A Tribute to Matt McGinn, 1928 - 1977

Matt McGinn was the genuine article. A working class poet born and bred in glasgow, who spoke not only for his own people, but for anyone who shared his qualities of compassion, humour and humanity. The humour, uncanny perceptiveness and rare talents of this man had made him a household name not just in Scotland but in Folk circles throughout the world - in 1962 he sang in a Carnegie Hall concert with Pete Seeger and a young Bob Dylan, an event which lesser mortals at that time could only have dreamt about.

He went on to be recognised as one of Britain’s most prolific folk song writers and became one of Scotland’s leading folk icons of his time. He died from smoke inhalation in a fire at his home in 1977 at the age of only 49, but left some 500 songs, many of which have become classics, not just on the local folk scene but on the international stage as well. His childrens’ song the classic “ Red Yoyo” is included as part of the music curriculum being taught to primary pupils in schools today all over Scotland.

Perhaps the most unknown fact to his fellow Scots is his immense achievement of sitting alongside such giants as Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly in the Smithsonian Institute’s Top 100 folk songs of the 20th century. He is Scotland’s only entry in the American poll and he has the distinction of not just appearing once but twice; with the delightful ballad, "Coorie Doon", and the energetic work anthem "Three Nights and a Sunday". In 2003 to mark the 75th anniversary of his birth, the McGinn Awards were established in Glasgow, to encourage new talent. In 2004 the awards coincided with a memorial concert in New York attended by the first minister Jack McConnell acknowledging Matt McGinn’s contribution and influence on our Scottish culture and folk heritage both at home and abroad. The Scottish Executive and Scottish Arts Council have begun marketing McGinn to America and the rest of the world as Scotland’s lost poet while sales of McGinn’s music already keep him among Scotland’s top-selling artists 29 years after his untimely death in the fire at his home in Kelvingrove.

To those who knew him Matt McGinn’s untimely death brought a great sense of loss, the feeling that never again would we meet such a wonderful combination of vibrancy and compassion. But the rare spirit that was McGinn will never die, for it lives on in his songs. Tonight you’ll meet that rare spirit in all it’s diversity performed by a wonderful cast of top entertainers, who are themselves all McGinn fans, as they dip into his repertoire and perform live on stage the fabulous Matt McGinn’s Magic Song Book Show!

Enjoy!