Pitlochry concert for music legend Benny Gallagher

Feb 26 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

MUSIC legend Benny Gallagher obviously finds the Highland Perthshire air to his liking!

Having made his Pitlochry Festival Theatre debut in 2008 as a headline act of the Perthshire Amber Festival, the Largs-born singer-songwriter returns to the Theatre in the Hills next Friday.

His concert comes after the release of his first-ever solo studio album, At The Edge Of The Wave. He’ll treat his Pitlochry audience to some songs from the new album and some of the hits he penned for McGuinness Flint and Gallagher & Lyle.

Benny began his songwriting career as a staff writer with the Beatles Music Publishing Company, Apple, writing songs for his lifelong friend and Apple Records biggest solo recording artist Mary Hopkin. Benny has always considered those formative days at Apple, and, especially, the constant encouragement of Paul McCartney, as one of the most important factors in his development as a songwriter.

By 1970, Benny and fellow Scot Graham Lyle had joined McGuinness Flint, and penned the UK Singles Chart Top 10 hit singles When I'm Dead and Gone and Malt and Barley Blues. Benny and Graham went on to tour the world as the duo Gallagher & Lyle performing songs from such critically acclaimed albums as Breakaway, which featured the hit singles I Wanna Stay With You, Heart On My Sleeve and, of course, Breakaway.

The duo went their separate ways in 1979 and, since then, Benny has written and worked with many famous names including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Ronnie Lane, Elkie Brooks, Sandy Denny, The Manfreds, Ralph McTell, Georgie Fame, Jim Diamond, Andy Fairweather-Low and Don Williams.

In 2001 he was made a Companion of LIPA – the world-renowned Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts – and in March, 2005, as a guest of The Queen and Prince Philip, he attended a Celebration of British Music at Buckingham Palace along with other stellar names from the music industry.

Tickets for his Pitlochry concert next Friday are available from the box office on 01796 484626 or book online: www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com