The Longest Johns

Based in Bristol in the United Kingdom, The Longest Johns belong to the maritime folk tradition, revisiting sea shanties, coastal ballads and original compositions inspired by nautical life. Born as an a cappella vocal quartet, the group gradually developed a sound that mixes tight harmonies, simple percussion and acoustic folk arrangements. They first gained attention online through shanty videos on YouTube, then expanded their stage presence with tours across the UK and Europe and appearances at folk and maritime festivals. The album Written in Salt (2016) established their repertoire, followed by Between Wind and Water (2018) and Cures What Ails Ya (2020), which alternate traditional covers with originals such as "Bones in the Ocean." In 2021 their version of "Wellerman" circulated widely on social media, opening The Longest Johns to a much larger audience and leading to the release of Smoke & Oakum in 2022, where the band consolidated a style that moves between work song, contemporary folk and choral storytelling about life at sea, while engaging in collaborations and appearances connected notably to the video game Sea of Thieves.