Click to enlarge images.
Also backstage at The Acoustic Tent at Glastonbury on June 30, 2024 is top newcomer Jessie Reid. This young lady is an astonishingly gifted guitarist and her songs are brilliant. Without a doubt we will be hearing more and more about her in the near future. I mean this!
Here’s the Squidman with Chris Difford of Squeeze backstage at the Glastonbury Festival’s Acoustic Stage, June 30, 2024. Chris was emcee of a Songwriter’s Arc where he sang some of his greatest tunes and then had Guy Chambers, Beth Neilsen Chapman, and ace newcomer Jessie Reid do the same. Sid sang Looking For Lewis & Clark on the banjo and The Day The Last Ramone Died on the mandolin. Chris, thanks for including me!
Nov 6, 2023 saw Our Fearless Leader visit sometime Long Ryder/full time Old 97’s bassist Murry Hammond and 97’s singer Rhett Miller at their first London concert in ages. Caffeinated drinks were discussed.
Jayhawks leader Gary Louris and London’s favourite Kentuckian discuss Stephen McCarthy’s baseball card collection. Shepard’s Bush Empire, April 14, 2023
Here are two native Kentuckians. Our Hero on left and Americana/c&w star Tyler Childers on the right. At Islington Assembly Hall on Feb 11, 2023. They had much to talk about and were surprised to find they knew some of the very same Picker’s back home
The great Steve Earle sits in with the Long Ryders on the November 2022 Outlaw Country cruise for a fine version of the Flying Burrito Bros’ classic tune, Sin City.(photo by Greg Allen)
The legendary Wayne Kramer of the MC5 and Gang War sits in with the Long Ryders for two songs on November 5, 2022 during the SiriusXM Outlaw Country cruise down Baja California. We are not worthy…we are not worthy…
Steve Berlin, the great sax man in Los Lobos, on deck with Sid after playing two songs with the Long Ryders during the Sirius XM Outlaw Country cruise on November 5, 2022.
John Doe of X and Our Hero backstage during the Merle Haggard Tribute Concert on November 6, 2022 on the Sirius XM Outlaw Country cruise.
Sid Griffin saw the legendary Circle Jerks Aug 4, 2022 in London at The Electric Ballroom. A fine show and so cool to be reunited with old pals
Keith Morris (singer, also in Off!) and Greg Hetson (guitarist, also in Bad Religion, Redd Kross). Keith and Sid were born the same day in the same year and Hetson used to play golf with Sid and Rockpile’s Billy Bremner when they all resided in Los Angeles!</
Here is Our Hero with Grammy Award winner Steve Cooley in London in May 2022. Steve is also from Louisville, Kentucky and was a flat picker with the Dillards for years. To say Steve Cooley knows acoustic roots music is the understatement of the century! Note both these dudes have some serious Santa Claus facial hair!
Hanging out with the multi-talented Jon Langford in Miami, Florida Monday Feb 3, 2020. Jon was a leading light of the Mekons back in Leeds and then the Three Johns. To escape a mounting pile of traffic tickets he moved to Chicago where he leads the Waco Bros. and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts. He is a graphic artist of some distinction too. A true Renaissance man.
Dylan pal and former High Times editor Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman, Our Hero, Mojo Nixon, three merry Long Ryders with Mojo’s manager Bullethead lurking suspiciously in the background on the SiriusXM Outlaw Country Cruise.Photo by Will Byington
Sid Griffin, amazing musician/producer Larry Campbell, Steve Earle, author/musician Kinky Friedman, and author/publisher Larry ‘Ratso’ Sloman on the SiriusXM Outlaw Country Cruise after their panel discussing Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Review, January 30, 2020.Photo by Will Byington
Our Hero with Steve Earle, January 31, 2020 on the SiriusXM Outlaw Country Cruise. This is amidships on the Norwegian Pearl somewhere off the coast of Cuba.Photo by Will Byington
June 8, 2019, London, saw Our Hero attended yet another gig by the legendary Flamin’ Groovies. Led by Cyril Jordan since 1966, the Groovies are unstoppable. Here’s Cyril, Sid, and their shared soundman Fabio Clemente after the gig.
With Peter Case, Sid’s buddy for over forty years, this dynamic duo toured the U.K. in May 2019. It was a total blast and they’ll do it again in 2020. Peter is a guiding light of Americana, and founded both the Nerves & The Plimsouls.
Wed Feb 6, 2019 Sid recorded with Jools Holland and his band for a live (to tape) radio appearance in April. They cut a fine version of And The Rains Came by the Sir Douglas Quintet.
