After 42 years on the road and a rich repertoire of songs, Vin has developed the reputation of being ‘the funniest and most serious man on the folk scene.’ An established singer songwriter of the socially conscious and environmentally aware, he is brilliant and zany and this is reflected in his performances, with his tin whistle playing never ceasing to amaze audiences.

Vin Garbutt is reputed to have said that he is not interested in becoming a big star in the accepted sense. Nevertheless in the area of music where he performs, there is no bigger star. He prefers to be a big fish in a small pond. This attitude means that his need for privacy and a balanced home life are safeguarded and satisfied. What the world realised long before Vin did, was that the small pond had grown over the years into a considerable lake.

All this has happened without the hype from big Record Companies, and without the usual publicity from the mass media. He has performed all over the globe, and in parts of countries that the biggest stars will never see. This phenomenon has occurred solely by word of mouth, spread by people who have come across him, and felt the need to share this unique experience with their fellow countrymen.

Throughout the 70's Vin's reputation grew rapidly until he became "the most sought after performer on the Folk Scene". The development of his 'Act' took in songs of the past and his own material, his introductions became more and more zany and funny, and his brilliant tin-whistle playing never ceased to amaze. "Half the fun on some of his numbers is spotting the story he has told you in the song he is singing" - to quote one review.

As "THE Man of British Folk Music" in the '80's he was asked to tour abroad: visiting the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Yugoslavia, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Cyprus, Singapore, Thailand, and Bermuda.