“The intensity of Rory’s guitar playing – the emotion, the sound and his incredible attack – was mindblowing for me”: Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to the late, great Irish blues-rock icon Rory Gallagher

Joe Bonamassa [left] wears a deep blue suit and polka-dotted shirt and plays his green refin Strat; the late Irish blues legend Rory Gallagher [right] screams and inflicts some punishment on his heavily worn number one Stratocaster.

This column is dedicated to legendary Irish blues-rock guitarist Rory Gallagher, whose last name I recently learned should be pronounced, “Galla-her.” I’ve been saying it wrong for my whole life!

Later this year, on July 1, 2 and 3, I will be playing a three-night tribute to Rory at The Marquee in his hometown of Cork, Ireland. The shows are sanctioned by Peter Aikin, who was Rory’s promoter, as well as Rory’s brother Donal and Donal’s son, Daniel. While I was preparing for these shows, it was politely mentioned to me the proper pronunciation of Rory’s last name.