Gareth is an acoustic guitarist and composer from Cwmbran, South Wales UK. He has performed at festivals and concerts worldwide and was personally invited to the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in Nashville by Tommy Emmanuel and by Southside Johnny to perform at their annual New Years Eve concert in New Jersey at the tender age of 17.
Gareth has a formidable string of concerts and guitar festivals behind him including The Montreal Jazz Festival and regularly conducts guitar workshops when appearing at festivals.
A recent article on Gareth published in the UK “Acoustic” magazine said this,
“Gareth Pearson is no average guitar player. He is in fact a living record of what can be achieved with an applied mind and a great passion for pursing what it is you love doing. Having only just begun playing the instrument in recent times, he has developed a distinctive style and execution to his playing that has earned him the greatest of accolades from world renowned players. In less than five years he has grown from a relatively unknown guitar appreciator to a fully fledged professional who now performs in many parts of the world.
With influences such as Chet Atkins, Tommy Emmanuel and Merle Travis, Gareth’s arsenal of techniques represents a broad gamut to be entertained by, even if one cannot see his fingers move, as they dance with great fluidity. These opinions of popularity are continuing to grow further as guitar greats including Jan Akkerman and Tommy Emmanuel have invited and requested Gareth’s company on tour. Add to this his characteristic vocal signatures and you have one of the world’s most developed new guitar players that has fully blossomed.”
Acoustic Magazine, October 2008.
Along with Tommy Emmanuel and Jan Akkerman, Gareth has toured and performed with Andy Mckee, John Renbourn, Ray Davies of the Kinks, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and other well known guitarists and musicians.
Gareth’s influences are wide, but his own distinctive voice is clearly audible in his own compositions. In performance, his “Exuberance of Youth” as one fellow musician put it, is clearly evident.
“Not only is Gareth one of the most amazing guitarists around, he is a
really nice guy and funny as hell!”
Andy McKee
“My friend Gareth Pearson is a huge talent and in his genre, one of the best
young players around. I mean there’s many roads that lead to Rome, but this
one is definitely a great one. I can see a great future for him”
Jan Akkerman
“When the Welsh Tornado hits your town, get ready for total devastation!”
Tommy Emmanuel.