John Smith + Ellie Gowers

Pioneering songwriter & acclaimed guitarist John Smith joins one of the UK’s brightest lights Ellie Gowers for a special double concert ‘full of delicacy precision & delight’.

Singer, songwriter & guitarist John Smith has been at the forefront of British Folk & Roots music for twenty years. He’s amassed over 125 million Spotify stream and played his songs all over the world.

“John Smith’s voice is a rare & deeply soulful combination of granite & velvet” Sunday Times

Coined the Richard Thompson of his generation, John cut his teeth opening for the late great John Martyn. Since then, Smith’s gone on to work with a host of artists including Joan Baez, David Gray, Tom Jones, Patty Griffin and Jackson Brown.

John marks 20 years in music, with new release Gatherings, an album that celebrates, revisits and reimagines songs from his first three albums, with new interpretation of audience favourites from over 2,000 live shows. The album was mixed by Rylan Freeland (Bonnie Raitt, Aimee Mann, Ray LaMontagne).

Since emerging on the folk scene with her acclaimed 2022 debut Dwelling by the Weir, Ellie Gowers has captivated audiences with songs rooted in the folklore, ecology, and nuanced stories of her hometown, Warwick.

A favourite on BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, her latest EP The Passenger shows Ellie’s progression as an artist. Gowers widens her folk influences to include artists from MIPSO to Jeff Buckley, and explores deeper themes of distance, longing and identity.

A standout young artist, Bristol Folk Festival are delighted to welcome Ellie to showcase songs from her new album due in 2026.

“Full of delicacy, precision & gentle delight” The Guardian

“Absolutely beautiful” Zoe Ball BBC Radio 2