For sheer quality and distinction you need look no further than the career of Benny Gallagher. One half of hit makers and blue chip songwriters Gallagher & Lyle; he began his career as a staff writer with the Beatles Music Publishing Co. Apple writing songs for Apple Records biggest artist Mary Hopkin.

Homecoming Tour Spring 2012 Listings

Benny has always considered his "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.

In 1970 it was his and Graham Lyle's astute composing abilities that propelled the band McGuinness Flint to the top of the charts with their hit songs "When I'm Dead and Gone" and "Malt and Barley Blues".

Then came the duo's own string of successes - the richly romantic " Heart on my Sleeve " and " I Wanna Stay With You ". Their Breakaway album was a huge success - with even more accolades to follow when it's title track was recorded by Art Garfunkel for his biggest selling solo Album.

On record he has worked with: Paul McCartney - Eric Clapton - Pete Townsend - Ronnie Lane - Ronnie Wood - Gary Brooker - Georgie Fame - Mary Hopkin - Elkie Brooks - Ralph McTell - Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention, as well as Blues legends Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (who wrote " That's Alright Mama " for Elvis Presley), and Champion Jack Dupree.

Over the last few years, in between song-writing visits to Nashville, and composing soundtracks for film and television he has toured Australia, the Middle and Far East, Europe, and the U.K. as bassist and vocalist with The Manfreds, and more recently.. performed at The Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival with Don Schlitz, Nanci Griffiths, and Pat Alger, played an "In the Round Concert" with Beth Nielsen-Chapman, Ricky Ross and Charlie Dore to celebrate the opening of the new BBC Scotland Headquarters in Glasgow, performed at SXSW in Austin, Byron Bay Blues Festival, Canterbury Folk Festival in N.Z. - a couple of special guest appearances with Dougie MacLean at his Perthshire Amber Festival, and Jazz Guitar Legend Martin Taylor in his string of sell-out shows during the London Jazz Festival along with 3 Gallagher and Lyle Charity Concerts over the past few months!

It is a testament to the enduring quality of Benny Gallagher song-writing that:

• Simon & Garfunkel and Garth Brooks both performed "A Heart in New York "
• in their Concerts in Central Park to audiences of approx. 500,000 and 750,000
• Don Williams had a No.1 Country Hit with "Stay Young" which generated well in excess of 1,000,000 airplays on US Radio.
• The hugely popular UK cult dance band Lemonjelly chose to record and release a version of 'I Wanna Stay With You'.
• Benny and Graham Lyle were recipients of The Nordoff - Robbins Tartan Clef Lifetime Achievement Award 2010.
• The songs composed by Benny and Graham Lyle for Apple Record's biggest solo artist and lifelong friend Mary Hopkin are featured in the recently released
• 'Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records'
• The First Commercial Multi-Artist Compilation in Apple's History
• Set for Release on October 25th 2010

A selection of artists that have recorded and released Benny Gallagher songs:

Art Garfunkel - Bryan Ferry - Colin Blunstone - Don Williams - Donovan Frankereiter - Elkie Brooks - Fairport Convention - Garth Brooks - Joe Brown - Judith Durham - Little Anthony and the Imperials - Mary Hopkin - Phil Everly - Ricky Nelson - Ringo Starr - Rita Coolidge - Simon and Garfunkel - Status Quo - The Fureys and Davey Arthur - Tompall and The Glaser Bros. - LemonJelly and Jim Capaldi to name but a few.....

www.myspace.com/bennygallagher
www.sonicbids.com/bennygallagher

Gallagher and Lyle - The Homecoming Tour

23rd March, 2012 - 20:30
Backstage @ The Green Hotel 2 The Muirs,Kinross KY13 8AS ++44 (0)1577 863 467
£40 www.wegottickets.com

24th March, 2012 The Muirs, Kinross, KY13 8AS ++44 (0)1577 863 467
£40 www.wegottickets.com

25th March, 2012 19:30 The Festival Theatre Port Na Craig, Pitlochry PH16 5DR ++44 (0)1796 484 626
£25 pitlochry festival theatre

27th March, 2012 - 19:30
Eden Court Bishops Rd, Inverness IV3 5SA ++44 (0)1463 234 234
£27.50 Box office Eden Court

28th March,2012 - 19:30
The Lemon Tree 5 W. North St. Aberdeen AB24 5AT ++44 (0)1224 642 230
£27.50 Box Office Lemon Tree

29th March, 2012 - 19:30
Queens Hall 85-89 Clerk St. Edinburgh EH8 9JG ++44 (0)131 668 2019
£28 Queens Hall

30th March, 2012 - 19:30
Tolbooth Jail Wynd, Stirling FK8 1DE ++44 (0)1786 274 000
£25 Tolbooth Box Office

31st March, 2012 - 19:30
The Pavillion Theatre Renfield St. Glasgow G2 3AX ++44 (0)141 332 1846 £25 / 27.50 Ticketmaster