TMSA Patrons Concerts 1-3 TMSA Board News 7 Innerleithen Festival 4-5 Aberdeen News 8 Danny Kyle 6-7 Edinburgh News 8

Inside this issue

In October and November this year the TMSA hosted two talent-packed Patrons Concerts at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh and the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen. These fundraising events showcased the cream of traditional music talent in Scotland, both established and up-and-coming, and we’d like to thank our Patrons, guest artists and everyone involved with production behind the scenes for all their generously given time. For everyone who didn’t make it along to a concert, here’s a rundown of both evenings: A fantastic line-up of musicians who have taken part in the TMSA Young Trad Tour concerts opened the evening at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh on Friday 30th October. Previous

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2009 Newsletter, Issue 4

TMSA Patrons Pitch In

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winners Gillian Frame, Catriona Watt and Ewan Robertson were joined by Daniel Thorpe, Adam Holmes, Jack Smedley, Martin Hunter and Innes Watson to provide a fine selection of songs and tunes which had the audience enthralled - the energy from their music was astounding. Siobhan Miller - a life-long TMSA member - along with dad Brian, who is an Honorary Member, showed why she has already won so many awards.

One of our new Patrons, Sheena Wellington, gave her usual superb performance, and was followed by Archie Fisher, who was also in fine voice. Archie was joined for his last couple of songs by Barbara Dickson in an acoustic set that is unusual for her these days. Barbara has promised that this was a taste of things to come - something to look forward to!!.

At the end of the show, National Convener Alison Mackinnon presented Archie and Barbara with Honorary Membership of the TMSA. The second of our Patrons Concerts on 7th November following the AGM in Aberdeen was held in The Lemon Tree, and featured some of the amazing talent from the Aberdeen Branch. Joint comperes Geordie Murison and Jim Taylor entertained the audience with songs and some hilarious stories, and introduced Irene Watt and Graham White, whose voices complement each other so well.

Fiddler Carol Anderson showed her talent with some beautiful sets of tunes, and hopefully her forthcoming CD will bring her the recognition she deserves. The final local artist is surely someone we will definitely hear of in the future: Eoin Taylor had the audience joining in with his Bothy Ballads - truly a champion of the future! Our two Patrons Margaret Bennett and Sheena Wellington shared the stage in the second half, taking it in turn to perform to their usual impeccable standard – two very different voices, each delighting the audience with their choices of songs.

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Previous Page: Archie Fisher and Barbara Dickson at the Queens Hall. Above: The Young Trad Tour Musicians wow the audience at the Queens Hall

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Irene Watt

Clockwise from top: Sheena Wellington and Margaret Bennett at the Lemon Tree; Irene Watt and Graham White; Geordie Murison with Carol Anderson

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The small Borders town of Innerleithen has hosted an annual music festival since 2001, when the second Both Sides the Tweed (BSTT) Festival, directed by Hector Christie, took place there. 2002 saw the third BSTT there too, but it was destined to move thereafter. Rather than lose such a good thing, the Innerleithen Music Festival was born in 2003, occupying the middle weekend of August, and going from strength to strength since. It is rightly described as a “Music Festival” rather than a “Folk” one, as it incorporates so many types of music: while folk and traditional are very well represented, there have also been performances of Bluegrass, Americana, jazz, blues, Klezmer, Balkan and other “World” music. It has to be one of my favourite festivals for various reasons.

A lasting impression from my very first visit was the warm welcome extended to individual newcomers to the town: a few friendly words have cemented lasting friendships. The stunning location on Tweed-side among the Border Hills certainly enhances the experience, and there is guaranteed a very varied programme of concerts, workshops, sessions and other activities such as this year’s historical walk, and in past years, theatrical/musical presentations up on the hill, and at nearby Traquair House. If there is any time off from making or listening to music, there are plenty of local visitor attractions in and near the town, such as Smail’s Printing Works (National Trust), St Ronan’s Wells, the Saturday morning performances from the town’s Silver Band, the Aladdin’s cave of a second-hand book shop where I have purchased a number of iconic music books, and the antique shops (one of which tells you “if I am not here I may be in the Pyrenees”!)

Innerleithen Festival

www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org

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Irene Watt

This year’s headliners included Eddi Reader, Kieran Halpin, Karine Polwart’s band, Rory McLeod and Dean Friedman. I must confess to not going to everything listed, but friends who were at Eddi’s sell-out concert were glowing in their praise of her. Karine and her band were in jocular mood and fine form, including more new songs from Karine’s prolific output. In keeping with Innerleithen’s c o m m e n d a b l e p o l i cy o f encouraging local young talent, the two winning acts from their “Rising Stars” competition played support to Karine’s band: Justine Blaszk from Lauder, and the duo of Morgan Davidson and Ross Anderson fulfilled this role to a very high standard.

My personal favourites include the la te Satu rday n ight singaround in St. Ronan’s Hotel dining room, hosted by Susie Kelly: anything goes from wrist-slitting ballads to bawdy songs about rugby, and this session is only marginally more orderly than the mega session in the Festival Club. A really brilliant stroke for the last 2 years has been the final “Traditional” concert from 6-9 pm, starting with Innerleithen’s own “Fisher Lasses”, and featuring 4 or

5 other short sets of 20 minutes or so each: all participants were excellent, but must make special mention of Lucy Pringle and Chris Wright, and the final act from award-winning Siobhan Miller and Jeana Leslie (plus gut-busting guitar and mandolin from Siobhan’s Dad, Brian!) And all presided over by Jan Miller’s very realistic effigy of Willie Scott (a real family effort!)

