Gallagher And Lyle

Gallagher And Lyle

Gallagher And Lyle are a Scottish rock duo made up of Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle. They are from Largs, United Kingdom, and are active between 1967 and 1979.

Formation and early work

Benny Gallagher is born on 10 June 1945 in Largs, and Graham Lyle is born on 11 March 1944 in Bellshill. The pair first appear together in 1959 in The Bluefrets. Their early songwriting work is for Dean Ford and the Gaylords, who later become Marmalade.

Apple Records and McGuinness Flint

They are signed by The Beatles in 1968 to write for Apple Records’ Mary Hopkin. In 1970 they join Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint to form McGuinness Flint, and they write the hits “When I’m Dead And Gone”, which reaches No 2 in the UK in 1970, and “Malt And Barley Blues”, which reaches No 5 in 1971.

As a duo

In 1972 they form their own duo. They have UK chart success in 1976 and 1977 with four hits, including “I Wanna Stay With You” and “Heart On My Sleeve”, both of which reach No 6. The duo splits in 1979.

Later songs and related work

Their compositions also provide hits for Art Garfunkel with “Breakaway” and Don Williams with “Stay Young”. Graham Lyle later writes with Terry Britten, with hits including Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, and Michael Jackson’s “Just Good Friends”. Benny Gallagher spends nine years as founding director of the Performing Artists Media Rights Association (PAMRA) and also performs in The Manfreds with Paul Jones, Mike D’Arbo, Tom McGuinness and Mike Hugg.