Eclectic New Orleans--fingerstyle guitarist and singer shows why he loves his hometown in a variety of styles from traditional jazz to R & B.

13 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Folk Blues, JAZZ: Jazz Vocals



Details:
John Rankin is one of the best known and most versatile guitarists in New Orleans. He is a master of finger-style guitar, specializing in an impressive variety of styles: classical, jazz, folk, blues, and classic New Orleans music. He frequently performs both as a soloist and with groups, as well as teaching guitar at three major universities (Tulane, Loyola, and UNO).

John has been a featured solo performer at every New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival since 1981(except 2004), and in 2003 he won his second Big Easy Award for Best Folk Music. In 2005 he released Fess' Mess, a mostly vocal collection of New Orleans originals and covers. In 2002 he released Guitar Gumbo, a CD of New Orleans music in a variety of styles played on solo acoustic guitar, which was voted a top ten Louisiana CD for 2002 by Gambit Weekly and top 20 Louisiana CD for 2002 by The New Orleans Times Picayune. He previously released an album of original music, Something I Ate, and was a winner of the 1985 American Finger-Style Guitar Festival,. He has opened for such acts as Leon Russell, Leo Kottke, Doc Watson, J.J. Cale, John Fahey, Roger McGuinn, David Lyndley, Graham Nash, and many others.

Whether on recordings or live, Rankin artfully blends New Orleans jazz, New Orleans R&B, jazz, standards, folk, blues, and classical guitar, as well as a wide array of originals, playing 6, 7, and 12 string guitars along with harmonica in a neck rack and singing in a rich baritone. This virtuosity, combined with a warm stage presence, makes John Rankin one of New Orleans' busiest performers.