CONNECTION
Excellent live music, from 50's to 00's for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events and club social nights
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Back to The Band
Ian McGarty
Lead Vocals, Tambourine & Occasional Guitar
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Contacts
Email :
info@connection-band.com
Ian grew up in a house filled with music and from an early age recorded nursery rhymes and children’s songs for his father who used to manage several bands and solo artists. Music seems to be in the McGarty blood with his father, sister and brothers all being musical, most notably David and George who used to gig regularly with their own bands. Ian attended many choirs and was eager to perform in all school performances.
It seemed inevitable that Ian would pick up an instrument one day and sure enough in the early seventies Ian chose the guitar and has played ever since. Rather than specialise as a guitarist he used the guitar as musical accompaniment to his singing. With a preference for songs by artist like Kris Kristoferson and Paul Simon Ian started performing this finger picking style of songs in local pubs, clubs and charity events with his school friend Laurence Davenport. Their clean-cut appearance attracted quite a following of middle-aged women, at one time being mobbed at the Cheadle Liberal Club exit.
Over the next few years Ian performed as a solo artist regularly both in the UK and abroad often in holiday locations. When he married his childhood sweetheart and started a family, Ian concentrated on earning a regular income and providing a stable home environment for his children. In the mid eighties a local agent contacted Ian to front a band working for a project running alongside Granada’s Coronation Street. Ian co-wrote and recorded a song in a well-known Stockport recording studio. He met key members of the Coronation Street cast, attended publicity photo-shoots and had the record played on early morning TV. Unfortunately due to a decision by Granada’s producers the project was permanently shelved.
Over the last fifteen years Ian has been an invited guest on a radio programme for the BBC with Janice Long and has been fortunate enough to appear on BBC TV programmes, appearing with well-known artist like Johnny Vaughan, Ainsley Harriet, Lorraine Kelly, Danny Brown and Sean Lock. (Periodic repeats on cable apparently). Ian recaptured the performing bug whilst performing at his second charity event for Manchester Royal Infirmary with Granada’s own resident TV doctor, Dr Chris Steel and colleagues from this Morning’s Richard & Judy Show. Ian has also broken new ground as an adult appearing as one of Cinderella’s ugly sisters in a local public hall pantomime and Friar Tuck in cameo roll for a musical production of Robin Hood.
Having played and recorded with many artists over the last thirty years Ian is now concentrated his performing efforts on building a quality live band to play a variety of the best music by all the great bands over the last fifty years. Ian created “CONNECTION” (previously CH Connection) with a group of friends and family about twelve years ago. As members have come and gone CONNECTION has moved from strength to strength and the band now have a regular circuit of venues where they have built an established circle of followers.
