Dickie Hartt

I was raised in the Surrey Blues Delta - home of guitar legends Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck. As a poor boy living in a rich neighbourhood, I started learning on borrowed guitars - a left hander, I had to learn to play right handed. The first riff I learned was Cream's 'Sunshine of Your Love' and from that the blues or pentatonic scale - I haven't stopped using the same five notes since!
My first electric guitar was a poxy little Vox with a Bird Talisman amp which I bought from a guy at school - my first Bird! My first half decent guitar was a purple sunburst, no-name, foreign made, hollow bodied, Les Paul copy bought from a teacher.
At school I played in bands, jammed with friends and played the odd gig or two. This included playing in a band with drummer Adrian Lillywhite who went on to bash the beat for The Members. The band recorded for the first time with Adrian's older brother, Steve. Steve Lillywhite went on to become one of the most successful producers to come out of this era including mixing and producing U2 amongst many, many others.
My earliest musical influences were John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Cream. Later I became more and more influenced by bands like the Byrds, Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, the Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Poco and the early '70s pub rock scene. It's no surprise that my guitar style blends blues and country rock.
At School, I also promoted gigs including ones by Curly, Archangel (with Steve Lillywhite on Bass), Capability Brown and Starry Eyed & Laughing, who were influenced by the Byrds and part of the early '70s pub rock scene.
After School, I went to University in Norwich and blew my first grant cheque on a Gibson SG Deluxe! After Uni, I retired to become a bedroom guitarist........................
Get Your Own! | View Slideshow
Feeling the need to get out more, I started going to jam sessions in 2003. At one of these sessions I met Micky Kemp and have played with him many times since.
The strangest was when I went to the Borderline to see Micky support Bobby Bandiera and the Asbury Jukes. Micky introduced me to Bobby and Bobby suggested I use his guitar and play a few numbers with Micky. After fumbling to get his gear to work, it was great to play with Micky and the Asbury Jukes. As a lady with the band said to me when I left the stage - 'You done well'. Bobby, the Asbury Jukes and their friends were great.
Micky also winkled Bill Kirchen out of an Austin, Texas coffee bar for a couple of UK tours (the second including the legendary Austin de Lone, ex-Eggs Over Easy, who are credited with starting the '70s Pub Rock revolution).

Austin de Lone in customary pose
It was great to meet Bill as he is one of my earliest guitar influences from Commander Cody - full circle!
Like Paul Kossoff, I'm a hopeless rhythm guitarist - I simply can't remember the chords to a song let alone the lyrics; three chords and that's about my limit! So at a jam, my general response to "Do you know....?" is "No but you start and I'll catch up"! In fact, my memory is so bad that I'm usually seen wearing a T-shirt with my name on it, just in case I forget!
Between 2006 and 2009 I played pubs around Surrey with country rock band Six Miles Away. Now most weeks I play at least a couple of jam sessions in the Surrey Blues Delta. Get out more and I'll see you there!