The Longest Johns Biography
The Longest Johns are an English folk musical group from Bristol, England, consisting of Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Robbie Sattin. They are known for performing folk music and sea shanties in the English tradition, and they also compose and record their own music. They gained popularity from their rendition of the folk song "Wellerman", which went viral on TikTok in early 2021. They released their debut EP, Bones in the Ocean, in 2013, the title track of which is still one of their most popular. Their first full album, Written in Salt, was released in 2016, featuring tracks such as Drunken Sailor, Old Maui and Randy Dandy-O. In June 2018 they released their second album, Between Wind & Water, which included "Wellerman." This recording, as well as the one used in the bands' Sea of Thieves series "Open Crewsing" would later fuel the sea shanty viral trend, principally on TikTok, in early 2021. In January 2021, they signed a deal with Decca Records and United Talent Agency. A year later, the group released their first album with Decca, Smoke & Oakum.
