Dick Gaughan

Dick Gaughan

Dick Gaughan is a Scottish folk singer-songwriter and musician from Glasgow. Born Richard Peter Gaughan in 1948, he takes up guitar at the age of seven and begins performing in Edinburgh folk clubs before becoming a professional musician in 1970. He is known for acoustic work rooted in traditional song and political songwriting, and he also plays electric guitar and most fretted instruments.

Career

Gaughan makes his first solo album, No More Forever, in 1972 before joining Boys of the Lough, appearing on their debut album in the same year. He is a founding member of Boys of the Lough and later becomes a founding member of Five Hand Reel, with whom he performs from 1974 to 1980. His work in the 1970s also includes guest appearances with High Level Ranters on The Bonnie Pit Laddie, and a period of balancing solo work with his role in Five Hand Reel.

During this period he goes through a difficult phase of heavy drinking and extensive travel across continental Europe, while spending little time with his wife and daughter. After his daughter is hit by a car while he is away, he reassesses his life. He then teaches himself to read and write music and begins writing reviews for Folk Review, which is described as the only national folk music paper at the time.

Political and theatrical work

Gaughan joins the agitprop theatre group 7:84, which is known for its attacks on Margaret Thatcher and the New Right. He also records a tribute album to Ewan MacColl in 1978, reflecting a connection with politically engaged folk traditions. In the early 1980s he campaigns for Perform, an organisation intended to bring together professional and amateur folk performers to negotiate fees, distribution rights and artistic control. He serves as chair for two years.

Recordings and style

His solo albums in the 1980s return to an acoustic style, combining traditional ballads such as “The Muckle Sangs” with his own songs. Among the most significant are Handful of Earth (1981) and A Different Kind of Love Song (1983), both of which emphasise politically focused material rather than songs aimed at the mainstream. Handful of Earth is named Melody Maker’s album of the year in 1981 and is later voted album of the decade by Folk Roots readers.

His guitar playing shows the influence of Big Bill Broonzy and Bert Jansch, and he also names Hank Williams and Neil Young among his influences. His songs are recorded by Billy Bragg, Mary Black, Jessica Haines, Mark Kaiser and Capercaillie, among others. He also works extensively as a session musician.

Collaborations and later work

In the early 1990s, Gaughan joins Davy Steele of the Battlefield Band, piper Fred Morrison and other musicians to form Clan Alba. The group releases one self-titled album in 1995. His later releases include Prentice Piece, a self-selected thirty-year retrospective issued in 2002, and Lucky for Some. He also releases Gaughan Live! at the Trades Club in 2008.

He contributes to orchestral commissions for the Celtic Connections festival, composing Timewaves (Lovesong to a People’s Music) in 2004 and Treaty 300 in 2007. He is also the subject of a BBC Spectrum documentary in 1983 and a BBC Four Sessions documentary in 2005.

Discography

His discography includes Kist O’Gold (1976), Coppers and Brass (1977), Gaughan (1978), Handful of Earth (1981), A Different Kind of Love Song (1983), Parallel Lines (with Andy Irvine), Fanfare for Tomorrow (with Ken Hyder), Live in Edinburgh (1985), True and Bold (1986), Call It Freedom (1988), Clan Alba (1995), Sail On (1996), Redwood Cathedral (1998), Outlaws And Dreamers (2001) and Gaughan Live! at the Trades Club (2008).