Matt McGinn

There are at least three artists with this name: 1) Matt McGinn (b1928 - d1977) was a Glasgow singer songwriter and poet who came to prominence in the 60's with his prolific folk songs. 2) Matt McGinn (b1978 - ) is an Irish singer-songwriter from Hilltown, Co. Down in the Mourne Mountains who has released his debut album Livin'. 3) Matt McGinn is the guitarist for Rosita. 1. Matt McGinn was one of the most important singer songwriters of the folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born on 17th January 1928, in Ross Street, Glasgow, next to the famous "Barras " market. Matt's life would have followed the typical steps of the other poor kids that lived in the Calton; petty theft and crime, if it hadn't been for the fact that, after spending two years in approved school for stealing, a friend introduced him to left-wing politics. He was later to win a trade union scholarship to study Economics and Political Science at Ruskin College, Oxford, which was quite something for a man that had ended his formal schooling at the age of 12. While at Oxford he won a newspaper prize for "Best Folk Song" and this encouraged him to write more; indeed he was known to write five or six songs a day. He had a natural talent for rhyme and writing and he wrote songs, poems, jokes, books, plays and even a pantomine. He was first and foremost a political man who identified most with communism. Throughout his life he fought injustice and inequality, through his songs and participation in demonstrations and protests. Matt also had a great sense of humour and was a compasionate man and the range of his songs is very wide and surprising; from hard hitting social comment like With Fire and With Sword, to love songs like Janetta, to kids' songs like the Red Yo-yo, which is a favourite with school children. Matt died in 1977 yet the man and his songs are remembered more every year. He was in many ways typical of his people and social class, yet his natural talent to tell the tales of his people through song made him unique. 2. Matt McGinn is a singer songwriter from Co. Down. Born on a snowy St. Stephen's day in 1978, he was raised in Hilltown, a picturesque village amongst the Mourne Mountains. At 11 years old, after being dragged to piano lessons by the ear for six years, Matt picked up his father's Eko guitar and never looked back. After finding a love for music throughout school at St. Colman's Newry and continuing to study music at Queen's University, he has been prominent on the Belfast music scene ever since. In 2007 he took over Duke Special's East Belfast studio for a month and released his first self produced and recorded E.P., a tongue in cheek titled 'Double Bed & other wee Tunes. In December 2010 he recorded and produced his debut album Livin' to much acclaim. He has also collaborated with artists such as Joe Echo aka Ciaran Gribbin who is now fronting INXS, Gareth Dunlop and Michael Logen who is rising to fame for his work with Johnny Lang. more http://mattmcginnmusic.com 3) Matt McGinn is the guitarist for Rosita. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.