Matt McGinn
Matt McGinn (born January 17, 1928 in Glasgow , † January 5, 1977 ) was a Scottish folk singer-songwriter, author, actor and poet. McGinn was a prolific songwriter and is known as an influential figure in the British Folk Music Revival .
Life
Matthew McGinn was born in 1928 to a family of nine on Ross Street on the corner of Gallowgate in Calton, Glasgow. At the age of 12 he was sent to a correctional home for two years. After that time he worked for GKN in a factory in Hillington, spending his free time doing evening classes and reading. At the age of about 20, McGinn gained increasing recognition as a charismatic left-wing political speaker, not least because of his vast knowledge and astute mind. At 31, he finally received a union scholarship to study economics and political science at Ruskin College , Oxford . After graduation, he attended Teacher's Training College in Huddersfield to become a teacher. He then worked as a teacher for three years before becoming the organizer of the adventure playground in the Gorbals .
McGinn joined the folk scene after winning a song contest with the song The Foreman O'Rourke . In 1961 he met Pete Seeger while he was touring the British Isles. Seeger got involved in the USA for McGinn's music and gave him the opportunity to take part in a concert at Carnegie Hall , where he met Bob Dylan . McGinn's music career began during the folk revival of the 1960s, but while others here focused primarily on traditional songs, McGinn found his own niche as a humorist, playwright and singer-songwriter. He was a prolific songwriter, drawing much inspiration from his life experiences in Glasgow for much of his material. He was a passionate believer in the overthrow of capitalism, supported many union campaigns and always sided with the oppressed and disadvantaged. Its performances in clubs and concert halls achieved great popularity. McGinn's earliest recording was in 1962 when he was featured on Folkways Records "Revival in Britain Vol.1" through a collection put together by Ewan MacColl . He was also heard alongside Bob Dylan & Pete Seeger on "Broadside Ballads Vol. 1" (released in 1963). McGinn's songs were also included in the compilation "The Best of Broadside 1962–1988", which was published in 2000 and was nominated for a " Grammy " in 2001 in the "Best Historical Album" category.
Matt McGinn shaped the "Folk Song Revival" of the 1960s in a unique way. He combined poetic talent, political understanding, a lot of humor and a wealth of personal experience - especially from the environment of the common people of Glasgow and western Scotland - in a comprehensive musical synthesis of the arts. It was never his intention to be seen as a singer / songwriter, but primarily to convey his ideals and political views through music.
A contemporary description of McGinn as a historian of the common people seems very fitting. With the help of his versatile skills and a sensitive gift of perception, McGinn has left a history of Scotland, but above all a history of Glasgow and the Scottish West, in music and words, which has remained unmatched in this form.
McGinn also wrote children's songs like his Little Ticks of Time , which was regularly played on the BBC 's Play School children's program (UK TV series) and its offshoots such as Hokey Cokey. The song was also part of the German-French film production " Eine Jugendliebe " (Un amour de jeunesse), published in 2011 , directed by Mia Hansen-Løve .
In the book "McGinn of the Calton", which was published in 1987 by Glasgow District Libraries, a great deal of information on Matt McGinn, as well as some lyrics and music, was collected by his wife, Janette McGinn ( ISBN 0 906 169 15 1 ).
McGinn's songs are still played at tribute concerts by folk musicians from Scotland and the United States. McGinn`s songs were u. a. recorded by: Pete Seeger , The Weavers , Theodore Bikel , The Corries , Luke Kelly , Chinese Man , Ian Campbell Folk Group , Barry Dransfield , & Rachel Unthank and the Winterset .
Discography
- 1966: Matt McGinn
- 1967: Matt McGinn Again
- 1968: The Boys From Lisbon
- 1968: I Have Seen The Highlands & I'll Be Coming Home To Glasgow
- 1968: Honesty Is Out of The Fashion
- 1969: Little Ticks of Time
- 1969: The Matt McGinn Sampler
- 1971: Take Me Back To The Jungle
- 1972: Tinny Can On My Tail
- 1972: The Two Heided Man
- 1973: Magic Shadow Show
- 1974: The Two Heided Man Strikes Again
- 1975: Screwtops Are Falling On My Head
- 1975: Ma Wee Auntie Sarah & Granda
- 2007: Best of Matt McGinn
literature
- McGinn's first book about his time in the reform home : "Fry the little Fishes", first edition 1975, ISBN 0-7145-0992-2 , second edition 2013, ISBN 978-0-7145-0992-1 .
- Hamish Whyte (Ed.): McGinn of the Calton: The Life and Works of Matt McGinn, 1928-1977 ; Glasgow City Libraries & Archives, October 1987; ISBN 0-906169-15-1 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jeremy Simmonds: The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches . Chicago Review Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-55652-754-8 , p. 103.
- ^ Linlithgow Folk Festival Association . Linlithgowfolk.com. March 6, 2010. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | McGinn, Matt |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Scottish singer-songwriter and poet |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 17, 1928 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Glasgow |
| DATE OF DEATH | 5th January 1977 |