Graham, Davy

The Profile

Davy Graham (1940–2008) was a British guitarist and singer who pioneered folk-jazz and cross-cultural guitar styles. He helped popularize the DADGAD tuning and influenced artists including Bert Jansch and Jimmy Page. His landmark Folk, Blues & Beyond (1964) fused folk, blues, jazz, and global motifs, and he remained active into the 2000s.

Innovative British guitarist blending folk, blues, jazz, and global influences; popularized DADGAD tuning; influential on key 1960s–70s artists; seminal album: Folk, Blues & Beyond (1964).

A single, enthusiastic review champions Davy Graham’s Folk, Blues And Beyond as fluid, lively, and multifaceted, weaving folk, jazz, blues, and raga-like colors. It highlights tracks such as Leavin Blues, Cocaine Blues, Rock Me Baby, Seven Gypsies, and Maajun. The piece frames Graham as a pivotal innovator whose ideas fed into British folk-rock and guitarists like Page and Jansch, while lamenting his under-recognition.