Few flutists have become household names—with one notable exception: James Galway. Once nicknamed “The Man with the Golden Flute” on account of his 24-karat gold instrument—now upgraded to the platinum Galway Nagahara Flute made especially for him—the Irish musician has the largest discography of any flutist, made available in 2014 as a 71CD and 2DVD box set. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1939, Galway played the tin whistle before switching to the flute, developing his distinctive rounded tone and clear sound. At the age of 16, he was awarded a scholarship to London's Royal College of Music, followed by studies at the Guildhall School of Music and the Conservatoire de Paris. Galway held orchestral posts with several major ensembles, joining the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Herbert von Karajan in 1969, while simultaneously developing his solo career. An instrumental version of John Denver's Annie's Song gave Galway his first taste of mainstream success when the single reached No. 3 on the UK pop charts in 1978. As an engaging musician who embraces the limelight, Galway has performed across a range of genres, collaborating with Irish folk group The Chieftains, Latin band Tiempo Libre, and appearing on the soundtracks to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.