Raphael Callaghan

Raphael Callaghan, from Liverpool, has come a long way since his first recordings with Jim James, produced by Tony McPhee in 1969 and released on the I Asked For Water She Gave Me Gasoline LP on Liberty Records.

In a long and varied career he’s played harmonica with Alexis Korner, Jo Ann Kelly, Eric Bibb, Bonnie Raitt and more.

But he’s happy to take the stage alone, singing his own bluesy songs and using alternate tunings on acoustic guitar with touches of eerie slide.

His third critically-acclaimed album, Always In Arrears, has 11 originals, a Robert Wilkins blues from 1928, a Skip James gospel number from 1931 and a traditional folk song.

Thirteen-time Grammy Award winner Bonnie Raitt, from the stage of Manchester Bridgewater Hall in 2023, said: ‘Raphael puts out records I love to listen to.’

Discover his personal brand of blues, gospel and roots for yourself at the Little Theatre Acoustic Stage, 3.15pm on Sunday August 30th.