A MUSICIAN is preparing for a gig at a popular East Yorkshire venue after the release of his sixth studio album.

John Smith will perform a headline show at Pocklington Arts Centre on April 5.

John was born in Essex and raised on the Devon seaside. Known for his intimate songwriting, his honey-on-gravel voice and pioneering guitar playing, he has spent the last 15 years touring internationally and has amassed over 40 million streams on Spotify.

Speaking on his sixth album, called 'The Fray', John said: "When I wrote The Fray it was to be built around guitar, piano and bass. Naturally it sprawled a little as the songs took shape, but by the time we closed the studio door, we had captured a certain intimacy.

"I’m excited to present these variations, to uncover something new in the songs."

Smith co-produced ‘The Fray’ with long-time friend and producer Sam Lakeman. They recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio, with pianist Jason Rebello, bass player Ben Nicholls, drummer Jay Sikora and Jessica Staveley-Taylor of The Staves.

As a session musician, Smith has played guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas and Tom Jones.