Matt McGinn Collection
A large collection of material relating to the life and career of Matt McGinn, prominent Scottish folk singer and songwriter.
About Matt McGinn
Matt McGinn (1928-1977) was a Scottish folk singer-songwriter, actor, author and poet. He was born in the Calton district in the East End of Glasgow, the eighth of nine children. He began his career in music in the 1960s. He was a prolific songwriter, drawing on his experiences of living in Glasgow for much of his material and was influential in the folk music revival of the Fifties and Sixties.
He was a very political person and was a member of several left-wing parties and groups.
McGinn died on 5 January 1977 of smoke inhalation, aged 48 (12 days short of his 49th birthday) after falling asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand.
About the collection
The collection consists of a large amount of material relating to the life and career of Matt McGinn, prominent Scottish folk singer and songwriter. The collection includes photographs, posters, press releases, plays, musical scripts, poetry and correspondence. There is also a large degree of material relating to the book McGinn of Calton collated by Janette McGinn and published in 1987, which documents the life and work of Matt McGinn.
Finding aid
Matt McGinn Collection listing (PDF, 516KB)
Further reading
Site compiled by McGinn's family with 101 songs
McGinn of the Calton: the life and works of Matt McGinn, 1928-1977. Glasgow District Libraries, 1987.Contact us
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