Rory McEwen began playing the guitar as a teenager and attended Cambridge University, where he performed in the famousFootlights. In 1956, he and his younger brother Alex travelled to America in search of Martha Ledbetter, widow of legendary folk singer Lead Belly. The brothers toured the U.S., recording Scottish Songs and Ballads (1957) for Smithsonian Folkways Records and appearing twice on the Ed Sullivan show. They even managed to find Martha in Harlem, who allowed McEwen to play Lead Belly’s legendary Stella twelve-string guitar, which she stored under her bed.
Upon returning to Britain, McEwen began his musical career in earnest, touring and regularly performing at clubs, universities, and folk festivals. In 1963–64, he recorded 13 episodes of Hullabaloo, a pioneering music series that featured a live audience and artists like Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, The Spinners, Fitzroy Coleman, Peter, Paul and Mary, Martin Carthy, The Manhattan Brothers, Carolyn Hester, and The Clancy Brothers. Cyril Davies led the house band, and Long John Baldry sang with his backing trio, The Velvettes.
In 1965, McEwen was instrumental in organizing and performing at the Keele Folk Festival but grew disillusioned with the music industry. Though he continued playing for pleasure, he left music behind to focus on painting and sculpture.
You may listen to a selection of performances of Hullabaloo! on the Driehaus Museum's Spotify channel. Click here to listen.