Willy Finlayson

Biography

"Finlayson plays guitar and sings like God" says former Mean Fiddler promoter Pete Feenstra. Sentiments echoed by the music press including blues magazine Blueprint who said of Finlayson “this man should be a household name". This charismatic performer, who fronted seminal bands Bees Make Honey and Meal Ticket, is still steamrollering audiences with THAT voice.

Willy has never been short of fine performers to join him on stage and in the studio. His CD ‘From Snake Ranch to Helicon Mountain’ features performances from Jools Holland, Paul Carrack, Micky Moody, Nigel Portman–Smith, Pino Paladino, Charlie Morgan, Gilson Lavis, Mick Rogers, Papa George and Matt Irving.

Willy Finlayson has a world-class voice. He has an enviable vocal range that can both tug the heart and blow your head off. Although greatly influenced by the Blues, he has the ability to make the most of any rock or pop song and he is an emotive soul singer. A very experienced performer, Finlayson tailors his performance to get the best out of an audience no matter what age they are or musical interests they have. His major musical influences include Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway and Robbie Robertson of The Band.

Willy Finlayson was born near Edinburgh. A talented footballer, at age 17 he tried out twice for Falkirk in Scotland, and had a month’s trial with Newcastle United. He started performing at age of 13 – singing with musicians much older than himself in the Scottish band The Dukes. Willy has lived in London for over 20 years. In the 70’s sang and played with Bees Make Honey and Meal Ticket, and in the early 80’s he recorded with Manfred Mann’s Earthband on the Chance album.

Willy has toured all over Europe, South America and Scandinavia with bands – Writing On The Wall, Bees Make Honey, Meal Ticket – and has opened for Ry Cooder and Bob Seger. In the mid-80’s he had a hit single in Europe with the soulful ballad, ‘On The Air Tonight’.

You can see Willy Finlayson and The Hurters in and around London with a variety of band members including Nigel Portman-Smith, Micky Moody, Alan Coulter, Matt Irving, and Matt Cheadle.