Clive Carroll

Born in Chelmsford, England in 1975, Clive began playing the banjo at an early age and by his pre-teens he was playing in the family band, at the age of eleven he turned his attention to the guitar and throughout his teenage years he played in a combination of rock, soul, funk and country bands and orchestras.
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Graduating from the prestigious Trinity College, London in 1998 with a 1st Class Honours degree in Composition & Guitar, Clive was awarded many prizes throughout his college years, including: John Halford Prize for Composition (1994), Gladys Puttick Memorial Prize for Extemporisation (‘94,’98), Ivor Mairants Guitar Award (1997), Montagu Cleeve Prize for Guitar (1998) and Essex Young Musician of the Year (1999) in addition to this he was awarded a concerto prize and recorded Rodrigo's 'Concierto de Aranjuez' with the Trinity orchestra. 

On leaving college, Clive was given the opportunity to play at his local pub with legendary guitarist John Renbourn, a collaboration which lasts to this day. A year later Clive was signed to Celtic label, ‘Old Bridge Music’ and, encouraged by John, he recorded his first solo CD. 'Sixth Sense' received an astonishing level of attention from radio shows, reviewers and journalists and has since been described as ‘a milestone in the journey of the steel-string guitar’. 

For the past few years Clive has toured, both, as a solo performer as well as alongside many other artists in the traditional Irish, acoustic and rock worlds. His long awaited album The Red Guitar was released in November 2004 and contained eleven original pieces as well as works by Gilbert Biberian & Wayne Shorter. 
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An exceptional performer who excels in all styles of playing, Clive is certainly one to watch, having been described as “the best and most original young acoustic guitar player and composer in Britain” (Acoustic Guitar Magazine). And “One of the Top 10 Acoustic Guitarists of all Time” (Total Guitar Magazine)…..Clive is a true Guitar Maestro