Jackie Mcauley

Jackie Mcauley

Jackie McAuley is a Northern Irish guitarist, keyboard player and singer-songwriter from Coleraine, Northern Ireland. Born in 1946, he is known for work in folk rock and rock, and for playing in a number of groups associated with the 1960s and 1970s British and Irish rock scene.

Early work and Them

McAuley plays piano in Them after the band relocates to Los Angeles without Van Morrison in 1967. His work with the group forms one of the main parts of his early career.

The Belfast Gypsies, Cult and other projects

After Them ends, McAuley co-founds The Belfast Gypsies with his brother Pat McAuley. The pair also release a 45 under the name Freaks Of Nature. He later moves to Dublin and forms Cult with Brendan Bonass and Paul Brady. The band is short-lived, and McAuley returns to London soon afterwards.

Trader Horne

In London, McAuley forms Trader Horne with Judy Dyble, the original lead singer of Fairport Convention. Trader Horne later ends when Dyble leaves to get married. Verified membership information identifies Trader Horne as one of his associated acts.

Solo work and later band activity

McAuley records a solo album with assistance from young jazz musicians. Most of the material is self-written, apart from a version of Leadbelly’s "Poor Howard". The album’s personnel includes Roy Babbington on bass, Pete Hossell on jug, Henry Lowther on violin and horn, Mike McNaught on keyboards, Tony Roberts on flute, and Mike Travis on drums, alongside McAuley on guitar, keyboards and vocals.

He later leads the Celtic rock outfit The Poor-Mouth, and at a later point works as the Jackie McAuley Band with PierLuigi Cioci and Joe Toal.