All the Very Best!
About
Folk singer, guitarist, songwriter, storyteller and patter merchant, Vin Garbutt was the funniest and the most serious man on the folk scene for almost half a century.
Vin was adored by his fans—and, for a period, shunned by elements of the folk music industry. In this compelling autobiography, he reveals the man behind the hilarious stage patter and the songs that often moved his audience to tears.
The book will take you on an unforgettable journey from the streets of post-war South Bank in Middlesbrough to the steps of Sydney Opera House, and just about everywhere in between.
A globe-trotting trailblazer who sold out venues across the world, Vin was also a man of courage and conviction.
In All the Very Best! he explains why he refused to be silenced despite a backlash against views that were out of line with the mainstream—and the price he paid.
Written in the four years before his death in 2017, this is Vin’s touching, funny and life-affirming story in his own words.
Praise for this book
Anyone that's ever seen Vin Garbutt play live knows they've seen one of the great storytellers. Few people have had a greater mix of hilarious wit and biting social and political commentary in their songs and performances, he'll often have you laughing and crying at the same.
This doesn't always come across during a biography, some of the greatest songwriters struggle to talk about themselves, but that's never an issue for Vin. Deeply personal, moving and always hilarious, this will be a great read for anyone with even a passing awareness of his work. I was fortunate enough to spend a fair amount of time in Vin's company as he and Pat were great friends of my parents. But for all the time I've spent listening to his stories first hand, 'All The Very Best' still provided countless more that I'd never heard, and it was like being able to spend just a little bit more time with one of the funniest and kindest men I've known.
It's such a shame that Vin wasn't able to see this book released, but the anecdotes and praise from friends and contemporaries in the book's final section provide a wonderful and fitting tribute for one of our greats.