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Calls for statue to honour former Wings guitarist

Davy WilsonBBC News NI
News imageEstate Of Keith Morris/Redferns/Getty Image Guitarist Henry McCullough pictured in 1979. he has long light brown hair and is wearing a blue shirtEstate Of Keith Morris/Redferns/Getty Image
Henry McCullough spent 18 months playing with Sir Paul McCartney's band Wings

Calls have been made to honour former Wings guitarist Henry McCullough with a permanent memorial in his hometown.

McCullough, who died in 2016, was the only man from the island of Ireland to perform at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, playing with Joe Cocker at the iconic festival.

As well as playing with Sir Paul McCartney with the band Wings, McCullough also toured with acts including Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.

"A statue would mean a lot… he deserves to be recognised for the very unique person that he was," McCullough's wife Josie said.

Born in Portstewart, County Londonderry in 1943, McCullough's career started with a number of local bands including Eire Apparent who toured with Jimi Hendrix.

By the late 1960s he was part of The Grease Band, Cocker's backing band at the time of Woodstock, the festival that remains one of the most iconic events in musical history.

McCullough spent 18 months touring and recording with Wings in the 1970s, after being invited to join the band following a number of jamming sessions with Sir Paul McCartney.

The former Beatle would later call McCullough's guitar solo on the US number one hit My Love as "a classic".

News imageBrian Rasic/Getty Images Henry McCullough Of Slim Chance, playing in 2004. He is dressed in black and holding a mandolin.He is wearing a black hatBrian Rasic/Getty Images
Henry McCullough died in 2016

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, Josie said she would like to see the guitarist honoured "for what he has done".

"It would be wonderful to have something to mark all of that. We all know Henry was very humble, I think that came from his upbringing. He never forgot his roots. It made him what he was.

"It is very important to have something in Portstewart," she said.

For all his travels, she added, "home was always Portstewart".

Local musician Wes Gilmore said he had spoken with Causeway Coast and Glens Council about the prospect of a permanent memorial to the guitarist.

He is talking too to local MLAs, he said, and hopes to soon have a meeting with the Northern Ireland's Arts Council.

"I am hopeful something will happen," he said, adding McCullough's music "means a lot to me".

"I grew up loving his way of playing."

BBC News NI has asked Causeway Coast and Glens Council for comment.