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Matt McGinn, born in Hilltown, Co.Down in December 1978, is an Irish singer/songwriter and producer as well as multi-instrumentalist and arranger. He has a reputation for being a gifted performer being able to write strong melodies along with powerful, and often quirky, lyrics. He has released three full-length albums as well as many E.P.'s and collaborations with other artists. FRUK suggest that these recordings have "drawn comparisons to Glen Hansard but, there's definite hints of Paul Simon in there too."

Early career

Matt McGinn became a professional musician in 2004 after leaving Queen's University in Belfast where he was reading Music. Cutting his teeth on the Belfast music scene from an early age, Matt was opening for blues and folk legends; Peter Green, John Hammond Jnr, Chris Smither, John Renbourn to name a few. He performed his original material in specialised speakeasy's in front of select and true music fans and even survived a lengthy residency in Belfast's now legendary Rotterdam Bar. With a growing reputation as a multi-instrumentalist and session musician, Matt was found work as an engineer and session musician in the studio, and on the road, touring with bands, who on occasion shared the bill with the likes of Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Crowded House, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Matt is a songwriter and performer in his own right, having penned and produced three albums to date. As a session musician, he is also guitar player for Juliet Turner and Gareth Dunlop.

In February 2012, Matt headlined the Belfast Nashville Festival, playing 'in the round' with Nanci Griffith. In March of that year, he was selected by Panarts to travel to Nashville, with three other Northern Irish songwriters, where he performed at the Bluebird Cafe alongside Chas Sandford.

In 2014, Matt McGinn won RTÉ 2FM's nationwide competition 'Play the Picnic'. Hosted by Nicky Byrne, it allows unsigned artists the opportunity to headline Ireland's largest festival, Electric Picnic.

Matt has spent much time devising motivational and creative musical workshops directed at those who underprivileged, people with physical and learning disabilities and convicted prisoners. For this work, he has won numerous awards and accolades during his partnership with the Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust.

In 2016 Matt teamed up with fellow Northern Irish songwriters, Ben Glover & Malojian and toured Ireland and Europe under the moniker 'Northern Lights'.

His music production credits of recent include Jack O'Neill, an award-winning album with Guys & Dolls, and the debut album of Na Leanai, the next generation of the Sands Family. He is a frequent visitor to Nashville to co-write. Many of these works have featured on American and international television like Jane By Design and The Client List. And, his 2016 single, 'the Long Way' was written with Grammy Nominee Kim Richey and Belfast's Gareth Dunlop.

Personal

Matt McGinn was born in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry on 26 December 1978. He now lives in Hilltown, Co. Down with his wife and three children.

Selected Discography

Albums

• 2018 - The End of the Common Man
• 2015 - Latter Day Sinner
• 2012 - Livin'

Singles

• 2016 - The Long Way
• 2015 - Darkest Before the Day
• 2015 - World of Time
• 2014 - Livin'
• 2013 - My Will
• 2011 - Double Bed

E.P.'s

• 2012 - The Crossroads Sessions with Ben Glover
• 2010 - Double Bed

Other Appearences

• David Hosking 'All that Beauty'
• The Farriers 'Years Ago in our Backyards'
• Alasdair Roberts - 'Missed Flights & Bar Fights'
• Ben Glover - 'Atlantic'
• Guys 'n' Dolls - 'Don't worry about presents this Christmas'
• Malojian - 'Let your Weirdness carry you Home'
• Brigid O'Neill - 'Touchstone'

References

1. Williams-Nash, Julie (21 November 2014). "Matt McGinn - Live in Belfast - Folk and Tumble". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
2. Campbell, Brian (14 November 2014). "Hilltown blues - The Irish News". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
3. Davis, Mike (13 March 2015). "Matt McGinn – Latter Day Sinner | FRUK". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
4. "Atlantic - Ben Glover | Credits | AllMusic". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
5. Playing keys with Joe Echo at Hard Rock Calling 2010
6. Chilton, Martin (30 December 2015). "Best Folk albums of 2015". Telegraph. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
7. "JULIET TURNER AT CULTÚRLANN UÍ CHANÁIN » Irish Music Magazine". 9 November 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
8. "BBC Radio Ulster - Ralph McLean - Local Voices, 23/08/2017, Gareth Dunlop - What It Wants". 23 August 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
9. "Rising Star: Ria Maguire | Culture Northern Ireland". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
10. Healy, Dan. "2fm brings back Play the Picnic with Oxfam – RadioToday". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
11. "Speech & Language Therapy wins national award for DVD". Belfast Trust. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
12. "Annual Report" (pdf). Retrieved 24 March 2018.
13. Roy, David (27 May 2016). "Glastonbury calling: Malojian talks festival fun and Steve Albini - The Irish News". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
14. Campbell, Brian (11 December 2015). "Na Leanai show that Down family Sands are still on the up - The Irish News". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
15. Gallacher, Alex (11 September 2015). "New Album: Alasdair Roberts with Brad Gallagher, Bill Lowman - Missed Flights and Fist Fights | FRUK". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
16. Campbell, Brian (11 September 2014). "From Donegal to the deep south - The Irish News". Retrieved 24 March 2018.

External links

• Official Website

• Living people
• 1978 births