Anthony John - Guitarist

Anthony John is an English guitarist and composer based in Lisbon, Portugal. He was chosen by Brian May from the band Queen to be the principal guitarist in the Queen and Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You, for which he has now performed hundreds of shows. As a result of working with We Will Rock You Anthony was invited to be an official Brian May Guitars artist, and can be seen in the show playing a guitar that was built to the design of Brian May's original 'Red Special'. Anthony plays a variety of styles on both electric and acoustic guitar, including jazz, rock, blues/slide guitar, funk, pop and neo soul/instrumental R&B. While in London studying jazz guitar at Middlesex university he was awarded the Middlesex scholarship for outstanding academic achievement and exemplary service to the community. He graduated in 2003 with a first-class honours degree in music (jazz) and following a short stint in the West End, he left London to relocate to Lisbon, Portugal. As a performer, Anthony has played all over the world, from jazz clubs and theatres to cruise ships and large outdoor festivals. As a composer, his music has been used for video games, television, theatre and contemporary dance. As an in-demand guitar instructor, he has taught both privately and in several jazz schools in Lisbon. Always dedicated to both the electric guitar and the nylon string classical guitar, he has developed a comprehensive repertoire of rock, pop and jazz. In 2021 Anthony released his solo acoustic guitar album 'Look For the Silver Lining'.