John McCusker
{{Short description|Scottish folk musician}}
{{for|the professor of history and of economics|John J. McCusker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=January 2011}}
{{Peacock|date=March 2019}}}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = John McCusker
| image = FIL 2012 - Mc Goldrick, Mc Cusker, Doyle 15.JPG
| caption = McCusker during the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in 2012
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|05|15}}
| birth_place = Bellshill, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| instrument = Violin, tin whistle, cittern, guitar
| genre = Folk rock, Folk, Alternative country, Rock music
| occupation = Musician
Producer
Composer
Music arranger
| years_active = 1991-present
| label = Mike McGoldrick,John McCusker & John Doyle
| website = {{URL|johnmccusker.co.uk}}
}}
John McCusker (born 15 May 1973) is a Scottish folk musician, record producer, and composer. In the 1990s, McCusker was a longstanding member of the Battlefield Band and worked as a band member and producer for renowned folk singer Kate Rusby.{{Cite web |title=John McCusker & Friends |url=https://www.glee.co.uk/performer/john-mccusker-and-friends/?location=8 |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Glee |language=en}} Throughout his career, he has worked as a producer and arranger for various artists and has released several solo albums.{{Cite web |title=Yella Hoose by John McCusker |url=https://genius.com/albums/John-mccusker/Yella-hoose |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Genius |language=en}}
Biography
McCusker was born in Bellshill, Scotland, on 15 May 1973. His mother, who was Irish, encouraged him to learn how to play the fiddle, which he began at the age of seven. He became a regular participant in local youth orchestras and cèilidh bands, and at age 14, he formed the Parcel O'Rogues band with some of his schoolmates, named after Robert Burns' Sic a Parcel o' Rogues in a Nation. A couple of years later, McCusker gave up a place at the Royal Scottish Academy in Glasgow to tour with the Battlefield Band, with whom he spent eleven years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.johnmccusker.co.uk/about/|title=About | John McCusker|website=Johnmccusker.co.uk}} His first solo album was released by Temple Records in 1995.Gilchrist, Jim, Arbitrary Boundaries, in Ross, Raymond (ed.), Cencrastus No. 52, Summer 1995, pp. 35 & 36, {{issn|0264-0856}}
McCusker has performed on albums by Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub, Danny Thompson, Eddi Reader, Tim O'Brien, Linda Thompson, and the folk band GiveWay. He has shared stages with notable artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Paolo Nutini, and Jools Holland.
McCusker also served as a producer for folk singer Kate Rusby, whom he married in August 2001. The couple divorced in 2006.{{cite web |date=24 April 2010 |title=Kate Rusby – Wyvern Theatre, Swindon |url=http://www.morethanthemusic.co.uk/reviews/live-reviews/24042010-kate-rusby-wyvern-theatre-swindon |access-date=23 March 2019 |website=Morethanthemusic.co.uk}}
In 2007, McCusker was jointly commissioned by the Celtic Connections festival and the Cambridge Folk Festival to compose Under One Sky, a project that united Scottish and English musicians from various genres, including Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. To support Under One Sky, McCusker went on a UK tour in November and December 2008.
In 2003, after being introduced to Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene by bassist Mike McNamara, McCusker received the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year award.{{Cite web |title=BBC - Radio 2 - Radio 2 Folk Awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/folkawards2004/previouswinners.shtml |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}} McCusker has performed live with the Birmingham band numerous times and appeared on Fowler's Merrymouth album in 2012, later joining the band on their UK tour.
In 2014, McCusker took part in Wenlock Hill, the new album by Simon Fowler's solo project, now called Merrymouth. The album featured Chas Hodges from Chas and Dave{{Cite web |title=Wenlock Hill by Merrymouth. |url=https://brightyoungfolk.com/records/wenlock-hill-merrymouth |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Brightyoungfolk.com |language=en}} as a guest appearance.
