When I think of my brother, I always have an immense send of pride and joy. Reading the many emotional posts from musicians, pubs and friends on social media over the last 24 hours is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. 10 years ago, I received a phone call in the middle of the night to be told of my brothers’ sudden death. Not a day has gone past since where I haven’t thought about him & what he might be doing now. The memory ticker in my mind flashes images of the good times, laughs and hugs from my brother, but sadly over time some of the pictures are fading.
Growing up as one of nine children, our house was always filled with music and songs. Pop, Rock, Jazz and of course Scottish and Irish folk music. These days only helped build our appreciation of stories told through songs and melodies.
I recall my dad being mesmerised by a specific performance on The Late Late show from Ireland. He had recorded Derry born tenor Josef Lockes version of The Town I Loved so Well, written by Phil Coulter about his own experiences growing up in Derry before and during The Troubles, the song is a masterpiece in storytelling. My dad must have played the video to every family member when they arrived home from school or work that day. (I think) it was around 1984, so I would have been 6, George would have been 16 and already well on his way to playing the guitar.
Life’s journey takes us on many different routes and while George may have harboured ambitions to be a singer at that time, he would never have thought that he would have made such an impact on so many lives, not only in Glasgow but in Ireland, North America & beyond.
Nearly 25 years after watching Josef Lockes performance on the late show, George auditioned in front of the legendary singer, songwriter and producer Phil Coulter. I am sure George sang The Town I Loved so Well as part of his audition, and I like to think of Phil Coulter sitting there wondering who does this guy think he is, singing my song?
George obviously made a significant impact that day, as Coulter chose him to be the father figure in Celtic Thunder, allowing George to reach so many new fans across the globe.
After my brother died I found it increasingly difficult to listen to his voice and music. With so much available on various platforms, I just wasn’t ready to hear him sing again. When his final album was released about a year after his death, I listened to the songs regularly in the car with my wife and children.
Hearing the opening melody of The Town I Loved so Well and George sing “in my memory, I will always see”, I was taken back to my childhood, the busy home we grew up in; I was standing in Jintys on Wednesday night; I was sitting in the garden sharing a beer or a cup of tea with my brother.
The power of music and song is strong, and now when I listen to Georges music, those grainy images triggered in my mind are once again filled with colour and many, many happy memories.
