Rory Gallagher (1948-1995) was a multi-faceted Irish blues rock musician who enjoyed immense popularity and critical acclaim in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in his native Ireland and the United States. He received three consecutive top ten studio albums in the United Kingdom and recorded two live albums. A pioneer in guitar wielding, Gallagher pioneered the use of feedback and distortion effects, utilizing his own custom built amplifiers and pedals. As well as his guitar playing, Gallagher was also a songwriter and singer, earning him an Ivor Novello award in 1981 for his work on the album 'Jinx'. He released 11 studio albums, six live albums and seven compilation albums over the course of his career. Gallagher died in 1995 due to complications during his recovery from an illness, and he was posthumously inducted into The Musicians Hall of Fame.