“He was a lover of the blues, but it was the Irish side that helped him stand out against Eric Clapton or Peter Green”: What made Rory Gallagher a true guitar one-off – and how he ended up with his first Fender Strat by accident

Rory Gallagher live onstage with a Strat, 1973.

Guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick is arguably best known for his work in British melodic rock band FM, whose new album Old Habits Die Hard is released in May. Jim also plays in Band of Friends, performing the music of Rory Gallagher with members of the late Northern Irish trailblazer’s own band. 

When he connects with Total Guitar, he’s just returned from this year’s International Rory Gallagher Tribute convention, where he played through the actual amps heard on Rory’s famous recordings, nailing all the tones and techniques to keep that legacy alive…