Rory Gallagher and Navy Yard–Ballpark station: Difference between pages

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{{WMATA infobox

[[Image:Rory_Munich_75.jpg|right|frame|Rory Gallagher - Munich, Germany 1975]]

|name = Navy Yard

'''Rory Gallagher''' ([[1948]]-[[1995]]) was an [[Irish ethnicity|Irish]] [[blues]]/[[Rock and roll|rock]] guitarist, born in [[Ballyshannon]], [[County Donegal]], and raised in [[County Cork]]. He is regularly credited as one of the most influential Irish rock and blues musicians of all time.

|picture = Navy_yard.jpg

==Life and works==

|opened = [[December 28]], [[1991]]

His first bands were showbands which played the popular hits of the day. In [[1965]] he turned the showband [[The Impact (band)|The Impact]] into an [[Rhythm and blues|R'n'B]] group which played gigs in [[Ireland]] and [[Spain]]. He formed [[Taste (band)|Taste]] in [[1966]], but the line-up which became legendary was formed in [[1967]], featuring his guitar and vocals, the jazz-tinged drumming of [[John Wilson (musician)|John Wilson]] and intricate bass playing of [[Richard McCracken]]. Recordings of the earlier version of Taste are still available and it's interesting to compare Rory's rudimentary guitar playing to the virtuosity that became evident fairly soon after in the later Taste. This was the group who released two studio albums, ''Taste'' and ''On the Boards'', and made two live recordings showing the band at its incendiary best, ''Live at Montreux'' and ''Live at the Isle of Wight'', the latter appearing a long time after the band broke up, famously, at that same [[Isle of Wight Festival]] in [[1970]]. A legend of blues music, Rory had the fortune to play with many of the genre's biggest stars and some of his best work was in collaboration with [[Muddy Waters]] on tracks recorded in London in the early '70s.

|platform = Center platform

|RTU = -

|line info = {{WMATA line|previous=[[Anacostia (Washington Metro)|Anacostia]]|line=Green|next=[[Waterfront-SEU (Washington Metro)|Waterfront-SEU]]}}

|}}'''Navy Yard''' is a [[Washington Metro]] station in [[Washington, DC]] on the [[Green Line (Washington Metro)|Green Line]]. The station is located in [[Washington DC (southeast)|Southeast Washington]], with entrances on M Street at Half Street and New Jersey Avenue.

The station is named for the nearby [[Washington Navy Yard]]. The industrial neighborhood is a focus for redevelopment; the Arthur Capper and Carrollsburg Dwellings, nearby [[public housing]] projects, are scheduled for demolition. The Southeast Federal Center, a U.S. government office complex built on the former Navy Yard Annex, opened in [[2000]]; the station serves many commuters to the new headquarters of the [[United States Department of Transportation]] and other agencies. The main tourist attraction is the [[Navy Museum]], on the grounds of the Navy Yard.

Rory went solo (dropping the band's name and hiring another bassist, [[Gerry McAvoy]], and various drummers, the most notable being [[Rod De'Ath]]) and produced more than a dozen albums, among them ''Rory Gallagher'' and ''Deuce'' from [[1971]], ''Blueprint'' and ''Tattoo'' from [[1973]], ''Irish Tour'' from [[1974]], [[1975]]'s ''Against the Grain'', featuring his old worn out looking [[Stratocaster|Fender Strat]] on the cover, and ''Calling Card'' in [[1976]].

Plans for a [[Washington Nationals#The_Ballpark_Controversy|new baseball stadium]] for the [[Washington Nationals]] also call for expansion of the station to serve game-day crowds.

At times a painfully shy and humble man Rory never married and had no children, instead thought to have devoted his life to his music, especially the blues. Steadfastly refusing ever to release singles of his music he played and recorded what he said was "in me all the time, and not just something I turn on ...". Though he sold over 30 million albums world wide it was his marathon live performances that won him greatest acclaim. His passion and skill for the blues is well documented in the 1974 film "Irish Tour '74" directed by Tony Palmer.

In [[1972]] he was voted [[Melody Maker]]'s Top Musician of the Year, dethroning [[Eric Clapton]]. His album ''Live in Europe'' has been a big selling album not only in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] but internationally. Generally regarded as one of top ten guitarists ever, many of today's top musicians, including [[The Edge]] from [[U2_(band)|U2]], [[Slash_(musician)|Slash]] of [[Guns N' Roses]] fame, [[Johnny Marr]] of [[the Smiths]] and [[Brian May]] of [[Queen_(band)|Queen]] cite Rory as an inspiration in their formative musical years. It is also well documented that the [[Rolling Stones]] asked Rory to join the band as their permanent guitarist in the '70s but he refused on the basis that it was against all he believed in terms of his own name and style.

