Sid Griffin

• Roots

Sid Griffin is best known for being the ringleader of the Long Ryders, one of the first Americana/alt-country acts on the scene. Starting out as a disciple of The Byrds 12-string Rickenbacker sound Griffin now features bluegrass mandolin and clawhammer banjo in his act.

The Journey From Grape To Raisin, released last September, is Sid’s first solo album in a decade. Its eleven songs include ten Griffin originals and one campfire cover of, get ready, the Velvet Underground’s Femme Fatale. When asked about the sessions and the album as a whole Griffin smiles and calls The Journey From Grape To Raisin “my career highlight, the best work I am ever likely to do. Heaven forbid I should go but if I did I’d die happy”.

Sid Griffin has also written four books and curated and annotated Bob Dylan’s The Basement Tapes box set. Griffin compiled and annotated over forty CDs/LPs for various labels and is seen in over a dozen music documentaries as an authority on roots music. Kentucky born but living in London, England these days he is frequently seen and heard on the BBC.