1 Glasgow-born guitarist and singer Bert Jansch was an influential musician who inspired many, from Johnny Marr to Bernard Butler and Neil Young, who once compared him to Jimi Hendrix. Young said: “As much of a great guitar player as Jimi was, Bert Jansch is the same thing for acoustic guitar -- and my favourite.” Jansch opened for Neil Young on his Twisted Road solo tour in the US and Canada, starting in 2010.
2 Jansch was born in 1943 in Springburn, grew up in Edinburgh, and hitch-hiked to London in the early 60s to forge his career. He borrowed instruments to make his debut album, Bert Jansch, in 1965 and formed Pentangle with John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox in 1967.
3 He continued solo after the group split in 1973 and formed the group Conundrum, as well as a duo with Martin Jenkins. There were later Pentangle reunions too.
4 Jansch was a key figure in the folk revival of the 1960s. He released 23 albums and in 2007, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by Edinburgh Napier University “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the UK music industry”.
5 The musician lived in north London with his wife, Loren. He died of lung cancer in 2011. Radio 2 folk show presenter Mike Harding was among those who paid tribute to him, saying: “Bert Jansch was one of the greats of the folk world, and easily one of the most influential musicians of his generation. He was a true original.”
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