Ian Anderson

Ian Anderson is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Dunfermline, United Kingdom, best known as the leader and flautist of Jethro Tull. Born in 1947, he grows up in Edinburgh before his family moves to Blackpool in 1959. He studies at Blackpool Grammar School and later attends Blackpool College of Art from 1964 to 1966.

Early bands and formation

In 1963, Anderson forms The Blades with school friends Barriemore Barlow on drums, John Evan on keyboards, Jeffrey Hammond on bass and Michael Stephens on guitar. The group plays soul and blues, with Anderson on vocals and harmonica. He initially hopes to be an electric guitarist, but trades his guitar for a flute and develops a playing style that becomes central to his career.

Jethro Tull and musical role

Anderson is most associated with Jethro Tull, where he serves as frontman and flautist. His stage image becomes a major part of his public identity, and he often performs with a distinctive one-legged stance while playing flute. His playing is self-taught and includes flutter tonguing, along with occasional singing, humming or snorting while performing. His approach is influenced by Rahsaan Roland Kirk.

He also adds soprano saxophone, mandolin, keyboards and other instruments to his work. In later years he records with simple bamboo flutes, using techniques such as over-blowing and hole-shading to create slurred notes and other effects.

Style, lyrics and themes

Anderson’s music combines folk, jazz, blues, rock and pop, and his songwriting often uses complex, ironic criticism of social and religious rules. His lyrics also draw on British folklore, mythology and fantasy, and he sometimes uses self-parodic stage personae such as a mediæval jester, Elizabethan minstrel, English country squire, Scottish laird, astronaut, biker, pirate and vagrant.

Solo work and collaborations

Although widely known for Jethro Tull, Anderson also records solo material and appears as a guest on other artists’ work. He has a small number of critically acclaimed projects under his own name. He records a piece titled Griminelli's Lament in 2003 for his friend, the Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli.

He also records some songs on which he plays all the instruments and handles the engineering and production himself, including “Another Christmas Song” from 1988.

Other affiliations

He is linked with the groups Artists United for Nature, The John Evan Band and People, and his related labels include Five Star Publishing Ltd, Five Star Records Ltd. and The Ian Anderson Group of Companies Ltd.