About Jon Wilks
Jon Wilks is a singer, songwriter and acclaimed fingerpicking guitarist whose work is rooted in English folk traditions, memory, and place. Described by The Quietus as being “at the centre of the current folk scene,” he began by exploring traditional songs from Birmingham and the wider Midlands, releasing two regionally focused albums: Midlife (2018) and Up the Cut (2021). His fourth solo album, Before I Knew What Had Begun I Had Already Lost (2023), was named Folk Album of the Month in The Guardian, and his latest, Needless Alley (2025), marks a shift toward original, autobiographical songwriting. “If you’re looking for a thread,” he says, “maybe it’s the way we carry the past with us, whether we mean to or not. For me, the album is a patchwork of memories — what you’d find if you rummaged around in my head for an afternoon.”
A former journalist for Time Out, The Guardian, and Dazed & Confused, Wilks brings a sharp storytelling sensibility to his songwriting and stagecraft. He founded and was the original editor of Tradfolk.co, and has been featured regularly on BBC Radio 2’s Folk Show. He performs both solo and with his occasional band, The Grizzly Folk. In 2025, he co-curates The Life and Songs of Martin Carthy, a major tribute concert at EartH, London, featuring Graham Coxon, Peggy Seeger, Billy Bragg and many more folk luminaries.
What people are saying…
“Bloody brilliant!”
“Jon’s a badman fingerpicking guitarist and leading exponent of the songs of old Albion.”
“Wilks proves once again what a stand-out talent he really is. There is an honesty and compassion in Wilks’ writing and performance, which is entirely charming.”
“Jon Wilks is the real deal. He has a deep love for folk music which is coupled with intelligence, curiosity and musicianship. He is a fine guitar player, a really good singer and an excellent writer to boot. What he does is capture the essence of his material.”
“Pulls off that niftiest of tricks - paying due homage to the traditions whilst sounding original and contemporary.”
“Very much part of the UK’s living folk tradition, Wilks excels at reanimating broadside ballads and antique pieces with a scholar’s ear for vernacular and a dashing sense of verve on fingerpicked guitar. He’s at his eloquent best on poetic Soho encounter, ‘Greek Street’.”
“Characters are the currency that Wilks deals in. Whether they are murderous wives, cheating tailors, thoughtful down-and-outs or strolling dandies, his songs are a parade of real life.”
“I’ve now added Jon Wilks’ back catalogue to my wants list and cannot believe such a strong set of albums has passed me by. If you had already come across Jon then this amazing album will confirm his power and sure touch as a singer and musician. If like me you got some catching up to do, then this is a strong set to start with.
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