Bob McNeill is one of New Zealand’s best known folk artists for his solo work and his work with Ben the Hoose. An innovative songwriter, he has won three New Zealand Music Awards, all for Best Folk Album. His songs have been covered by artists in New Zealand, Scotland, Australia and the USA. An expatriate Scot, he now divides his time between New Zealand and Scotland.
McNeills musical and songwriting style is a hybrid of the Celtic music of his native Scotland and the American New Folk and Americana styles. The Dominion Post compared him to Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Luka Bloom and Dougie MacLean; whilst magazine New Zealand Musician compared him to to Bruce Springsteen and Mark Knopfler.
McNeills songwriting has been widely praised. New Zealand Musician called his songs endearing, and haunting. His characters sway on the horizon, sometime after the moment of decision. The songs feature sweet melodies rare perspectives, like that of the farmer inheriting his fathers dogs in Southland Mans Lament, or the shell-shocked divorcee escaping a forest fire in Jesusita.
