Ady Johnson

About

Music's Not Dead are delighted to announce Ady Johnson is coming to the De La Warr Pavilion to launch his new album, 'Under Gainsborough Skies', with a free show on Saturday 18 July at 3pm.

Suffolk-born singer-songwriter Ady Johnson is an accomplished acoustic guitarist whose music blends folk and Americana influences, rooted in the tradition of classic British songwriting. His expressive, soulful vocals are complemented by a distinctive, dynamic guitar style, shaped by his background in classical guitar and characterised by intricate fingerpicking.

Ady Johnson will showcase his new record 'Under Gainsborough Skies' in full – an album of intimate, analogue recordings inspired by his life on the Essex–Suffolk border. Recorded live in the studio with producer Nathan Wacey using vintage equipment the album captures raw, unfiltered performances with minimal overdubs. "I wanted it to feel honest and immediate—just my guitar, my voice, and the moment," says Johnson. Rooted in folk revival traditions and shaped by Johnson's background in classical guitar performance, the record blends intricate fingerpicking with intimate vocal melodies, creating beautifully self-contained arrangements. The album explores themes of memory, time and mortality, shaped by personal reflections on family, loss and the possibility of something beyond.