Benny Gallagher

Benny Gallagher is a Scottish singer-songwriter from Largs, in the United Kingdom, born Bernard Joseph Gallagher in 1945. He is best known as one half of Gallagher & Lyle, the duo he forms with Graham Lyle, and he also plays a major role in the earlier group McGuinness Flint.

Early career

Gallagher begins his songwriting career as a staff writer for the Beatles’ publishing company Apple, where he writes songs for Mary Hopkin, a lifelong friend and Apple Records’ most successful solo artist. He regards his time at Apple, and the encouragement he receives from Paul McCartney, as important to his development as a songwriter. He and Graham Lyle are also invited to support and accompany Mary Hopkin at Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan.

McGuinness Flint and Gallagher & Lyle

Before Gallagher & Lyle, he is a member of McGuinness Flint. With Lyle, he writes the UK Top 10 singles “When I’m Dead and Gone” and “Malt and Barley Blues,” both of which become associated with McGuinness Flint and feature in the BBC television series The Rock ’n’ Roll Years. During the 1970s, Gallagher & Lyle become a successful duo, with a series of widely noted albums and hit singles.

Key songs and later work

His songwriting credits include “How Come” and the album Anymore for Anymore, recorded with Ronnie Lane and the Slim Chance Band. Gallagher & Lyle’s album Breakaway follows, and includes “Heart on My Sleeve” and “I Wanna Stay With You.” Art Garfunkel later records “Breakaway,” which brings the song to a wider audience. His songs are also recorded by a wide range of artists, including Simon & Garfunkel, Garth Brooks, Don Williams, Art Garfunkel, Bryan Ferry, Colin Blunstone, Donovan Frankenreiter, Elkie Brooks, Fairport Convention, Jim Capaldi, Joe Brown, Judith Durham, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Mary Hopkin, Phil Everly, Ricky Nelson, Ringo Starr, Rita Coolidge, Status Quo, The Fureys and Lemon Jelly.

Collaborations and performances

Gallagher works with or alongside Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Wood, Gary Brooker, Georgie Fame, Mary Hopkin, Elkie Brooks, Ralph McTell, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup and Champion Jack Dupree. He also writes soundtracks for film and television. His performances include appearances at the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival with Don Schlitz, Nanci Griffith and Pat Alger, an “in the round” concert with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ricky Ross and Charlie Dore for the opening of the new BBC Scottish headquarters, and a guest appearance with jazz guitarist Martin Taylor during the London Jazz Festival.

Music rights work and recognition

Outside performance, Gallagher spends two years as founding director and seven years as chairman of P@MRA, the Performing Artists Media Rights Association. In that role, he helps secure equitable remuneration for UK performers from Japan through a deal with Geidankyo, the Japanese equivalent of P@MRA. Between 1996 and 2002, P@MRA distributes over £20 million to UK performers as equitable remuneration for the use of their recordings. In 2001, he is named a Companion of LIPA by the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. In 2005, he attends a celebration of British music at Buckingham Palace as a guest of the Queen and Prince Philip.

Solo work

In 2009, Gallagher releases his first studio solo album, At the Edge of the Wave, and performs songs from across his catalogue, including material originally written for McGuinness Flint and Gallagher & Lyle.