Ewan MacColl

Ewan MacColl (25 January 1915 - 22 October 1989) was an English/Scottish folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He is the father of singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl. MacColl was born James (Jimmie) Henry Miller in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire in England, to Scottish parents, William and Betsy Miller (Betsy née Hendry). Both his parents were socialists and William Miller was an iron-moulder and militant... more

Ewan MacColl (25 January 1915 - 22 October 1989) was an English/Scottish folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He is the father of singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl. MacColl was born James (Jimmie) Henry Miller in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire in England, to Scottish parents, William and Betsy Miller (Betsy née Hendry). Both his parents were socialists and William Miller was an iron-moulder and militant trade unionist who had moved to Salford with his wife to look for work after being blacklisted in almost every foundry in Scotland. They lived amongst a group of emigre scots and Jimmie, their only child, was brought up in an atmosphere of fierce political debate interspersed with the large repertoire of songs and stories his parents had brought from Scotland. He left school in 1930 during the Great Depression and, joining the ranks of the unemployed, began a life-long programme of self education whilst keeping warm in the Manchester Public... less