Nigel Jenkins is a highly respected and in-demand session guitarist whose career has taken him from iconic studio recordings to international stages. He won a scholarship as a chorister at the age of nine at the renowned St Chad’s Cathedral School, Lichfield. He later joined the Arts Educational Trust, where he studied and worked as a child actor. He then went on to study guitar at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. As a young performer, Nigel appeared in numerous films, including I Could Go On Singing with Judy Garland. Furthermore, Nigel has worked in various media, including radio, television, and voiceovers. This early artistic experience laid the foundation for a remarkable and multi-layered career in performance, composition, and production.
Known for his versatility, precision, and melodic textures, Nigel has recorded and toured with artists such as Steve Marriott, Jon Anderson, Bruce Dickinson, Cliff Richard, and Gerry Rafferty. He played on the classic hit Baker Street, contributed to the album City to City, and took part in Ringo Starr’s children’s project Scouse the Mouse. His formal musical training and broad stylistic range have made him a trusted collaborator in both studio and live settings.
Nigel’s early recording and touring career began when he met and worked with guitarist and songwriter Joe Egan, who, after The Humblebums, went on to form Stealers Wheel. Around the same time, Nigel also collaborated with Albert Hammond, leading to a tour with Hammond’s group Family Dogs. He was also a part of Apollo 100, whose track Joy, recorded with Vic Flick, Brian Odgers, Clem Cattini, Jim Lawless, and Tom Parker, reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1972. Joy later appeared in the films Boogie Nights, One Day in September, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Nigel also worked and toured with Don Fardon, for many years, who had a No. 1 hit single with Indian Reservation.
From 1980 to 1983, Nigel fronted the rock band ZED, signed to Atlantic Records, as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter. He went on to represent the UK at the South American Song Festival in Viña del Mar, Chile in 1988; this was a proud and unconventional moment in his international journey. In the mid-80s (85-87), he recorded and featured as lead guitarist on two albums by Brazil’s No. 1 band, The Dominos, which sold over six million copies.
Nigel has also composed extensively for film, television, and advertising. His credits include the Sominex jingle and contributions to Ricky Gervais’s films The Invention of Lying and Cemetery Junction. His work consistently demonstrates a profound musical intelligence and an ability to bring emotional nuance to diverse projects.
Over the years, Nigel has earned the trust of some of the most influential producers in the industry. Among them is the legendary Shel Talmy, who famously stated that after Jimmy Page, he used Nigel, calling his work as a session guitarist “very, very good” (Unterberger, 2024). In addition, to Talmy and Hugh Murphy, Nigel also worked with top producers including: Alan Tarney, Peter Waterman, Bruce Welch, Bob Sargent, Trevor Horn, Mike Batt, and recorded frequently with Hans Zimmer.
His international collaborations include work with celebrated French artists including: Michel Polnareff, Véronique Sanson (former partner of Stephen Stills), and the late Claude François, among many others.
Today, Nigel continues to channel his creativity with a profoundly personal collaboration with his daughter, singer-songwriter Kinvara. Their partnership reflects a rich legacy of musical artistry, shared vision, and a strong family bond that brings his music to a new generation.