BLUESMAN Paul Jones and his band return to Wirral later this year for the 27th International Guitar Festival.

Also featuring Dave Kelly, Tom McGuinness, Rob Townsend and Gary Fletcher, the group - formed in 1979 - will perform at the Floral Pavilion Theatre on November 12.

The show features wall-to-wall hits from their 18 albums.

Looking ahead to their Wirral return, Paul told the Globe today: "I'm very much looking forward to this. I didn’t realise it’s a part of the guitar festival, of which I’ve heard.

“The show will feature our usual mixture of blues standards and original songs and of course a selection from the Brother Ray album and we will playing the first set (55 minutes) entirely acoustic - from the Wire Less album.”

Paul was one of the young hopefuls who frequently 'sat in' with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated in 1962. It led to Brian Jones offering him the role of lead singer in the group he was forming.

Today Paul has no regrets about turning down The Rolling Stones. But the next time someone asked if he wanted to be in a group, he said "yes". It was as lead singer for Manfred Mann.

The group's many hits included 5-4-3-2-1.

Paul went solo in 1966 and had a few more including I've Been A Bad, Bad Boy.

He also enjoyed success as an actor with stage roles including Romeo, Hamlet and the odd musical such as Joseph And His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

By 1979, he decided the time was right for a band playing blues – and his first call was to Tom McGuinness and the result was The Blues Band.

After 18 albums and more than a thirty years of touring the world, the band continues to attract new generations of blues fans.

Looking back on the band's career, Paul continued: "We were surprised by our success back then.

"We'd formed to do a few pubs, didn't expect it to last 36 years - we'll keep going until we drop as long as folk want to hear us.

"We still have fun onstage and love what we're doing. Keep coming and we'll do another 36 years!!"

During these years Paul's made several excursions back into acting. After a stint as one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, he joined The Royal National Theatre to play MacHeath in The Beggar's Opera.

His musical efforts have earned Paul a Doctor of Music from the University Of Portsmouth and he is president of The National Harmonica League.

His weekly blues show on BBC Radio 2 is a must-listen on Monday evenings. He has also written specialist questions for “Mastermind”.

In 2001, Paul was honoured by the TV show This Is Your Life and more recently voted Harmonica Player Of The Year in the British Blues awards.

Looking back on personal highlights, Paul said: "For me in 1980 touring with The Allmann Brothers Band as opening act and being asked to play slide guitar with them on Statesboro' Blues.

"Then in 1992 touring with Dire Straits as opening act - I love playing Stadiums. Plus over the years we've had some great guests sit in with us and record with us as well."

The group is planning to start work on a new studio album next year and is currently promoting re-released albums.

Paul said: "Our record company Repertoire Records of Hamburg are putting out our tribute to Ray Charles, Thank You Brother Ray also our first acoustic album Wire Less. This has two extra tracks from the original live recordings in 1994."

Taking place from November 5-28, the festival will be staged at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton, the historic Birkenhead Priory and Williamson Art Gallery in Oxton.

It features a mix classical, folk, jazz, blues and rock music - showing the versatility and prowess of the guitar casts illumination and beauty as well as power and emotion.

As well as The Blues Band, there will also be appearances from former Frankie Goes to Hollywood guitarist Brian 'Nasher' Nash, Nils Lofgren, folk star Ralph McTell and Ricky Ross from Deacon Blue.

Also appearing are the late Ian Dury's band The Blockheads and Tony Remy & The Stolen Clones.

Local acts include Wirral Ukulele Orchestra, Gary Murphy, returning with his Guitar Legends show, and folk group Phil Chisnall Band.

There will also be series of tribute shows for Wirral musician Brendan McCormack, a regular performer in the festival, who died in 2009.

Tickets and full programme details are from www.bestguitarfest.com or 0151 666 0000.