Rory Gallagher
Biography
For a career that was cut short by illness and a premature death, guitarist, singer, and songwriter Rory Gallagher sure accomplished a lot in the blues music world. Although Gallagher didn't tour the U.S. nearly enough, spending most of his time in Europe, he was known for his no-holds-barred, marathon live shows at clubs and theaters around the United States.
Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Irish Republic, on March 2, 1948. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Cork City in the south, and at age nine he became fascinated with American blues and folk singers he heard on the radio. An avid record collector, he had a wide range of influences, including Leadbelly, Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Albert King, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker. Gallagher would always try to mix some simple country blues songs into his recordings.
Gallagher began his recording career after moving to London, when he formed a trio called Taste. The group's self-titled debut album was released in 1969 in England and later picked up for U.S. distribution by Atco/Atlantic. Between 1969 and 1971, with producer Tony Colton behind the board, Gallagher recorded three albums with Taste before they split up. Gallagher began performing under his own name in 1971, after recording his 1970 debut, Rory Gallagher for Polydor Records in the U.K. The album was picked up for U.S. distribution by Atlantic Records, and later that year he recorded Deuce, also released by Atlantic in the U.S.
His prolific output continued, as he followed up Deuce with Live in Europe (1972) and Blueprint and Tattoo, both in 1973. Irish Tour 1974, like Live in Europe, did a good job of capturing the excitement of his live shows on tape, and he followed that with Calling Card for Chrysalis in 1976, and Photo Finish and Jinx for the same label in 1978 and 1982. By this point Gallagher had made several world tours, and he took a few years rest from the road. He got back into recording and performing live again with the 1987 release (in the U.K.) of Defender. His last album, Fresh Evidence, was released in 1991 on the Capo/I.R.S. label. Capo was his own record and publishing company that he set up in the hopes of eventually exposing other great blues talents.
Some of Gallagher's best work on record wasn't under his own name; it's stuff he recorded with Muddy Waters on The London Sessions (Chess, 1972) and with Albert King on Live (RCA/Utopia). Gallagher made his last U.S. tours in 1985 and 1991, and admitted in interviews that he'd always been a guitarist who fed off the instant reaction and feedback a live audience can provide. In a 1991 interview, he told this writer: "I try to sit down and write a Rory Gallagher song, which generally happens to be quite bluesy. I try to find different issues, different themes and different topics that haven't been covered before...I've done songs in all the different styles...train blues, drinking blues, economic blues. But I try to find a slightly different angle on all these things. The music can be very traditional, but you can sort of creep into the future with the lyrics."
Gallagher passed away from complications owing to liver transplant surgery on June 14, 1995, at age 47. For a good introduction to his unparalleled prowess as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, pick up Irish Tour 1974, Calling Card, or Fresh Evidence, all available on compact disc. ~ Richard Skelly, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
One of the best of all time, definitely on my list of people I wish I could go back in time and see
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was in the army 1972-75 in germany. saw him 4times in england and germany in all the festivals with the best bands in the world at that time.He was always my favorite!!! He just kicked Butt.
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I personally got to see him in concert. I am way too young but my late husband was a big Rory fan. He was so much so that he named his last child after him. Now Rory and I listen to the music and appreciate it more. Only the good die young.
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Bought him a beer once, when he played at The Roxy or was it the Whisky (so long)anyway the man rock and blues the house down. My ears are still buzzing. Great show I'll never forget.
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If you have old vinyl of Rory, hang on to it. The new CD releases have been remixed and they've lost the Rory touch. One vinyl album I have is "Against The Grain", smokin' guitar licks, true Gallagher. The DVD was a disappointme n t . "Against The Grain" was the album that "hooked" me. I own most of his early stuff. May his music live on.
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I saw Rory back in.."78"..in Roslyn,NY at...."MY FATHERS PLACE"...and I became hook!!
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i seen rory play at an old roller skating rink downtown san diego around 1973.the boy tore it up.
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I encountered Rory Gallagher on a dvd rerelease of the tv show the old grey whistle test I was astounded by his force much like Stevie Ray Vaughan. I put him Stevie Ray Vaughan at the same bar in concern to their ability with the guitar.
