Henry McCullough

Henry McCullough ranked among England’s most active guitarists throughout the 1970s, sharing stages with Joe Cocker and Paul McCartney. Born in 1943 in Portstewart, Northern Ireland, he first picked up the instrument during childhood and spent the middle years of the 1960s performing with the Irish show band the Skyrockets. After several seasons of dancehall work, he joined forces with three musicians previously associated with Gene & the Gents—Ernie Graham on guitar and vocals, Chris Stewart on bass, and Dave Lutton on drums—to form the People, soon renamed Eire Apparent. Their style blended blues, pop, and psychedelia while emphasizing both commercial appeal and instrumental-singing virtuosity. Relocating to London led to a contract with Jimi Hendrix’s managers, Chas Chandler and Mike Jeffery; the previously little-known group was immediately booked for English and American dates opening for the guitarist.

While Eire Apparent held a single release and enjoyed a thriving North American run, McCullough was compelled to exit when entry difficulties arose at the Canadian border. Accounts differ on whether visa issues or controlled substances were involved, yet the outcome remained the same: Mick Cox stepped in permanently. Back in London, McCullough helped establish Sweeney's Men before moving on to the Grease Band. In that role he supported Joe Cocker through the international success of With a Little Help from My Friends, the accompanying tour, and the Woodstock Festival appearance, after which the Grease Band struck out independently.

McCullough secured a place in Paul McCartney’s new group Wings following a 1972 audition, completing the initial working roster alongside Denny Seiwell and Denny Laine, both already present on Wild Life. This lineup performed several concerts and recorded Red Rose Speedway, returning McCartney to widespread critical and commercial favor. The album’s momentum stemmed largely from the romantic ballad “My Love,” whose prominent guitar solo placed McCullough on countless AM broadcasts. While tracking Red Rose Speedway at EMI, McCullough wandered during a break into an adjacent studio and contributed spoken-word material to a Pink Floyd session that appeared on Dark Side of the Moon.

After departing Wings, he concentrated on session appearances for Marianne Faithfull, Roy Harper, Ronnie Lane, Frankie Miller, Eric Burdon, and Spooky Tooth, the last on its fourth album. An early-1980s hand injury sidelined him for years; only in 1988 did he resurface, fronting his own ensemble in Ireland. For the following decade his activities remained confined to that country, though in the late 1990s he traveled to Poland for a series of recording sessions and subsequent tour dates. He also began writing original material, including the song “Failed Christian,” later covered by Nick Lowe.

A severe heart attack in November 2012 left McCullough incapacitated, and he succumbed in June 2016 at age 72 following a prolonged illness.