Ben Waters appears an unassuming chap when he stands in the corner of the Great Northern with just himself and his instrument.

But he’s got a massive wealth of musical experience that ensures the audience soon realise he’s not just any old singer-guitarist.

As Ben ‘Blue’ Waters, he will host the Halifax Road pub’s monthly live music night tomorrow evening and play the simple country blues he loves.

He’ll perform in advance of headliners the Urban Bluesmen, who consist of guitarist/singer Dazz Robb and guitarist/harmonica player James Archibald.

Ben said: “They sound great together – Dazz’s rough charm and James’s skillful and fluid playing work really well together.”

Ben himself has been playing since the mid-1970s, his first “proper” band The Whaling Snails performing a mixture of blues, R&B and original material around Sussex and Kent.

Following the Whaling Snails’ break-up in 1980, Ben led four “reasonably successful” bands variously playing punk, political post-punk, psychedelic rock and rock covers.

Ben moved north in 1988, spending ten years recording rather than performing before playing Captain Beefheart covers with The Fourfathers. Ben added: “The highlight of my musical life came in 2004, when the Fourfathers spent a day jamming in the studio with Rockette Morton, Captain Beefheart’s ex-bass player and sometime guitarist.

“He was a big musical hero of mine, and the friendliest, most gracious musician I have ever met.

“When I thanked him for playing with us, he said, ‘The honour is all mine, man’.”

A stint with the Blues Jukes in 2011 was last year followed by Ben’s decision to turn ‘Blue’ and begin playing regularly around West Yorkshire.

He said: “I play old blues classics that I love from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, as well as a handful of bluesy songs I have written myself.”