Will Hodgkinson

Will Hodgkinson is a journalist and author from London, England. He currently writes a monthly column for "The Guardian" newspaper, and presents the Sky Arts TV show "Songbook", in which he interviews contemporary songwriters.

His books "Guitar Man" (2006) and "Song Man" (2007) (Bloomsbury) are narrative non-fiction in a comic style. In "Guitar Man", Hodgkinson picked up the guitar for the first time aged 34 with the aim of playing a concert six months later. He received lessons and advice from the Scottish folk guitarist Bert Jansch, Johnny Marr, former guitarist of The Smiths, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, PJ Harvey and the pioneering guitarist Davey Graham. For "Song Man" he learned the basics of songwriting with the goal of recording a single at Toe-Rag Studios in London, this time picking up tips from Keith Richards, Andy Partridge of XTC, folk queen Shirley Collins and the hippy era songwriter Bridget St John. "Guitar Man" and "Song Man" are published in the US by Da Capo.

Will Hodgkinson is the brother of Tom Hodgkinson, editor of "The Idler". Their father is the science writer Neville Hodgkinson and their mother is the non-fiction writer Liz Hodgkinson.

Bibliography

*"Guitar Man" (Bloomsbury, UK, Da Capo, US)
*"Song Man" (Bloomsbury, UK, Da Capo, US)

External links

* [http://www.willhodgkinson.turnpiece.net Will Hodgkinson]
* [http://www.bloomsbury.com Bloomsbury Publishing]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/willhodgkinson Will Hodgkinson's column in "The Guardian"]
* [http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/about_us/press/latestpressreleases/prs/Pages/SkyArtsandPRSannounceSongbookTV.aspx Announcement of Sky Arts "Songbook"]

Sources

*http://www.bloomsbury.com
*"Guitar Man" (Bloomsbury, 2006)
*"Song Man" (Bloomsbury, 2007)