John Verity Band

In his long career, John Verity has supported legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Mountain, Canned Heat and Janis Joplin, has played with Russ Ballard, Colin Blunstone, Keith Emerson, Ringo Starr and Mike Rutherford and was in the rock group Argent from 1973 to 1976. His credentials as a guitarist, producer and singer / songwriter, today make him one of the leading lights of Rock and Blues. Growing up in Bradford, Yorkshire, John began his career playing with local groups, before landing a full-time professional gig, performing 7/7 throughout the UK and Europe, playing R&B and Chicago Blues, as well as contemporary hits. By 1970, 21 year-old John was living and working in the US with his band ‘Tunnel’, doing high profile support slots with Jimi Hendrix, Mountain, Canned Heat, Savoy Brown and Janis Joplin. Tunnel soon became the first John Verity Band and in Spring 1973 the band released their first, self-titled album. Touring in support of the album, John was asked by Rod Argent to front his band, following the departure of Russ Ballard. John joined Argent in late 1973 and toured and recorded extensively until 1976 when Argent disbanded. John formed the group Phoenix with Bob Henrit and Jim Rodford and produced 3 albums, also producing albums for Charlie and Saxon. Phoenix eventually broke up and John spent the next few years recording and producing with artists including Motorhead, Tank, Russ Ballard, Colin Blunstone, Brian Connolly, John Parr, BowWowWow and The Searchers until late 1981, when PRT Records persuaded him to record a new album under his own name. By this time John had built his own studio and was now in full-time record production. The 1982 album ‘Verity’ was highly-acclaimed in the UK, Europe and the US and John found himself in demand, collaborating with Mike Rutherford, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake. Two subsequent albums were also well-received and, having turned down offers to join MSG, Ted Nugent and Asia, John recorded with the Zombies, before touring with John Coghlan (Status Quo) in Diesel. In 1994, John guested at the Manchester Festival “Fender Stratocaster 40th Anniversary” concert, alongside Sonny Curtis, Frankie Miller and Rory Gallagher, and in 2000 John opened for the Jools Holland Sex, Jazz and Rock ’n’ Roll tour at Manchester opera House, Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. Throughout, John has continued touring and recording his own material, as well as promoting his own signature guitar the ‘FRET-king Black Label Corona JV Signature’ model, released in 2012. His latest album ‘It’s A Mean Old Scene’ was released in December 2011 to more critical acclaim: “Well seasoned chops from a Brit Bluesman - A veteran who shared stages with Hendrix, Mountain and others - John Verity returns to record some updated takes on blues standards such as Hoochie Coochie Man, and The Thrill is Gone. The tunes are familiar, so the star attraction here is Verity’s unhurried, classy phrasing on his fat-toned Fret-King Super 60. It’s interesting how he phrases his vocal in a similar way to his guitar licks-creating a call and response interplay between the two that heightens each track. Classic blues guitar with a twist of forward thinking” ~ Jamie Dickson, Guitarist Magazine, Feb 2012. John Verity is a guitarist, producer and singer/songwriter, with an awesome pedigree, making him a leading light in Rock & Blues today.