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Rory Gallagher

For other uses, see Rory Gallagher (disambiguation).

Rory Gallagher
Gallagher performing at the Manchester Apollo in 1982
Gallagher performing at the Manchester Apollo in 1982
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Rory Gallagher
Born(1948-03-02)2 March 1948
Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland
OriginCork, Ireland
Died14 June 1995(1995-06-14) (aged 47)
London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • producer
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • harmonica
  • mandolin
  • saxophone
Years active1963–1995
Labels
Formerly ofTaste
Websiterorygallagher.com

William Rory Gallagher (/ɡæləhər/ GAL-ə-hər; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995)[1][2][3] was an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his virtuosic style of guitar playing and live performances, and has sometimes been referred to as "the greatest guitarist you've never heard of".[4][5]

Gallagher gained international recognition in the late 1960s as the frontman and lead guitarist of the blues rock power trio Taste. Following the band's break-up in 1970, he launched a solo career and was voted Guitarist of the Year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972.[6] Throughout his career, Gallagher performed over 2,000 concerts worldwide, including many in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.[7] He had global record sales exceeding 30 million.[8][9]

In the 1980s, Gallagher's health gradually declined, resulting in a liver transplant in March 1995 at King's College Hospital in London.[10] Following the operation, he contracted a staphylococcal infection (MRSA) and died three months later at the age of 47.[11]

A number of guitarists in the world of rock and blues cite Gallagher as an influence, including Alex Lifeson (Rush), Brian May (Queen), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest) Robert Smith (The Cure), The Edge (U2), Slash (Guns N' Roses), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Janick Gers (Iron Maiden), James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), Gary Moore and Joe Bonamassa.[12][13][14][15]

In 2013, he was posthumously honoured with the Tommy Vance Inspiration award at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards,[16] while in 2025, he received the 'in memoriam' Cork Person of the Year award.[17] He is also commemorated with statues in Ballyshannon and Belfast[18][19] and a memorial sculpture in Cork.[20]

  1. ^ "Rory Gallagher's birth certificate". Flickr. 9 December 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
  2. ^ O'Hagan, Lauren Alex (28 June 2021). "'Rory played the greens, not the blues': expressions of Irishness on the Rory Gallagher YouTube channel". Irish Studies Review. 29 (3): 348–369. doi:10.1080/09670882.2021.1946919. S2CID 236144825. Irish fans often mock non-Irish fans for pronouncing [Gallagher's name] with a hard 'g' (/ˈgæləɡə/) instead of a soft 'g' (/ˈgæləhə/): 'it's Gall-a-HER, not Gall-AGG-er'; 'Galla-her: the second g is silent.'
  3. ^ "Rory Gallagher". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  4. ^ Wardle, Drew (2 March 2021). "Rory Gallagher the greatest guitarist you've never heard of". faroutmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  5. ^ Peacock, Tim (2 March 2022). "Why Guitar God Rory Gallagher Was Ireland's Hendrix And Clapton Rolled into One". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Ballad of a Thin Man". Mojo. October 1998.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Extract from Riding Shotgun biography – Prologue: Can't Believe It's True". Ridingshotgun.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  9. ^ "The A-Z of Irish Music: G — Rory Gallagher Biography". Irish Connections. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  10. ^ O'Hagan, Lauren Alex (10 March 2022). "Fashioning the "People's Guitarist" The Mythologization of Rory Gallagher in the International Music Press". Rock Music Studies. 9 (2): 174–198. doi:10.1080/19401159.2022.2048988. S2CID 247393495.
  11. ^ Stanton, Scott. (2003). The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians. Simon & Schuster. p. 319. ISBN 0-7434-6330-7.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Carty, Pat (10 July 2020). "Johnny Marr on Rory Gallagher - The Full Hot Press Interview". Hot Press.
  15. ^ Ling, Dave (20 December 2024). ""I'm not Rory; I don't want to be a tribute act": Joe Bonamassa on paying homage to Rory Gallagher in Ireland". Classic Rock.
  16. ^ "Classic Rock honours Rory Gallagher". RTÉ. 16 November 2013.
  17. ^ English, Eoin (16 July 2024). "Rory Gallagher to be honoured at Cork Person of the Year awards next year". Irish Examiner.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ "Rory Gallagher Place". Cork Guide.
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