List of John Martyn Obituaries

May You Rest In Peace

John's Death was instantly covered by all major news media including CNN. Most writers copied the Associated Press release, which served as a mold. But a lot of media quickly started to add personal memories.

The Word magazine got the word five hours before deadline and managed to change the cover and become the first with a printed special in the March issue. Mojo and Uncut also ran various articles in the edition of April.

BBC Radio London's Danny Baker made his show an improvised tribute the same day and it was an impressive one, lasting two hours. More BBC broadcasts followed on Radio 4: Last Word (30 Jan), Front Row (9 Feb) and on BBC 2 Mike Harding's Folk on 2 (25 Feb). There were also tribute broadcasts in other countries like Germany.

Date Titlesort ascending Author Source
30 Jan 2009 Tributes paid to John Martyn Anonymous Hot Press
30 Jan 2009 The Wild Man Of Folk Dies Aged 60 Jonathan Brown The Independent
30 Jan 2009 The Day John Martyn Played For Us In Prison Erwin James The Guardian music blog
8 Feb 2009 The Challenge Of Playing With John Martyn Gavin Allen Wales On Sunday
25 Jan 2010 Saint or Sinner? Russell Leadbetter The Herald Scotland
2 Feb 2009 Remembering Musician John Martyn Iain MacDonald BBC Scotland
31 Jan 2009 Remembering John (Martyn) Phil Shackleton Phil Shackleton website
28 Mar 2009 Partner collects folk singer John Martyn’s OBE for services to music Tony Jones The Glasgow Herald
29 Jan 2009 Obituary: John Martyn Anonymous BBC website
25 Feb 2009 Mike Harding Show Mike Harding BBC Radio 2
30 Jan 2009 May We Never Forget The Genius Of John Martyn Pete Paphides The Times
17 Jan 2010 Legend Martyn left £82K Anonymous Sunday Express
30 Jan 2009 Last Word Matthew Bannister BBC Radio 4
6 Feb 2009 John Martyn’s Last Appearance in Kytelers Anonymous Kilkenny Advertiser
29 Jan 2009 John Martyn: The Last Major Interview Rob Fitzpatrick The Word website
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn: Pioneering Singer-songwriter James McNair The Independent
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn: Guitarist And Singer Anonymous The Times
29 Jan 2009 John Martyn: A Music Legend Remembered Will Hodgkinson The Guardian Music Blog
29 Jan 2010 John Martyn, One-Year Wake Graeme Thomson The Arts Desk (website)
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn, Folk and Jazz Guitarist, Dies at 60 Ben Sisario New York Times
2 Feb 2009 John Martyn, Chaos Calme Yves Bigot Libération
1 Apr 2009 John Martyn | Grace And Danger Michael Heatley Guitar & Bass Vol 20 #5
2 Mar 2009 John Martyn Remembered: By Al Stewart Andrew Male Mojo website
31 Jan 2009 John Martyn en Phil Collins Gijsbert Kamer Volkskrantblog
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn Dies Aged 60 Colin Irwin Daily Telegraph
29 Jan 2009 John Martyn Dies Anonymous BBC 6music website
7 Feb 2009 John Martyn 1948-2009 Anonymous Music Week
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn - 1948-2009 Terry Staunton Uncut website
1 May 2009 John Martyn (Iain David McGeachy) Anonymous Heaven vol 11 #3
3 Feb 2009 John Martyn (1948-2009) Hester Carvalho NRC Handelsblad
29 Jan 2019 John Martyn Lars Gundersen Sølvberget
29 Jan 2009 John Martyn Anonymous Daily Telegraph
6 Feb 2009 John Martyn Ralph McTell Ralph McTell website
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn Adam Sweeting The Guardian
30 Jan 2009 John Martyn Dave Devine Blog post
31 Jan 2009 John Martyn John Neil Munro The Glasgow Herald
30 Jan 2009 In Appreciation of John Martyn: 1948-2009 Thom Jurek Allmusic website
1 Feb 2009 Great Art That Came Without Regrets John Wilson The Observer
9 Feb 2009 Front Row John Wilson BBC Radio 4
31 Jan 2009 Folkzanger John Martyn was inspiratie voor jonge artiesten Menno Pot De Volkskrant
30 Jan 2009 Folk Icon John Martyn Dies At 60 Tom Cole NPR National Public Radio
30 Jan 2009 Farewell, John Martyn… Danny Eccleston Mojo website
11 Sep 2009 Elegy David Cooke Big Muff
30 Jan 2009 È Morto John Martyn Mito Del Folk Britannico E Genio Della Chitarra Andrea Laffranchi Corriere della Sera
31 Jan 2009 DEATH NOTICE Irish Independent
29 Jan 2009 British Songwriter John Martyn Dead At 60 Jill Lawless Associated Press
29 Jan 2009 British Musician John Martyn, 60, Dies Greg Quill The Star
2 Mar 2009 All Hail John Martyn! By The Verve's Nick McCabe Danny Eccleston Mojo website
29 Jan 2009 'Solid Air' Singer-Songwriter John Martyn Dead at 60 Daniel Kreps Rolling Stone

Mojo quite rightly observed that John's death caused an unusual wave of grief across the globe. Thousands of messages in guestbooks, comments on articles, blogposts and of course John Hillarby's website expressed heartfelt sorrow and sympathy for John's loved ones.
The memorial service was held in Kells (Kilkenny) and the cremation took place in Dublin.