Lifetime Award from Musicians’ Company
It is announced today… which happens to be John Etheridge’s 78th birthday, that he is the 2025 winner of the Jazz Lifetime Achievement Silver Medal from the Musician’s Company. The award will be made at a private ceremony later this month.
John Etheridge tells us that this is the first award he has received as a musician, having previously been nominated for awards, but never actually won one. He says: ‘I very much appreciate this recognition from the Musicians’ Company. After 55 yrs in professional music, I am really gratified to receive this’
Today’s statement from the Musicians’ Company is as follows:
‘This highly respected award is presented to a member of the music profession who has made an exceptional and lasting contribution to the jazz world, whether as a performer, composer, arranger, teacher, pedagogue, or a combination of these roles. Established in 1993, the award’s recipients form a true Who’s Who of jazz, including Sir John Dankworth, Ronnie Scott and Eddie Harvey, with more recent honourees such as Elaine Delmar, Art Themen, Dave Holland, Stan Sulzmann and the 2024 recipient Henry Lowther. A veteran of the UK jazz scene, John Etheridge has enjoyed a rich and remarkably diverse career, performing with many of the world’s finest musicians. He is widely regarded as one of the most respected and influential guitarists working today. His reputation extends far beyond the UK, with Pat Metheny describing him as “one of the best guitarists.”
‘Renowned for his prodigious technique and creative imagination, Etheridge’s musical approach is truly eclectic. He has consistently refused to recognise artificial stylistic boundaries, a quality reflected in his extraordinary range of work. This includes years of touring and recording with the iconic Stéphane Grappelli, while simultaneously performing with the legendary jazz-fusion group Soft Machine. Equally at home on acoustic and electric guitar, Etheridge’s versatility is matched by his ability to excel in every musical context he enters.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with an extraordinary list of artists, including John Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Dizzy Gillespie, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Nigel Kennedy, Pat Metheny, Biréli Lagrène, Barney Kessel, Vic Juris and many others. Although sometimes overlooked, his abilities as a composer are considerable, and audiences frequently encourage him to perform more of his own material.
Etheridge’s promise was evident from an early age, earning encouragement from musical icons such as Jimi Hendrix, who told him “You’re great,” and Eric Clapton, who famously remarked after a performance, “You’re not a great blues player, but you’re a great guitarist.”
After graduating in History of Art from the University of Essex in 1970, Etheridge returned to London and began to attract wider attention through his work with a range of progressive and jazz-rock ensembles, including Darryl Way’s Wolf, Icarus, Abednigo, Warhorse and the Global Village Trucking Company. His breakthrough into the international spotlight came in 1975, when he was invited to join Soft Machine, following a recommendation from departing guitarist Allan Holdsworth.
The Musicians’ Company Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award for 2025 recognises not only John Etheridge’s extraordinary career as a performer and composer, but also his enduring influence as an educator and mentor to generations of musicians.
Neil Constable OBE, CEO of the Musicians’ Company, said “John Etheridge is among the most revered musicians in the world — an artist universally admired by his peers for his profound influence, vast musical knowledge, and exceptional virtuosity. His contribution to the art of music is truly unparalleled, and the Musicians’ Company is honoured to recognise his many decades of extraordinary achievement by awarding him the Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award.” (Statement ends)
This article was first published on Uk Jazz News at https://ukjazznews.com/birthday-greetings-john-etheridge-wins-lifetime-award-from-musicians-company/
