Rory Gallagher | |
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Gallagher, at the Manchester Apollo in 1982
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Background information | |
Birth name | William Rory Gallagher |
Also known as | Liam Rory Gallagher |
Born |
Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland |
2 March 1948
Origin | Cork, Ireland |
Died | 14 June 1995 London, United Kingdom |
(aged 47)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, bandleader, producer |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, saxophone, sitar, harmonica, banjo, dulcimer, dobro |
Years active | 1963–1995 |
Labels | Polydor, Chrysalis, Buddah, Castle |
Associated acts | Taste |
Website | rorygallagher |
Notable instruments | |
William Rory Gallagher (/ˈrɔːri ˈɡæləhər/ GAL-ə-hər; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish blues and rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, and brought up in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste during the late 1960s. He was a talented guitarist known for his charismatic performances and dedication to his craft. Gallagher's albums have sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide. Gallagher received a liver transplant in 1995, but died of complications later that year in London, UK at the age of 47.
Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal in 1948. His father Daniel was employed by the Irish Electricity Supply Board, who were constructing a hydro-electric power plant on the Erne River above the town. The family moved, first to Derry City, where his younger brother Dónal was born in 1949. His mother, Monica, and the two boys then moved to Cork, where the brothers were raised. Rory attended North Monastery School. Daniel Gallagher had played the accordion and sang with the Tír Chonaill Céilí Band whilst in Donegal; their mother Monica was a singer and acted with the Abbey Players in Ballyshannon. The Theatre in Ballyshannon where Monica once acted is now called the Rory Gallagher Theatre.