Phil Lynott's Real Name: Philip Parris Lynott

Quick answer: Phil Lynott was born Philip Parris Lynott on August 20, 1949, in West Bromwich, near Birmingham, England, according to Thin Lizzy's official website and AllMusic. The Irish Times confirms that he was born in England in 1949 and moved to Dublin as a child. He died on January 4, 1986, at 36. Some older records give a 1951 Dublin birth, which a Library of Congress note calls a false claim.

Real name and early life

The official Thin Lizzy biography says he was the son of Philomena Lynott, an Irish Catholic, and Cecil Parris, from Brazil. Parris, his middle name, was his father's surname. AllMusic says he was raised mostly by his grandmother, Sarah.

The official site says he was first brought up in Moss Side, Manchester, before moving to Ireland while still at school. He lived with his grandparents in Crumlin, Dublin. The Irish Times says he moved to Dublin to live with his grandmother at four. It quotes a 1986 Irish Times piece describing him as proud of "his rugged Crumlin accent."

Career highlights

As a teenager he sang in his first band, the Black Eagles, whose drummer was his school friend Brian Downey. He then joined Brush Sheils's Skid Row and began learning bass. Next came his own group, Orphanage. By the end of 1969, guitarist Eric Bell suggested a new band with Lynott and Downey, and Thin Lizzy was formed.

The Irish Times says the early lineup had success with "Whiskey in the Jar." After guitar changes that brought in Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, the band broke through with "The Boys Are Back in Town" and the 1976 album Jailbreak. The official site credits Lynott as the group's leading creative force. AllMusic places him with Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, and Bruce Springsteen as one of the first to merge poetry with rock.

He released two solo albums, Solo in Soho and The Philip Lynott Album, and after Thin Lizzy split in 1983 he formed Grand Slam. He also worked with Gary Moore on "Parisienne Walkways" and "Out in the Fields."

Death

The official site says he died on January 4, 1986. The Irish Times says complications from substance abuse led to his collapse at Christmas and that he died days later of pneumonia and heart failure, at 36. A Library of Congress note records his death in Salisbury, England.

Name notes for searchers

Phil is the short form of Philip, and Lynott was his mother's surname. Older catalog entries give a birth date of August 20, 1951, in Dublin; a Library of Congress note says he was actually born in 1949 in England, as his mother documented. The note names a Birmingham hospital, while the official site and AllMusic give West Bromwich.