Henry Campbell Liken McCullough (21 July 1943 – 14 June 2016)[1] was a musician and singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland. He was best known for his work as a member of Spooky Tooth, The Grease Band and Paul McCartney and Wings. He also performed and recorded as a solo artist and session musician.
In 1964, with three other members of the Skyrockets, he left and formed a new showband fronted by South African- born vocalist Gene Chetty, which they named Gene and the Gents. In 1967, McCullough moved to Belfast where he joined Chris Stewart (bass), Ernie Graham (vocals) and Dave Lutton (drums) to form the psychedelic band the People. Later that year the band moved to London and were signed by Chas Chandler's management team, who changed the group's name to Éire Apparent. Under Chandler's guidance after a single release they toured with groups such as Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, the Move and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, as well as Eric Burdon and the Animals. In mid-February 1968, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, while the band was touring with the Animals, McCullough returned to the United Kingdom, officially because of "visa problems",[clarification needed] and Mick Cox flew out to take his place in the band.[4] Back in Ireland, around May 1968, McCullough joined folk group Sweeney's Men.[5]
McCullough's spoken words "I don't know; I was really drunk at the time" can be heard on the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), at the end of the song "Money". He was recalling a fight he had the night before with his wife.[12]
Recovering from an injury to his hand while visiting his family in 1980, McCullough decided to stay in Ireland. He began to sit in with old friends the Fleadh Cowboys, at their Sunday afternoon residency in The Lower Deck in Dublin. Following this he moved back to Portstewart and put a new band together. He was joined by Percy Robinson on pedal steel guitar, Roe Butcher on bass and Liam Bradley on drums.
1990s
In 1998 McCullough travelled to Poland, where he rehearsed with a band of Polish musicians for a tour. After the tour, they recorded a 'live' album which was released as Blue Sunset. This was followed by a further Polish tour. On returning home, McCullough recorded and released "Failed Christian", a song that has since been covered by Nick Lowe on his album Dig My Mood.[14]
McCullough continued to record and perform and released solo material, including Belfast To Boston (2001) and Unfinished Business (2003). The latter contained his 1998 single, "Failed Christian". McCullough performed at concerts in Northern Ireland and Scotland, playing with a backing band (featuring Stephen Quinn on drums and Sean McCarron on saxophone).
McCullough contributed guitar on and organised the band for the Alaskan musician, The Rev Neil Down's 2003 release, When A Wrong Turns Right. The Henry McCullough Band – FBI Live was released in 2007 on Mundell music, from a recording at The Famous Bein Inn in 2006.
In 2007, Over the Rhine covered "Failed Christian" on their album, Live from Nowhere, Vol. II.
In the same year, McCullough started to work with Dave Sharp from The Alarm) and together they enlisted keyboard player Zoot Money, bassist Gary Fletcher and drummer Colin Allen, a line up which became known as the Hard Travelers. In January 2008 the Hard Travelers performed their debut gig at The Cellars in Portsmouth.
In 2008 McCullough recorded Poor Man's Moon at Amberville Studios, which was released in Ireland only on 5 September 2008. and featured new McCullough compositions. The album also included a number of songs co-written with poet Eamon Carr from Horslips and included the single "Too Late to Worry". Among the musicians featured on the album were keyboard player James Delaney, bassists Roe Butcher and Nicky Scott (also double bass), keyboard player Enda Walsh, drummer Adie McIlduff and Percy Robinson on dobro and pedal steel guitar. The album also included drum sequences by Peter McKinney.
At the end of 2007 he worked on the album Dark Nite of the Soul with Jeff Greene, as well as other musical collaborations recorded at Wind-Mill Lane Studios, Dublin; Metropolis Studios, London; and The Sound Kitchen, Nashville. McCullough attended Paul McCartney's concert at the O2 in Dublin on 20 December 2009 and McCartney publicly acknowledged McCullough's contribution to Wings. On 13 March 2010, McCullough and his band were the headline act at the Fifestock Festival at the Inn at Lathones, Scotland.[15]
2010s
McCullough remained active in the European music scene and played regular live gigs with artists including Ed Deane, James Delaney, Noel Bridgeman, also John Quearney. In 2011 Henry collaborated with songwriter Paul Doherty and the Vals on the track "Look to the One". The song gained worldwide airplay, with McCullough contributing backing vocals and guitar.[16]
Health problems and death
McCullough suffered a heart attack in November 2012, leaving him in critical condition.[17] His death was mistakenly reported on Ronan Collins's RTÉ Radio 1 show on 7 November and the BBC also apologised after prematurely reporting his death.[18] In an interview with website Something Else, Denny Seiwell, who had played with McCullough in Wings, stated that it was doubtful McCullough would make a complete recovery.[19]
On 14 June 2016, his wife Josie confirmed that McCullough had died at his home at Ballywindelland, Ballymoney, County Antrim, earlier that morning after a long illness. He had never fully recovered from the heart attack he suffered in 2012.[23] Some sources state he also suffered a major stroke.[24][25]