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Rory is one of the most gifted blues-rock players of his generation. Many (including this commenter) believe he's second only to Hendrix in talent and scope. Often folks identify him as under-rated, but that's not completely accurate. The serious blues and guitar periodicals of the late 20th century always recognized his unique talent. The real problem was "popularity" and radio air time here in the States. Despite the fact that he toured here numerous times, he never, ever got the right press.
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I agree WARPIG. Gallagher is definitely on my list of top players...Ro l l i n g Stone's lists always suck.
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A very under-rated guitarist, as other writers have pointed out.
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fantastic to hear the music of Rory after almost 30 years of looking for the sound from high school days sorry to hear of his death. thanks Pandora for bringing this unbelievable talent back to me to enjoy. Happy New Year...
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I have alot of his music on vinyl, always on of my faves of all time, no.3 on my on personal top 100, I scoffed so hard at Rolling Stone Magazines list of the 100 greatest guitar players... f-n morons they left off Gallagher, Satriani, Steve Vai, no Django, but Johnny Ramone is 54 SPACES ahead of Eddie VH? WELL IT'S QUITE SUBJECTIVE, even if they are blind to RORY'S accomplismen t s
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All around..one of the very best. Very underated guitarist. Every bit as great as Clapton, Page and Beck in my opinion.
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The epitome of blues-rock guitar. The power, the emotion, the sting, the swagger, he is the man.
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Dittos to below. I saw him in Germany in early 1975, and wow was all we could say. That dude sucked the marrow out of life and spit it out in some really amazing blues. Too bad he is gone, what a bluesman.
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Rory deserves at least 2 posts... I regard him as one of my all-time favorite guitarists.. . e a s i l y in my top 10. He was so talented on guitar and I loved his voice. So treat yourselves, world... Go out and buy his entire catalog. Lock yourself up for the weekend and just kick back to his jams...you will be very pleased.
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Saw Rory around 1978 or so at the Agora Ballroom in Atlanta. Sad to say, the place was almost empty. What a fantastic show. He was touring Shadow Play, one of my favorites. Met him after the show and he asked me if I wanted to come backstage to meet the band! The absolute warmest and friendliest rocker I ever met... He signed autographs and offered me food and drink. Such class. I cried when I heard he had left us. I didn't even know... If you do not know of him, check him out!
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This guy is fantastic, I cant believe I never heard of him before.
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First song I ever heard by him was Walk On Hot Coals. I own everything he ever recorded.
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I saw him 3 times in the NYC area. One of the all time great guitarists. He left us way too soon.
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I saw him in the 70's in Philadelphia , after that show I tried buying as many of his albums I could find, he was an awesome performer (guitarist). I didn't know he had passed away, what a loss.
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I saw Rory live in Cork Ireland many times when I lived there, he always played a gig in Cork the day after Xmas, in city hall. An unassuming man with more talent than he ever came to fully realise sadly missed
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I saw him at Liberty Hall in Houston....s o r r y to hear he died....what a loss
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Saw him in San Diego back in the 70s...all I can say is KICK A**!!!!
RIP Rory....God Bless |
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Rory Gallagher is an extraordinar y artist that within any mood a person might be in Rory can fire you up, relax you or get you in a good boogie mood, loved his work through the years, and he is sadly missed in Chicago!
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My greatist Rory Gallagher moment was when he did "Bullfrog Blues" for me at The Cow Palace in San Francisco.
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Best string bender ever. The man just had an unbelievable feel for the instrument. I found Live in Europe when I was 12. That is the place to start, then the unreal BBC discs. His early discs were very soulful. Photo Finish, while overly slick, is also great. In the mid 70s he had a keyboard player in the band and it kind of threw things off a bit. Irish Tour 74 has an electric piano which sounds Spinal Tappish. Saw him in Boston in 91. MUST GET: Pistol Slapper Blues, Bought&Sold (both live)
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seen him in 1972 in boston great cd by him is photo-finish 1978 the best
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