==History==

Rory lived for a time in Belgium and from the late 1980s suffered increasingly poor health yet continued touring. His final performance, by a visibly unwell man, was in februari 1995 in Holland. Rory Gallagher died in London on 14th June [[1995]] from complications following a [[Liver transplantation|liver transplant]].

A station serving the Navy Yard area existed in original plans for Metro; however, the routing of the Green Line below proved controversial. In [[1976]] the original routing was rejected as too costly and disruptive. A new study proposed a more westerly path which would move the Anacostia station west, replace the Good Hope Road station with one at [[Congress Heights (Washington Metro)|Congress Heights]], and terminate at Brinkley instead of [[Branch Ave (Washington Metro)|Branch Ave]]. In December [[1977]] public hearings this route was criticized as disserving poorer landowners in the area, but WMATA approved the western route in [[1980]], scheduled to open in [[1986]]. Supporters of the Branch Avenue route then took the case to the [[U.S. District Court]].

The court ruled in February [[1981]] that the 1977 hearings were invalid, as insufficient public notice had been given, and issued an injunction halting construction below the [[Waterfront-SEU (Washington Metro)|Waterfront station]]. New hearings were held in June [[1982]], but the court again ruled against WMATA in October [[1983]]. A third set of hearings in July [[1984]] finally selected the present route, allowing constructon to commence.[http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Metro_Branch_Ave_Opening.html]

"An uncompromisingly serious musician" - [[The Times]], 16th June [[1995]].

==Tributes==

*I was with Free when I first saw Rory, and I remember thinking: "God, what I wouldn't do to have that guy in this band."

::Paul Rogers, Bad Company

Navy Yard is the last station prior to crossing the [[Anacostia River]]; the tunnel below the Anacostia was the first drilled with a [[tunnel boring machine]] in the United States. Service to the station finally began on [[December 28]], [[1991]] with the extension of the Green Line to [[Anacostia (Washington Metro)|Anacostia]].

*A beautiful man and an amazing guitar player. We'll miss him very much.

::The Edge, U2

*Rory was a really big influence. One of the all-time great guitar players. Playing with him in LA was one of my biggest thrills ever.

::Slash

*Rory was a beautiful man. I've never met anybody whose spoken badly of him.

::Mark Feltham, Rory's hatmonica player during his final years of performing

*Rory's death really upset me. He was such a nice guy and a great player.

::Jimmy Page

*One of the top ten players of all time, but more importantly one of the top ten good guys.

::Bono, U2

*Rory was such a purist. He wouldn't sell out. He wouldn't do singles, he didn't want to do videos. How many people in the music business today would have that kind of stand? It's so dangerous.

::Gary Moore

==Discography==

===Official releases===

''Rory Gallagher'' - 1971<br />

''Deuce'' - 1971<br />

''Live In Europe'' - 1972<br />

''Blueprint'' - 1973<br />

''Tattoo'' - 1973<br />

''BBC Sessions'' - 1974<br />

''Irish Tour '74'' - 1974<br />

''Against The Grain'' - 1975<br />

''Calling Card'' - 1976<br />

''Photo Finish'' - 1978<br />

''Top Priority'' - 1979<br />

''Stage Struck'' - 1980<br />

''Jinx'' - 1982<br />

''Defender'' - 1987<br />

''Fresh Evidence'' - 1990<br />

''Meeting With The G-Man'' - 2003<br />

===Compilations===

''Etched In Blue'' - 1998<br />

''Let's Go To Work'' (Box set) - 2001<br />

''Wheels Within Wheels'' - 2003<br />

''Big Guns - The Very Best Of Rory Gallagher'' - 2005<br />

==References==

* RoadstotheFuture.com: "[http://www.roadstothefuture.com/Metro_Branch_Ave_Opening.html Metrorail Branch Avenue Route Completion]"

==External links==

* WMATA: [http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=84 Navy Yard Station]

*[http://www.rorygallagher.com Rory Gallagher homepage]

* Stationmasters.com: [http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/NAVYYARD/navyyard.html Navy Yard Station]

*[http://www.roryon.com Fan page]

* world.nycsubway.org: [http://world.nycsubway.org/us/washdc/green/wmata-green-navy.html Navy Yard Station]

*[http://www.guitar-poll.com Guitar-Poll]

* The Schumin Web Transit Center: [http://transit.schuminweb.com/rail/washington/stations/green/navy-yard.asp Navy Yard Station]

[[Category:1948 births|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:1995 deaths|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Irish musicians|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Guitarists|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Blues musicians|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Blues guitarists|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Irish people|Gallagher, Rory]]

[[Category:Washington Metro stations]]

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