Discography
=Solo albums=
- John McCusker (1995)
- Yella Hoose (2001)
- Goodnight Ginger (2004)
- Before the Ruin (2008) (with Roddy Woomble and Kris Drever)
- Under One Sky (2009) (with Under One Sky tour artists)
- Hello, Goodbye (2016){{Cite web |title=About {{!}} John McCusker |url=https://www.johnmccusker.co.uk/about/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |language=en-GB}}
=As producer=
- Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts – Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts (1995)
- Kate Rusby – Hourglass (1997)
- Kate Rusby – Sleepless (1999)
- Cathie Ryan – Somewhere Along the Road (2001)
- Kate Rusby – Little Lights (2001)
- Kate Rusby – 10 (2002)
- Blazin' Fiddles – The Old Style (2002)
- Kate Rusby – Underneath the Stars (2003)
- Cathie Ryan – The Farthest Wave (2005)
- Kate Rusby – The Girl Who Couldn't Fly (2005)
- Roddy Woomble – My Secret is My Silence (2006)
- Kris Drever – Black Water (2006)
- Eddi Reader – Peacetime (2007)
- Drever, McCusker, Woomble – Before the Ruin (2008)
- Under One Sky – Under One Sky (2009)
- Kris Drever – Mark the Hard Earth (2010)
=Other appearances=
- Ballad of the Broken Seas – Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell (2006)
- Ballads of the Book – Idlewild's "The Weight of Years" (2007)
- This Is What Makes Us – Foxface (2007)
- 22 Dreams – Paul Weller (2008)
- Kill to Get Crimson – Mark Knopfler (2008)
- In Love and Light – Heidi Talbot (2008)
- Hold Your Horses – Ella Edmondson (2009)
- Love is the Way – Eddi Reader (2009)
- Post Electric Blues – Idlewild (2009)
- Get Lucky – Mark Knopfler (2009)
- Bretonne - Nolwenn Leroy (2010)
- Transatlantic Sessions 5 (2010) – (directed by Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain)
- Merrymouth – Simon Fowler (2012)
- Live (with Michael McGoldrick & John Doyle, 2009 tour) – Vertical Records (2012)
- Privateering – Mark Knopfler (2012)
- Suitcase – Jennifer Byrne (2013)
- Wenlock Hill – Merrymouth (2014)
- Tracker – Mark Knopfler (2015)
- The Art of Forgetting – Kyle Carey (2018)
- The Wishing Tree (with Michael McGoldrick & John Doyle) - Under One Sky Records (2018)
- Down the Road Wherever - Mark Knopfler (2018)
- Flat Earth Society (fiddle on Doris, low whistle on Come Winter, He'll Be Gone, tin whistle on Peacock Blues) - West of Eden (2019)
- Yes, I Have Ghosts - David Gilmour (2020)
- One Deep River - Mark Knopfler (2024)
Awards and nominations
=Awards won=
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2016 - Good Tradition Award{{Cite web |date=2016-04-28 |title=BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2016 - The Winners |url=https://klofmag.com/2016/04/bbc-radio-2-folk-awards-2016-winners-highlights/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=KLOF Mag |language=en-GB}}
- Spirit of Scotland Award for Music 2009{{Cite web |date=2009-12-08 |title=Susan Boyle wins Top Scot award at Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/susan-boyle-wins-top-scot-award-at-glenfiddich-spirit-of-scotland-awards-2466687 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=The Scotsman |language=en}}
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards 2003 – Musician of the Year
- Spirit of Scotland Award for Music 2000
=Nominations=
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards – Musician of the Year 2010{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/folk-awards-2010/nominees/|title=BBC - Radio 2 -Folk Awards 2010 - Nominees|website=Bbc.co.uk}}
- Best Instrumentalist Ireland's Music Awards 2009
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards – Musician of the Year 2009
- Composer of the Year Scots Trad Music Awards 2007
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards – Musician of the Year 2008
- BBC Radio 2 Folk Music Awards – Musician of the Year 2007
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.johnmccusker.co.uk/ Official website]
{{Commons category|John McCusker}}
{{clear}}
{{Mark Knopfler}}
{{Kate Rusby}}
{{Battlefield Band}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCusker, John}}
Category:British male violinists
Category:Battlefield Band members
Category:21st-century British violinists