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JON WALMSLEY – FROM CLARKSDALE TO CORNWALL

By Lawrence Lebo

I met UK native Jon Walmsley in
America around 1989 when I was
putting together my Little Big
Band for my debut release
project ‘Lawrence Lebo And
her Little Big Band: Don’t Call
Her Larry’. I already had ace
banjoist Pat Cloud (you must check out his
Charlie Parker influenced solos!) and
mandolinist Bob Applebaum on board, and I was
looking for the right acoustic guitarist who could
keep up with them! Jon’s name came up when
talking to other professional musicians. I
wasn’t big on watching television, so I
didn’t recognize him from his long-term
acting role in the American hit TV show
‘The Waltons’ nor did I recognize his
voice as Christopher Robin in the Walt
Disney animated film ‘The Many
Adventures of Winnie The Pooh’. He
was all guitar player to me! Jon fit right
in with my project and more than held
his own. As a well-rounded musician
who played both electric and
acoustic guitars, he was deeply
familiar with the blues and with
swing. It was a pleasure to record
and perform with him.

Over the years I’ve watched Jon
perform and/or tour as a guitarist
with a variety of acts including
Richard Marx, Brian Setzer, David
Koz, The Doobie Brothers, Gregg
Allman, Merle Haggard, Roy Acuff,
John Mayall, Denny Laine, Spencer

Davis, Peter & Gordon, Jackie Lomax,
Roger Daltrey, Eric Johnson and
Strawberry Alarm Clock.

In 2017 Jon Walmsley recorded his
first solo blues album “Goin To
Clarksdale”, inspired by a trip he and
his wife took to the area. The album
mixes classic blues standards with a few of Jon’s original tunes, including the acoustic
instrumental opening title track. Walmsley plays and sings throughout. He uses both electric