Magic Garbutt (From The Northern Echo)

Magic Garbutt

11:56am Thursday 4th November 2010 in Music

Teesside folk hero Vin Garbutt is celebrating a sell-out premiere for a film about him at Cineworld Middlesbrough. Viv Hardwick reports.

Every ticket has already sold for the premiere of a film being shown in Middlesbrough which follows the 40-year career of Teesside folk legend Vin Garbutt. Vin Garbutt: Teesside Troubadour is a major new documentary by Craig Hornby – who previously made A Century in Stone – and premieres at Cineworld, Middlesbrough, next Thursday.

It is a richly detailed chronicle of Garbutt’s life on the road. Combining fly-on-the-wall footage, previously unseen archive shots and live concert performance, the film also has candid interviews with Garbutt’s family, friends, fans and fellow performers.

Typically, anything involving the 62-year-old, who was born in South Bank, involves the viewer in a world that is fascinating, philosophical and funny.

Hornby will introduce the film at Cineworld and afterwards, Garbutt will perform some of his songs in the cinema.

Fresh from playing in British Columbia, Canada, Garbutt says: “I am thrilled to bits. What a great time I have had collaborating with Craig. He travelled with me around the world filming the whole time, he is so meticulous with every detail. For Cineworld to back the end result is fantastic and allowing me to play live in the cinema is a first for me. It’s a great opportunity.”

Hornby says: “For a huge company like Cineworld to make time to support local films such as this is so great. After A Century in Stone packed the place out in 2004, they were keen to get behind the new film. It’s a fascinating and unique tale that I wanted to tell. It’s not aimed at a folkie audience particularly, it’s for everyone with any interest in real Teesside culture. I want as many people as possible across the region to see this and as the premere is already sold out, it bodes well.”

Garbutt threw up work at ICI Wilton as a 21-yearold and went on the road as a folk performer. He recorded his first album in 1972 for Bill Leader, The Valley of Tees, and is now firmly established as a singer and songwriter of well-crafted socially conscious, and environmentally aware songs.

World tours have taken him to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand and Garbutt came through a heart scare in 2005.

He’s a familiar face at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and was nominated for Folk Singer of the Year and also Best Live Act before picking up the latter title in 2001.

■ Tickets are now on sale for Cineworld from Friday November 12 until November 18 for 2.30pm and 7.30pm performances. Tickets: £6 (£4 Conc) Book: Cineworld Box Office cineworld.co.uk/cinemas or 0871-200-200

■ Vin Garbutt appears at York Early Music Centre on December 1, 01904- 658338. Darlington Arts Centre on December 17, 01325-486555. Newby Village Hall, Middlesbrough, Dec 18, 01642-326840.

The Normanby Hotel, Middlesbrough, Dec 21, 01287-280993.

EXACTLY 20 years since it was released by Tynesider Phil Murray, the song Another Geordie Christmas has been recorded by the Broadway Cast of Billy Elliot in the US, for the charity Broadway Cares, Equity Fights Aids.

Using a 14-piece orchestra and 24 professional singers, the production is a far cry from that originally recorded by Murray in his home studio at Hexham House in Tynemouth during 1990.

He says: “Dave Black and I were recording an album called PLUS, using John Ogle’s Bite Mobile equipment, when I decided to write a totally unrelated song about my memories of family Christmases gone by. It was all about Christ’s Church in North Shields, grandmas, granddads, Lindisfarne and football. I had just returned to live in Tynemouth after many years away, so the feeling was strong and that sentiment came over in the song… and single, with its Christmas Card cover, sold more than the album .”

Since 1988, Broadway Cares (broadwaycares.org) has raised over $195m and last year it awarded funds to some organisations in Durham, reflecting the Billy Elliot connection.

“I got a call out of the blue from the organiser, Eric Gunhus, one of the Billy Elliot cast members, asking if they could use the song. Eric and I worked on the lyrics to make it more relevant to the American market, and of course the Billy Elliot show,”

says Murray.

■ The song can be heard at: youtube.com/watch?v=EVLN6h95W_I