Martyn Bennett
| Martyn Bennett | |
|---|---|
| Born |
17 February 1971 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |
| Died | 30 January 2005 (aged 33) |
| Genres | Celtic fusion |
| Instruments | Great Highland Bagpipes, Scottish smallpipes, violin, piano |
| Years active | 1995–2005 |
| Labels | Real World Records, Footstompin', Rykodisc |
| Website | Official website |
Martyn Bennett (17 February 1971 – 30 January 2005) was a Scottish musician who was influential in the evolution of modern Celtic fusion, a blending of traditional Celtic and modern music.
Early life
Bennett was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.[1][2] His family was from Scotland and Wales,[1] and spoke Gaelic.[3] His mother was Margaret Bennett, a singer and folklorist.[2] He grew up in Codroy Valley and Quebec.[1] He moved to Scotland at the age of six,[2] following the separation of his parents.[1] He grew up in Mull,[1] and then Kingussie, where he learned to play the Great Highland bagpipe as a child.[2] By the age of 12, he was winning national piping competitions.[1]
Education
He attended the City of Edinburgh Music School, where he also learned piano and violin, and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow,[1][2] where he met his wife, Kirsten.[1] He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1994, before his graduation.[1]
Career
Bennett was influenced by the early 1990s dance music scene and regularly attended clubs.[1] He released his first album, Martyn Bennett, in 1995, after recording it in seven days.[1] The album had a "dramatic" impact on Scottish music.[1] After writing scores for stage and television, he went on tour to America, supporting Wolfstone.[1] He played at Hogmanay in 1995 and 1996.[1] He released Bothy Culture in 1997, followed by Hardland.[1] His piece, Mackay's Memoirs, was played at the opening of the new Scottish Parliament in July 1999.[2] Glen Lyon was released after his diagnosis with Hodgkin's lymphoma.[1] His final album, Grit, was recorded while he was ill, and he was unable to play his instruments.[2][3] The album has been "credited with starting the musical evolution of Celtic fusion".[2]
Death and legacy
Bennett died from cancer on 30 January 2005, aged 33.[4][5] He was honoured by the Celtic Connections in 2015.[4]
Discography
- Martyn Bennett (1995)
- Bothy Culture (1997)
- Hardland (with Martin Low) (2000)
- Glen Lyon (with his mother, Margaret Bennett, on vocals) (2002)
- Grit (2003)
- Mackay's Memoirs (performed by City of Edinburgh Music School) (2005)
- Aye (2012)
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Obituary: Martyn Bennett". The Daily Telegraph. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Remembering Martyn Bennett: The rebirth of Grit". BBC. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- 1 2 Steven Brocklehurst (15 January 2015). "Martyn Bennett: 'Fearless' music legacy lives on". BBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- 1 2 "Celtic Connections to honour pioneer Martyn Bennett". BBC. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ↑ Cartwright, Garth (2005-02-02). "Martyn Bennett". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
External links
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