To anyone who appreciates or plays the blues harmonica, Sonny Boy Williamson is one of the best known blues harp players, so it would be rude not to adapt and adopt this name! People also call me IronMad; this is taken from the great Industrialist John 'Iron mad' Wilkinson.

I received my first harmonica (a tremolo) when I was about 3 or 4. I don’t recall any method to my playing those days, just that it made a nice din and it fitted in my pocket! 

I got my first diatonic when I was about 17, which was a Lee Oskar in G. I also messed around with Lee Oskar natural and harmonic minors for a while too. The problem in those days was that there was never any easy-to-access tuition available. So I came across many techniques (like bending) by accident.

It was around 2008 that I had a serious go of learning to play properly, helped greatly by the massive selection of YouTube clips, which improved my playing considerably. Now, I mostly play Seydel 1847s and I am developing my overblow technique, helped by customised 1847s.

My interest in harmonica extends beyond the blues. I play with AKA Noel Gallagher and I have a solo Christmas set for any event!