Benny Gallagher to take to Irvine stage

Oct 23 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

BEST known as one half of a partnership with Graham Lyle, Scots songwriter Benny Gallagher will be going solo when he takes to the stage at Irvine’s Harbour Arts Centre on Friday, October 30.

Benny was a staff songwriter with The Beatles’ music publishing company Apple, writing songs for lifelong friend Mary Hopkin.

He had been part of the band McGuinness Flint, who stormed the charts with his songs When I’m Dead and Gone and Malt and Barley Blues.

There followed a string of highly acclaimed Gallagher and Lyle albums, eventually culminating in the hugely successful Breakaway album containing the richly romantic hit singles Heart on my Sleeve and I Wanna Stay With You.

In an intimate evening of songs and stories about his days at Apple, Benny will perform all of the hits he penned for McGuinness Flint and with Graham Lyle in Gallagher and Lyle.

He will also perform songs from his new album, a first-ever solo effort called At The Edge of the Wave.

Tickets, priced £15, are on sale from the HAC box office on 01294 274059.