| John McCusker | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Date: | 1973 5, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Bellshill, Scotland |
| Instrument: | Violin, tin whistle, cittern, guitar |
| Genre: | Folk rock, folk, Alternative country, Rock and roll |
| Occupation: | Musician Producer Composer Musical Arranger |
John McCusker (born 15 May 1973) is a Scottish folk musician, record producer, and composer. He had a long association as a member of Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby. He has served as producer and arranger for various artists. He has also released several solo albums.
McCusker was born in Bellshill, Scotland on May 15, 1973. He had an Irish mother who encouraged him to learn to play the fiddle beginning at age seven. He became a regular in local youth orchestras and ceilidh bands and formed the band Parcel O'Rogues (named from Robert Burns' Sic a Parcel o' Rogues in a Nation) with some schoolmates when he was 14. A couple of years later he gave up a place at the Royal Scottish Academy in Glasgow to tour with Battlefield Band, who he spent eleven years with.[1] His first solo album was released by Temple in 1995.[2]
McCusker has also performed on albums by Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller, Teenage Fanclub, Danny Thompson, Eddi Reader, Tim O'Brien, Linda Thompson, and GiveWay. He also has shared stages with Bonnie Raitt, Patti Smith, Steve Earle, Rosanne Cash, Paolo Nutini and Jools Holland.
McCusker was also a producer for folk singer Kate Rusby, who he married in August 2001, but divorced in 2006.[3]
After a 6-month world tour with Mark Knopfler, McCusker released a new record along with Orcadian singer Kris Drever and Idlewild front man Roddy Woomble. The album Before the Ruin was released in September 2008, and features members of Teenage Fanclub, Radiohead, Michael McGoldrick and Heidi Talbot.
In 2007, McCusker was jointly commissioned by the Celtic Connections festival and Cambridge Folk Festival to compose Under One Sky, uniting Scottish and English musicians of different genres, from Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis to ex-Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. He toured to support Under One Sky in the UK in November and December 2008.
After bassist Mike McNamara introduced John and Simon Fowler of Ocean Colour Scene to each other, Fowler subsequently presented him with the BBC Radio 2 folk musician of the year award in 2003. McCusker has appeared live with the Birmingham band numerous of times, and in 2012 appeared on Fowler's Merrymouth album, joining the band on their UK tour.
In 2014, McCusker appeared on Wenlock Hill, the new album by Simon Fowler's solo project (now called Merrymouth). The album also features a guest appearance from Chas Hodges from Chas and Dave[4]