Roo Friend's sound on the baritone guitar is informed by Jaco Pastorius (Joni Mitchell) and double bass from any era. Up higher he sounds like Clarence Gatemouth Brown and BB King. It's bluesy folk-o-jazz with a virtuosic rocking edge.

Roo studied with Ike Isaacs (Stephane Grapelli) and Tommy Emmanuel and worked in the music business as a guitar player with Larry Muhoberac (Elvis Presley’s pianist) for 2 years, Long Way To The Top (guitar and banjo), Col Joye, Little Pattie and Normie Rowe, as well as working in music theatre Orchestras playing guitar and banjo with conductor Dobbs Franks (New York).

As well as playing standards and covers, Roo Friend has a strong catalogue of original songs which get regular airplay on community radio worldwide.

Original influences are from folk (Arlo Guthrie), jazz (Wes Montgomery), blues (as above) and humour and satire (Frank Zappa , Georgie fame and Mose Allison).

Roo Friend works solo, and in duet ( with sax) and trio formats (add drums).