Robert Naylor (2)

Robert Naylor was born 22nd September 1956 in Bromley, Kent UK. He started playing guitar at 11. He went to Langley Park School where, age 16, he appeared at a school festival and met Ralph McTell who was headlining, Ralph encouraged him to continue in music and shortly afterwards he recorded his privately pressed first LP, just himself and guitar, but all self-composed. By then he was an accomplished classical guitarist and idiosyncratic songwriter and lyricist. He won a place at the University of Surrey where early into his studies he recorded his second LP, Skates, 1973, with fellow students. This was a fully produced, self composed, project with Chamber backing, but was not released. He was due to graduate in June 1976 and a recording exists of his degree piece (Villa-Lobos Choros #1) and a performance of Rodrigo/Concierto de Aranjuez with the Collegium Musicum of the University of Surrey. He died, in his sleep of acute viral pneumonia, on 20th April 1976 age 19. He received his Music Degree posthumously. Authorised releases of all three projects will be forthcoming from Bright Carvings. Skates is now available, the first LP is scheduled for vinyl release in early 2024 and the Classical pieces will be available on CD as part of the Bright Carvings Reference Series at the same time.