Phil Lynott

Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott was one of the early rock stars to merge poetry with rock music. The band was formed in 1969, and through a succession of guitarists, eventually became one of the world's top hard rock bands, especially on the strength of the hit anthem "The Boys Are Back in Town" and a string of classic albums (Jailbreak, Bad Reputation, Live and Dangerous, Black Rose). In addition to Thin Lizzy's instantly recognizable (and copied) twin guitar attack, it was Lynott's storytelling compositions that most listeners focused on. Apart from the band, he published several books of his poetry and released a pair of solo albums (1980's Solo in Soho and 1982's Philip Lynott Album). Lynott died in 1986, his body giving out from years of hard living, but his songwriting and spirit continued to be a major influence by musicians for decades afterwards.