22 6Thoughts in the Wind (a)2:34 7The Minstrel's Tale (a)2:58 8A Classic Period (a)3:59 9In a Summer Garden (a)3:45 10Tinker's Prayer2:42 11The Wind From the South (a)3:50 12O'Farrell's Jig5:18 13Echoes of the Dance (a)5:12 14A Pastoral Prayer :601:00 15Traveller's Rest :601:00 16Joyful Morning :601:00 17Summer Country :601:00 18Thoughts in the Wind :601:00 19The Minstrel's Tale :601:00 20A Classic Period :601:00 21In a Summer Garden :601:00 22The Wind From the South :601:00 23O'Farrell's Jig :601:00 24Echoes of the Dance :601:00 25A Pastoral Prayer :300:30 26Traveller's Rest :300:30 27Lullaby of Hope :300:30 28Joyful Morning :300:30 29Summer Country :300:30 30Thoughts in the Wind :300:30 31The Minstrel's Tale :300:30 32A Classic Period :300:30 33In a Summer Garden :30 (a)0:30 34In a Summer Garden :30 (b)0:30 35Tinker's Prayer :300:30 36The Wind From the South :300:30 37O'Farrell's Jig :300:30 38Echoes of the Dance :300:30 39A Pastoral Prayer (b)0:10 40Traveller's Rest (b)0:06 41Joyful Morning (b)0:06 42Summer Country (b)0:08 43Thoughts in the Wind (b)0:07 44The Minstrel's Tale (b)0:06 45A Classic Period (b)0:06 46In a Summer Garden (b)0:10 47The Wind From the South (b)0:14 48Echoes of the Dance (b)0:07 | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put John Renbourn head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 50 | 94.3th |
| Studio albums | 25 | 97.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 25 | 95.6th |
| Recording span (years) | 50 | 90.9th |
| Genres | 10 | 96.5th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pentangle(band) | — | present | |
| Ship of Fools(band) | — | present | guitar,original |
| The John Renbourn Group(band) | — | present | original |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JohnRenbournNewBedfordSummerfest2005..jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4e64ce27-3326-49ac-abf0-494c63979c96discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4e64ce27-3326-49ac-abf0-494c63979c96core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1398824genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1398824seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Renbournbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Renbourn
Why this artist is in the database
- List of folk musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Thom C from Blackstone Valley, United States · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1398824 · MusicBrainz: 4e64ce27-3326-49ac-abf0-494c63979c96
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