Our Hero overdubs mandolin parts on The Hanging Stars new alt-country indie LP. Guitarist Rich Olson shows how it goes.
Two Louisville natives in London, August 16, 2018. On left David Grubbs, now a professor at Brooklyn College (CUNY), once leader of the brilliant Squirrel Bait and the avant-garde Gastr del Sol. David digs Indian food too.
Russ Tolman, now a fine solo act and then leader of the top band True West, rocks out on a Gretsch guitar with Guess Who at their first face to face meeting in over a decade, July 21, 2018, in London.
Bill Bateman and John Bazz of The Blasters backstage with Father Time’s older brother in London, April 29, 2018. A great double bill, Blasters and Coal Porters.
Lucinda Williams backed by Our Hero and various L.A. cowboys circa 1986. Looks like The Palomino in North Hollywood but not sure.
Working in the L.A. studio of Dr.. Dre, November 16, 2017. Dre has a fine modern studio. Stephen McCarthy was working in one room and Dre was doing deafening beats in the other.
In Hollywood, April 27, 2017: Sid, famous producer Ed Stasium, noted rock manager John Silva and song publisher Greg Sowders dine out…John picked up the check!
Our Hero with his old roomate John Silva, now manager of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth and others…but not Sid!
April 27, 2017 Hollywood
Chuck Prophet backstage at Long Ryders’ San Francisco gig, April 26, 2017. Photo by Chris Robinson!
Chris Robinson of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and the Black Crows shows up at Long Ryders soundcheck April 26, 2017. He sang ‘Dynamite Woman’ with us.
On Feb 13, 2017 the great British director and humanitarian Ken Loach greets Sid Griffin at BBC TV in London moments before they appear on a panel together.
Lunch with John Sebastian of the Lovin’ Spoonful and ace singer Tony Jackson in NYC, Nov 9, 2016.
At Sirius XM in the Rockefeller Centre in NYC with DJ/writer/sage Dave Marsh. Don’t ask… Tuesday Nov 8, 2016
June 2016 sees Our Hero and his trusty Martin guitar explaining copyright law on BBC Breakfast TV going nationwide with hosts Charlie Stayt and Louise Minchin.
Chris Cacavas, Our Hero, & Dan Stuart hold a mini-Paisley Underground reunion July 9, 2016 at Strade Blu Festival in Italy.
BBC broadcasting legend Andy Kershaw helps The Long Ryders celebrate Kentucky Derby Day, May 7, 2016 in Manchester at the Academy gig.
May 2, 2016. The Long Ryders, with BBC radio legend Bob Harris in centre, discuss 12 string guitars at Western House.
The Long Ryders, Madrid April 2016, with a shamelessly mugging Dan Stuart (Green On Red) in the centre.
Topnotch guitarist Martin Belmont, Our Hero, and Graham Parker pose for The Daily Mail at Rough Trade East, March 3, 2016.
Will Birch, producer of the Long Ryders’ immortal State Of Our Union album, shows up at the Barney Hoskyns’ book launch for Small Town Talk where Sid & two Coal Porters performed, March 3, 2016.
Singer-novelist Dan Stuart, comedian & Observer columnist Stewart Lee & a guy with white sideburns meet March 1, 2016 at The Islington pub to form a Stop Trump movement.
Our Fearless Leader with the great, great Cuban trumpter Eikel Venegas Hernandez at a CPs’ recording session, May 4, 2015 in Shoreditch.
A joyous Mark Ellen, a boyish Sid G, the fab & talented Barb Jungr, and pensive emcee David Hepworth agree Bob Dylan is Da Man, The Islington pub, London, Feb 2, 2015.
After twenty years of no contact I once again meet the talented Gina Birch (The Raincoats, The Hangovers) at the Camden School for Girls book fair, Nov. 29, 2014.
Looking big of body & small of head, Sid poses with a properly proportioned Deacon Blue’s Ricky Ross at BBC Radio 2 in London, Nov. 17, 2014.
Dave Alvin, the John Fogerty of my generation, gets some songwriting tips backstage in London, Oct 24, 2014.
With John Jorgenson July 9, 2014 at his London gig. Pals for over thirty years I’ve seen John pick in the Desert Rose Band, Earl Scruggs, the Elton John Band and now his own band(s)!
Our Hero with ace singer-songwriter Greg Trooper, author of ‘Everywhere’ in NYC, June 2014.
Fleshtones’ lead singer Peter Zaremba poses for a selfie with a European fan, June 3, 2014.
