BLUES N'AT

    It's time for green beer, corned beef & cabbage and Irish stew. St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. To help celebrate, Mrs. Black-N-Gold looks at the life and career of one of Ireland's favorite sons, the late Phil Lynott, singer/songwriter/bassist for Thin Lizzy.

    Born in England on August 20, 1949, Phil moved to Ireland as a wee lad o' 4 years old to live with his grandmother. Phil always took great pride in the fact that he was raised in Ireland. Young Phil was inspired by his uncle's record collection of Motown and the Mamas and the Papas. He began gigging in the local clubs of Dublin, as a singer, eventually moving to Clontarf.

     He started fronting a band called "Karma Sutra". When they disbanded, Phil formed a band called "Skid Row" (not to be confused with the heavy metal band from the '80s) in 1968. By mid-1968 guitarist Gary Moore joined the fray. Phil took leave of the band for a time. Bassist Brendan Shiels took over in front. Shiels ultimately taught Phil to play the bass.

     In late 1969, Phil formed Thin Lizzy. After years of touring the band scored a Top 10 hit. "Whiskey in the Jar" was Thin Lizzy's take on the traditional Irish song. 1976's "Jailbreak" album helped turn Thin Lizzy into stars worldwide. The disc featured the hit song "The Boys Are Back in Town" as well as the title track. While on tour with Rainbow, Phil contracted hepatitis and had to cancel the remaining dates. They followed up "Jailbreak" with "Bad Reputation", "Black Rose: A Rock Legend" and "Live and Dangerous". The band underwent numerous personnel changes while continuing to record and tour.

     Phil developed a drug habit that would contribute to Thin Lizzy disbanding in 1983. By then, Phil had established a solo career with the release of 1980's "Solo in Soho". He continued to record and tour sometimes collaborating with former bandmate Moore. Phil tried his hand at another band, "Grand Slam" in 1984 but found it difficult to duplicate the success of Thin Lizzy.

     Dependencies on drugs and alcohol factored into his passing. On January 4, 1986, at the age of 36, Phil Lynott passed away due to pneumonia and heart failure. But the memory remains. Metallica released their version of "Whiskey in the Jar" in 1998. Classic rock radio keeps "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back in Town" in regular rotation. One of Ireland's favorite sons may be gone but he's not forgotten. Until next time, boys and girls. Keep It Bluesy!