Linlithgow Folk Festival Association
Friendly Folk in Linlithgow!
Keep Matt McGinn Singing!
Fundraising tribute to Scotland's “King of Folk”
- Saturday 1st March 2008 at 7.30 pm
- Linlithgow Academy Theatre
Fundraising for the tenth Linlithgow Folk Festival in September 2008 will get underway on Saturday 1st March, when fans pay tribute to the memory of the late great Matt McGinn at an evening of songs and music in the Linlithgow Academy Theatre at 7.30pm.
The Glasgow singer, songwriter, poet and raconteur was Scotland’s undisputed “King of Folk” in the 1960s and 70s. The humour and rare talents of Matt McGinn made him a household name in Scotland and in Folk circles throughout the world – in 1962 he sang in a Carnegie Hall concert with Pete Seeger and a young Bob Dylan. Matt went on to be regarded as one of Britain’s most powerful folk writers and became one of Scotland’s leading folksingers of his time. He died in 1977 at the age of only 49, but left some 500 songs, many of which, such as Coorie Doon and Three Nights and a Sunday have become classics.
Matt McGinn’s work is currently enjoying something of a revival. This year, Matt would have celebrated his eightieth birthday and a number of commemorative events are being planned, including the Linlithgow event, which takes the title, KEEP MATT MCGINN SINGING!
The Linlithgow Folk Festival Association has played an important role in bringing Matt’s work to life again, and six previous tribute nights in the town have played to packed houses. This year's event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with singers and musicians from throughout central Scotland performing their favourite Matt McGinn songs, stories and poems. And the organisers are likely to have a few surprises up their sleeves!
The Linlithgow Academy Theatre is in Braehead Road, Linlithgow next door to Linlithgow Rose football ground (See Linlithgow Street Plan).
Tickets for the Matt McGinn Night, priced £7, can be obtained from:
Blast Off Books, Tel: 01506 844645
The Black Bitch Tavern, Tel: 01506 842147
Linlithgow Folk Festival Association, Tel: 01506 510132 E-mail: lffamatt@hotmail.co.uk