Vin Garbutt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vin Garbutt
Garbutt in 2010 at the National Folk Festival
Background information
Birth name	Vincent Paul Garbutt
Born	(1947-11-20)20 November 1947 Middlesbrough, England
Origin	South Bank, Teesside, North Riding of Yorkshire
Died	6 June 2017(2017-06-06) (aged 69)
Genres	Folk music
Instruments	guitar, tin whistle, voice
Years active	1970s to 2017

Vincent Paul Garbutt (born November 20, 1947 – died June 6, 2017) was a famous English folk singer and songwriter. Folk music often tells stories about everyday life or important events. Vin Garbutt was known for his protest songs. These songs talked about big issues like unemployment and social problems. He also sang about "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, which was a time of conflict.

Even though his songs were serious, Vin Garbutt was also very funny. He loved to tell jokes and stories between his songs. This made his concerts really popular. He would often end his shows by wishing everyone "All the very best!"

Vin Garbutt's Early Life and Music Journey

Vin Garbutt was born in South Bank, Middlesbrough, England. His dad was English, and his mom was Irish. When he was young, he first played in a pop band called The Mystics. But soon, he found his true passion: folk music. He started going to folk clubs and performing there.

After school, Vin worked as an apprentice at a chemical plant. During this time, he visited Ireland to learn more about his family's musical roots. When he was 21, he decided to become a full-time musician.

He traveled to Spain and Morocco with friends, playing music on the streets and in bars. This is called "busking." It was during this trip that he discovered he was good at writing his own songs. In 1972, he released his first album, The Valley of Tees. This album helped him become known as a talented singer and songwriter. People often said his funny stories between songs were even longer than the songs themselves!

Vin Garbutt relaxing during his 1994 tour in Australia.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1999, Vin Garbutt went on a big tour. He visited places like the Far East, Australia, and New Zealand. He also released a CD called Word of Mouth.

A few years later, in 2001, he published a book of his songs. It was called The Vin Garbutt Songbook. This book included songs from his very first album to his more recent ones. He then released a CD that went along with the songbook. He continued to tour the world, sharing his music and humor.

In 2005, Vin had heart surgery. He made a full recovery and kept performing. He even released a new album called Persona … Grata after his recovery. Vin Garbutt continued to perform until he passed away on June 6, 2017, after another heart surgery.

Before he died, Vin was writing a book about his life called All the Very Best. It was published after his death in 2021.

Awards and Recognition

Vin Garbutt received several awards for his music.

• In 2001, he won the "Best Live Act" award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. This award celebrates the best performers in folk music.
• He was also nominated for "Folk Singer of the Year" that same year.
• The University of Teesside gave him an honorary degree. This means they recognized his great achievements in music.
• In 2007, he was nominated again for "Best Live Act" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Vin Garbutt's Albums

Here is a list of the albums Vin Garbutt released:

• The Valley of Tees (1972)
• The Young Tin Whistle Pest (live) (1974)
• King Gooden (1976)
• Eston California (1977)
• Tossin' a Wobbler (1978)
• Little Innocents (1983)
• Shy Tot Pommy (1985) [recorded live in Australia]
• When The Tide Turns (1989)
• The By-Pass Syndrome (1991)
• Bandalised (1994)
• Plugged! (1995) [recorded live in the UK]
• When the Tide Turns Again (1998) [a new version of his 1989 album]
• Word of Mouth (1999)
• The Vin Garbutt Songbook Vol 1 (2003)
• Persona ... Grata (2005)
• Teesside Troubadour documentary feature & live DVD (2011)
• Synthetic Hues (2014)