I find that most of my guitar heroes were Unknowns.

Rory Gallagher, the Irishman who played a Strat that Jimi Hendrix had beaten into pieces on stage, burned it with lighter fluid, and thrown into the audience at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1969. Someone had scoffed the pieces/parts and reassembled same and it found it’s way across the Atlantic to Mr. Gallagher.

Rory played three-piece guts, guitar, bass, and drums, and with the same tight little lineup for beau coup years. Gerry MacAvoy and Ted McKenna on drums was the best lineup. There was even a time he had been considered by David Coverdale for replacement guitarist for Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple, but he bowed out. Gallagher was wearing flannel shirts, jeans, and work boots when he played while everybody else was ‘glammed’ out with makeup and androgynous schtick.

From the beginning ‘Bullfrog’ was a favorite. Simple and to the point. ‘Key Chain’ sort of reminds me of that psychedelic mix of a jam band and a blues band. ‘Public Enemy No.#1’ is that blend of smart-assed rockin’ and shows what a rocker Rory is. ‘Wayward Child’ has all these cool little biting lead chops that became known for and ‘Bad Penny’ is a Gallagher signature sound of guitar, bass, and drums formula.

Mr. Gallagher lost his battle with liver cancer. There is a statue of Rory in his home town of Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ireland and a life-sized Stratocaster in The Temple Bar in Dublin Ireland in Rory gallagher’s Corner. We all miss you, Rory.

We will keep this short and let the music do the talking, just like Rory Gallagher did.