Wizz Jones

Raymond Ronald "Wizz" Jones (25 April 1939 – 27 April 2025) was an English acoustic guitarist, and singer-songwriter. He performed from the late 1950s and recorded from 1965 until 2025. He possessed what was described as "unparalleled virtuosity" on the guitar and worked with many of the notable guitarists of the British folk revival, such as John Renbourn and Bert Jansch. He taught Keith Richards, Eric Clapton was "an avid follower", and others he influenced included Rod Stewart, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen. His father, who had been listed as "missing in action" in World War II, reappeared three years later, and Jones wrote "one of his most poignant songs", 'The Burma Star', about his father's experiences during the war and his struggle to readjust afterwards. The partnership ended in 1967 when Jones turned solo. In 2015, Jones toured with John Renbourn, playing a mixture of solo and duo material, before Renbourn's death in March of that year. An album by the pair, titled Joint Control, was released in 2016.

Death Jones died on 27 April 2025, at the age of 86.

Discography Solo albums Wizz Jones (1969) The Legendary Me (1970) Right Now (*) (1972) Winter Song (E.P.) (1973) When I Leave Berlin (**) (1973) Soloflight (***) (1974) Lazy Farmer (1975) Happiness Was Free (1976) Magical Flight (1977) Letter from West Germany (197?) The Grapes of Life (1987) Live In Dublin (cassette tape only, 1991) Late Nights and Long Days (****) (1993) Dazzling Stranger (1995) Through the Fingers (2001) Lucky The Man (2001) More Late Nights and Long Days (****) (2003) Young Fashioned Ways (****) (2004) Huldenberg Blues (Live in Belgium) (2006) When I Leave Berlin: Expanded Edition (**) (2007) Lucky the Man (Extra tracks) (2007)

(*) with John Renbourn, Sue Draheim, and others. (**) with Bert Jansch. (***) includes recordings from 1970 to 1974. (****) with Simeon Jones.

Collaborations and compilations Pete Stanley and Wizz Jones Sixteen Tons of Bluegrass (1966) (issued in Italy as Way Out West) More Than Sixteen Tons of Bluegrass and Other Fine Stuff (2000) (re-issue of above on CD with additional, previously unissued, tracks)

John Renbourn and Wizz Jones Joint Control (World Music Network, 2017)

Lazy Farmer (including Wizz Jones) Lazy Farmer (1975)

Wizz Jones and Werner Lämmerhirt Roll on River (1981)

Anthology – Alex Campbell, Andy Irvine, Wizz Jones, Finbar Furey, Dolores Keane et al. Folk Friends (1979) Folk Friends 2 (1981)

Wizz Jones & Ralph McTell About Time (2016) About Time Too (2017)

Wizz Jones, Pete Berryman & Simeon Jones Come What May (2017)

Compilations The Village Thing Tapes (1992)

Singles "The Ballad of Hollis Brown" / "Riff Minor" (1965)

Videos and DVDs Masters of the British Guitar (VHS) (1998) Wizz Jones – Maestros of the Guitar No 1 (2006)

Session recordings Ralph McTell: Easy (1974) Derroll Adams: Songs of the Banjoman (1984) Clive Palmer: Clive Palmer's Banjoland (recorded 1967, released 2007)