Madrid, May 17, 2014. Soul great Swamp Dogg, 72 years young, meets the founder of alt-country at Swamp’s Soundcheck.
Level 42’s ace face of bass Mark King at the BBC in London with Our Hero on May 8, 2014. They had not seen each other since a shared festival gig in 1986!
Session great Justin Moses, Our Hero, and mandolin whiz Sierra Hull record in Nashville, Tennessee at Thomm Jutz’ studio on Feb 12, 2014.
Sid with the fine songwriter Otis Gibbs in East Nashville, Feb. 13, 2014.
Mark Fain (ex-Kentucky Thunder) on bass, Sid Griffin singing, and the great Paul Griffith on drums. Feb 9, 2014, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
Sid shakes with 23rd President of Yale University Peter Salovey after the CPs play a Yale fundraiser at The Gherkin on January 20, 2014.
Piers Morgan at The Long Ryders gig at The Troubadour in L.A. on January 14, 2014. He was nice but I now wonder about a Murdoch employee and such a soft interviewer of Trump being on this page.
Sid with Henry Diltz, singer of the Modern Folk Quartet and one of rock’s greatest photographers having done LP sleeves for the Doors, the Byrds, CSN and Joni Mitchell.
With the man who gave Dylan, Joni Mtchell, Patti Smith & others their first big break, Izzy Young yaks while Sid distracts at The Folklore Centre in Stockholm, May 9, 2013.
The Coal Porters backstage at The Apple Tree pub in London last night with Pete Frame (Rock Family Trees) and his beloved Stacey.
With actor/singer Ronnie Cox at Folk Alliance 2013 discussing James Dickey. Cox was the guitarist in Deliverance scene who played Dueling Banjos and was in the Beverly Hills Cop films with Eddie Murphy.
The Coal Porters in live session at House Of Mercy radio Nov 19, 2012 w/ DJ & wit Barry Everitt on left. Photographer’s thumb clearly visible.
The Coal Porters with Bob Harris for a live session out Oct 28 on his show.
June 9, 2012. Britain’s best light welterweight fighter Ashley Treasure Theophane at All-Stars Gym on Harrow Road with Yours Truly.
March 31, 2012 with Isola Akay, the greatest boxing coach in the UK & my friend for 17 years.
The CPs recording at Snap in north London, Nov 2011, with legendary producer/engineer John Wood (Fairport Convention, Nick Drake, Beth Orton, Squeeze)
Bluegrass legend Frank Wakefield, a true virtuoso, and Sid Griffin sit on Bill Monroe’s porch (!) near Rosine, Kentucky, summer 2007.
August 31, 2011…Our Hero and Whisperin’ Bob Harris discuss the Long Ryders appearing on BBC’s TV show Whistle Test many moons before.
Sid G & Carly Frey with the brilliant Water Tower Bucket Boys at their co-headlining London gig, August 25, 2012
Robert Haeker Jessett & the totally cool Anne Gilpin of the great London band Morton Valence say hello to Sid backstage, August 2012
World’s greatest dobro player EVER, Jerry Douglas, gets a few tips backstage at Stagecoach Festival, May 1, 2011, from John Breese & Sid.
Sid hangs with old chum Larry Chatman, ex-Funkadelic, now with Dr. Dre, May 2, 2011 in Los Angeles.
With dynamite singer-guitarist Rosie Flores at Folk Alliance in Memphis, Feb 2011
With my friend Alejandro Escovedo. From the Nuns, Rank & File, the True Believers and his incredible solo records Alejandro is an inspiration. Dec 9, 2010, Bedford, England
A familiar Santa Claus visits Coal Porters World HQ and thrills two gorgeous, gorgeous kids!
Sid replaces Micki Steele on bass with the Bangles, Oct. 5, 2010, in London.
At the Americana Festival in Nashville Sept. 10th old friend Peter Case
cracks a joke at the Doobie Brothers’ expense while Sid and Exene Cervenka laugh.
Ali Tonn of the Country Music Museum in Nashville, our hero, Danna Strong of the Americana Festival & Conference, and Rolling Stone’s David Fricke backstage at Sid’s career retrospective Sat Sept 11, 2010 at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Rolling Stone’s David Fricke, Sid & his double chins, and Americana hero Jim Lauderdale backstage at the Country Music Hall of Fame just before Sid’s career retrospective Sat Sept. 11, 2010.
Sid with ten time (!) Grammy Award winner Bobby Hicks after sitting in with Mr. Hicks in Marshall, North Carolina on August 5, 2010.
1990 and Sid Griffin tours the UK acoustically with Dave Sharp, lead guitarist of The Alarm.
