Billy Bragg Helps Reintroduce Guitars Into British Prisons — billboard.com

Inmates in British jails can now strum away their sentences thanks to a campaign orchestrated by Billy Bragg. The veteran musician and activist had pushed for a relaxing of a recent ban which meant prisoners couldn't play steel-stringed guitars outside supervised sessions. Those rules were introduced last November as part of a wider tightening of prisoners' privileges. Cardiff West member of parliament Kevin Brennan first raised the issue in the House of Commons back in March after having received correspondence from prisoners disappointed they could no longer play guitar in their cells. Bragg offered his support, and the likes of the Smiths' Johnny Marr and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour soon came on board.

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