MUSIC is a bit like ancestry in that it can be traced back through the years.

That is how Thelwall guitarist Peter Price went from a teenager who loved Led Zeppelin to discovering how those iconic rock songs had connections to music from long before.

It was a realisation that opened up a whole new world for the then aspiring musician.

Peter said: “I found out Jimmy Page was influenced by British folk guitarists like John Renbourn and Bert Jansch and then when I looked into those musicians they talked about their own influences which were the old blues guys.

“It was like finding the ‘DNA’ of it all – where all the music came from.”

Now Peter is renowned for his genre-spanning mastery of the acoustic guitar but said he never stops learning new styles and techniques from other players he meets all over the world.

The 60-year-old added: “It’s ongoing really. You start to recognise different patterns in music that come from different backgrounds.

“Like a style of guitar solo that originally came from emulating trumpet solos. It’s a process of learning and being influenced by all kinds of music.

“For me, it all began with Jack Froggatt, who used to be one of the organisers of Warrington Folk Club. He taught me my first few chords. I was lucky enough that he lived across the road from me.”

Peter also discovered the joy – and power – of singing when he used to join his dad at The Sloop in Sankey Bridges.

He said: “I used to go out for a drink with my dad and he and all his mates used to sing in the Warrington pubs. They had a big range of songs – Irish songs, Bing Crosby songs, Al Johnson songs and songs from the 20s and 30s – and I loved all that stuff. I found it very powerful.”

Now Peter passes on his own knowledge as a guitar teacher.

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He added: “That’s been a great experience as it helps you deconstruct music and put it back together again to explain to students how it works.”

Peter was speaking to Weekend while preparing for his annual concert at the Pyramid which has become something of a Christmas tradition.

He will be joined by double bass wizard Russ Williams, harmonica virtuoso Chris Jackson and multi instrumentalist and blues and jazz vocalist Joanne Keegan.

Last year’s Warrington performance was particularly memorable as Peter was also celebrating his 60th birthday there before jetting off for his first shows in the southern hemisphere.

He said: “I had a full house and it was a great send off before I went to New Zealand and Australia.

“I thought Australia was absolutely amazing – everything about it – the climate, the scenery. It was just fantastic.

“I’d just turned 60 so I was celebrating that and my wife Geraldine came with me and we had the trip of a lifetime really

“Our son was in Australia at the time too and in Sydney, the Burgess brothers, the rugby league internationals, came over to watch the gig so that was very nice. It also has a vibrant music scene and there’s a bit of a fanbase for the kind of stuff I play so that was on my side really. I played for the Melbourne Blues Society and it was great meeting up with Phil Manning again.

“He’s one of the old stars of the blues scene in Australia and he came to my gig and brought a posse of people with him.”

It was the highlight of a busy year for Peter, whose gigs attract an international audience.

He added: “I just love travelling and playing music in new places and the guitar’s a great instrument for that.

“It was quite an adventure. I think I did 11 trips this year so I think I’m going to take it easy for the first part of 2020 to try and get some new material together.”

Peter Price performs at the Pyramid on Friday. Visit parrhall.culturewarrington.org