Introduction
Rory McLeod (born 1957 London, England) is a British folk singer-songwriter. His career has included being a fire eater and circus clown and his performances include storytelling in the tradition of the traveling minstrel or troubadour, and playing a wide range of instruments including guitar, harmonica, trombone and his personally-made stomp box. Womad have said: "With Rory McLeod, you get the music of the world in one suitcase.[...] You can hear flamenco, calypso, blues and Celtic influences in his music, all wrapped together in an inimitable style". He has recorded and toured with (then) fellow Cooking Vinyl artist Michelle Shocked.
He also performed on Puddle Dive, the 1993 album by fellow singer-songwriter, Ani DiFranco. In 1996, McLeod's song Invoking the Spirits, which was inspired by time he spent in Zimbabwe, was a BBC Radio 4 "pick of the week". McLeod played the theme tune for the TV animation series, Creature Comforts. Martin Newell has described McLeod as "a feral folk musician of enormous talent", and writing in The Guardian Robin Denselow called him a "rousing harmonica player and guitarist".
In 2002, McLeod was the winner of the Best Live Act title at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Discography
- Albums
- Swings and Roundabouts (2010)
- Songs for Big Little People (2007)
- Brave Faces (2005)
- Mouth to Mouth (2000)
- Lullabies for Big Babies (1997)
- Travelling Home (1992)
- Footsteps and Heartbeats (1989)
- Woody Lives! with Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan, Rab Noakes, Rod Clements and Ray Jackson (1987)
- Kicking The Sawdust (1986)
- Angry Love (1985)
- Contributing artist
- The Rough Guide to English Roots Music (1998, World Music Network)