Rory McLeod (singer-songwriter)

Rory McLeod (born 1957) is a British folk singer-songwriter from London.[1] He grew up in Camberwell before moving to Northolt and later West Kilburn.[2] His career has included being a fire eater and circus clown[3] and his performances include storytelling in the tradition of the traveling minstrel or troubadour, and playing a wide range of instruments including guitar, harmonica, trombone and his personally-made stomp box. WoMAD have said: "With Rory McLeod, you get the music of the world in one suitcase.[...] You can hear flamenco, calypso, blues and Celtic influences in his music, all wrapped together in an inimitable style".[4] He has recorded and toured with (then) fellow Cooking Vinyl artist Michelle Shocked.[4][5]

For the snooker player, see Rory McLeod (snooker player).
Rory McLeod
McLeod performing in Nimbin, Australia, February 2020
Background information
Birth nameRory McLeod
BornLondon, England
GenresFolk
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
  • singer
  • entertainer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • harmonica
  • trombone
  • tap shoes
  • percussion
Years active1975–present
Labels
Associated actsRory McLeod and the Familiar Strangers
Websitewww.rorymcleod.com
McLeod showing his trombone talents on stage in Nimbin, Australia, February 2020

He also performed on Puddle Dive, the 1993 album by fellow singer-songwriter, Ani DiFranco. In 1996, McLeod's song Invoking the Spirits, which was inspired by time he spent in Zimbabwe, was a BBC Radio 4 "pick of the week".[5] McLeod played the theme tune for the TV animation series, Creature Comforts.[6] Martin Newell has described McLeod as "a feral folk musician of enormous talent",[7] and writing in The Guardian Robin Denselow called him a "rousing harmonica player and guitarist".[8]

In 2002, McLeod was the winner of the Best Live Act title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[9]

McLeod played harmonica on Nizlopi's 2008 album, Make It Happen.[10]

Discography
Albums
  • Angry Love (1985)
  • Kicking The Sawdust (1986)
  • Footsteps and Heartbeats (1989)
  • Travelling Home (1992)
  • Have Mercy with Henry Heggen, Dick Bird, Brian Barnett and Steve Baker (1993)
  • Lullabies for Big Babies (1997)
  • Mouth to Mouth (2000)
  • Brave Faces (2005)
  • Songs for Big Little People (2007)
  • Swings and Roundabouts (2010)
  • The Glee and the Spark (2016)
  • GUSTO (2019)
Contributing artist

Books

In 2020, McLeod published The Rory McLeod Digital Songbook, containing the lyrics of 148 of his songs, and the chords of 34 of these.[11]

References
  1. NME.com
  2. "London Voices – Rory McLeod – Singer/Musician". www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  3. Harris, Craig. "Artist Biography by Craig Harris". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  4. "Rory McLeod". WOMAD. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  5. Harris, Craig. "Artist Biography: Rory McLeod". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  6. "Rory McLeod / bio". Reverbnation. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  7. Newell, Martin (4 July 2016). "Martin Newell's Joy of Essex – Will Latitude be as muddy as Glastonbury?". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  8. Denselow, Robin (20 June 2011). "Celebrating Sanctuary festival – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  9. "Folk honours its heroes". BBC News Online. 11 February 2002. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  10. "Nizlopi – Make It Happen". www.discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  11. "The Rory McLeod Digital Song Book". Talkative Music. Retrieved 27 November 2020.


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