Legendary L.A. DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, Sid Griffin, Sky Saxon and Laura Benson on the Sunset Strip, 1986.
Our hero, Warner Bros.’ PR genius Rick Gershon, REM’s Peter Buck and Long Ryder Greg Sowders look silly at Raji’s in Hollywood, 1987.
Our hero shakes hands with UK blues & bluegrass great Wizz Jones in Battersea, June 2010, after a great session at Guitar Classics shop.
The late great Ronnie Lane signs a solo LP for mega-fan Sid Griffin of the Long Ryders, July 1986.
August 1984, backstage at McCabe’s, Gene Clark tells Sid Griffin the set list is okay with him.
Two showbiz legends, Slade great Noddy Holder with ageing NME cover boy Sid Griffin, April 2010.
The Coal Porters play live on Marc Riley’s ace BBC 6 Music show in Manchester, April 2010.
The legendary Roky Erickson talks over the Thirteenth Floor Elevators back catalog with Sid at SxSW in Austin, March 2010.
Texas gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman, Sid Griffin, and Little Jewford discuss religion at London’s Jazz Cafe, Sept. 2009.
Sid Griffin with the great Dr. Richard Brown at Bill Monroe Mandolin Camp,
Sept 2009, Owensboro, Ky
Sid with the legendary George Huffman back in Kentucky, summer 2007.
Two BBC TV producers, the Coal Porters and
Whisperin’ Bob Harris grin for the cameras, July 2008
Lindisfarne’s legendary Rod Clements picks with Sid at the Ireby Festival in Cumbria, Feb 2008
Sid stands in quiet awe next to legendary bluegrass mandolinist/virtuoso singer Bobby Osborne at the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Ky, Sept. 14, 2008. Photo: James Wheatley
Academy Award winning actress Emma Thompson joins the Coal Porters onstage Nov 30, 2006. Realising he is next to Neil Bob and not Miss Thompson our own Sid Griffin holds up a plastic fork in protest
L.A. Dodgers fan Steve Wynn, Sid Griffin, the legendary Willie Nile and Dixie Bee Liner leader Buddy Woodward celebrate Sid’s 2003 campaign for the Mayor of New York City in Manhattan in May of that year at the Rockefeller Centre
BBC DJ, percussionist, humorist and all-round nice guy Mark Radcliffe begs Sid Griffin to sing yet another song live on the air (January 2006)
A banjo player, British violin prodigy Esther Mae and Sid perform in Madrid, April 2006
Mr. Handsome, mandolin virtuoso/music scholar Mike Compton and EuroDisney musician/comedian Percy Copley yuk it up at SoreFingers Bluegrass School, April 2006
John Porteous, Brian Wilson, Dennis Diken of the Smithereens and Sid Griffin (1989)
West Coast super group Crosby, Griffin & Nash reunite (Feb 2005)
Sid, drummer D.J. Fontana, legendary guitarist Scotty Moore in Scotland smile at end of a wonderful UK tour (1993)
Sid, promoter Nigel Young’s son and Lemonhead leader Evan Dando backstage (the night Eric Cantona kicked that heckler in the stands in 1995)
Sid with Billy Bragg at the new ultra-modern home Billy purchased near
Nairn, Scotland (1996) Photo: Kate St John
Sid sitting in with Roger McGuinn in Birmingham at Ronnie Scott’s (1997)
Pat McGarvey, Sid, the multi-talented Bob Neuwirth perform an encore in Berlin (1997)
Sid playing lead guitar for ex-Green On Red hero Chris Cacavas in Germany (1998)
Nils Lofgren n’ Sid after Sid opened for Nils in Lowestoft (1999)
Western Electric on a hilltop w/ Amy Rigby & Dr. Phil Dennison,
her physiotherapist (2000)
Western Electric perform with Amy Rigby for BBC Scotland at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen (2000)
Sid with Kate St John at a charity performance – Jazz Cafe (2001)
Sid backstage at Toronto’s Bluesfest giving a free mandolin lesson to a promising youngster called Chris Hillman (2004)
Sid at the 2005 Sore Fingers Bluegrass School mandolin class taught by Tim O’Brien (2005)
Mandolin virtuoso Tim O’Brien on the left and Mr. Handsome on the right. Tim is clearly a member of the Royal Society of Nice Guys.Photo: Sue Pomeroy
Sid Griffin at Sore Fingers Week April 2004 learning bluegrass mandolin from the legendary Roland White, the ex-Kentucky Colonel mandolinist and a terrific person as well. Photo: Sue Pomeroy