Add to all this a very nice place to stay in the Corner House, with lovely food, and friendly proprietors who welcome us to hold sessions in their bar, (which seemed to attract in a number of weel-kent TMSA folk!) and you have the perfect weekend getaway! I’m told the campsite isn’t bad either.

Over the years we’ve had festivals with glorious weather, and while this year’s was just awful, there were no dampened spirits! It’s good also to see a Festival where there is a lot of local business sponsorship. I now feel honour bound to keep up my unbroken record of attending every BSTT and Innerleithen festival, so roll on 2010 and keep up the good work!

Trish Santer

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Danny Kyle - the Statue! And the Open Stage

Danny was so many things to so many people: from Folk Singer and songwriter – to host extraordinaire at concerts and festivals throughout the UK, Ireland and Paisley – to the master of the one liners – to Paisley Buddy! Everyone who met him has a ‘Danny Story’. Some are ‘over the 9 o’clock watershed’ but the majority can be enjoyed by all ages. When he sadly passed away on the 5th July 1998, many tribute concerts, articles and accolades came in. Danny was involved with Stonehaven Festival from the start. So in November 1998 they held a concert. No-one wanted paid for the event, they just wanted to give tribute to the man they had all thought so much of. Joe Duncan and the Committee commissioned the artist Jan Miller from Penicuik to create the Danny Statue. Isla Duncan and I were then entrusted with his custodianship - and thus started the travels of the Danny Statue. Accompanied by the Danny Legend it is no wonder that there are even more stories and the ‘Legend of Danny’ lives on.

After a private showing to his son Rikki and grandson Darren, Danny’s first outing was to Killin Folk Festival. I remember well a very white-faced Phil Cunningham (not long after having had a heart attack!) coming up to me and saying ‘The wee blighters back’ - or words near that! After the concert we left Danny sitting at a table and folk kept buying him his customary can of diet coke. As the party carried well into the night, it was amazing the number of people that came up and had a conversation with the statue – one sided - although later on in the night I was not too sure! Folk kept asking for some of his diet coke and replacing it. As one festival goer said ‘It’s like having him back with us – just nae patter’. No-one thought it morbid or strange – it was just Danny! He then visited Stonehaven Festival - of course - and caused much merriment and mayhem – just as usual then! I warned his old pal Billy Connolly about the statue. I did not want him having a heart attack! I think he was just waiting for him to speak. The only time we drew the line was when someone wanted to take him to the Aqua Ceilidh! As he is made out of newspaper – in fact his hair is actual ‘The News of The World’ – he might have got a wee bit soggy! Of course the hilarity of taking ‘Danny on Tour’ really started with getting him into the car. I only managed to drive to the end of my road when our local bobby held up his hand for me to stop. I did so, and when he put his head in the window he said ‘Now I know he’s no real (how true) and you know he’s no real - but ‘we’ don’t want you stopped fir him no wearin his seatbelt do we?’ True – so Danny always travels with his seat belt on. On our

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way over to the Bute Folk Festival, Isla, Danny and I were in my then little Peugeot. Danny was in the front and Isla in the back with all the camping gear. (No. Danny did not sleep in the tent!) The Ticket Collector came round and shouted in the window – ‘Three’? – ‘No two please’ – ‘THREE’ – ‘No two please’ – ‘THREE’!!!! – counting us as he spoke – ‘He is a statue and I’m no paying fir him!’ A very embarrassed man - the workies in the van next to us were in such fits of laughter that they could not compose themselves to drive off the ferry! Almost every time Isla and I have taken him on his travels things have happened to the car - from the alternator going to SEVERAL flat tyres. We are sure that it is Danny up to his mischief! You can imagine the AA man’s face when he found that the lazy bugger sitting in the front seat was just oor Danny. The amount of photos that the AA and RAC must have of him should be quite something – he’s even been Relayed home! I don’t know if my policy actually covered that; but the polis man did say that we had better take him with us in case anyone thought we had left a body in the car! In between journeys he was either at my house or Isla’s. Our friends were getting a wee bit anxious about his presence in the house all the time. Many a scream was heard at parties from an unsuspecting guest coming across him accidentally! So I phoned Ellen Farmer at Sma Shot Cottages and asked how she and the girls would like Danny to stay in the Cottages while he was not on tour. They were delighted to have him. So he went ‘hame’ tae Sma Shot Cottages – the people and the Cottages that Danny had loved so well. He still goes on tour – and for 3 weeks every January is in residence at The Danny Kyle Open Stage at Celtic Connections (14th- 31st January in 2010). It was set up in his memory by Colin Hynd who asked Gibb Todd and me to take it on – which we did with great pride. Talent is showcased there every night with over 70 acts each festival who come from USA, Canada, Europe, Italy, Spain - and Paisley! It keeps up the tradition of Danny’s Open Stage that he ran for over 35 years at festivals throughout the UK and Ireland. In fact if you go to any folk festival or event you are bound to hear a ‘Danny’. Everyone who goes on the stage is a winner and out of all the winners there are six finalists, who have a Finalists Concert and a support gig at the next year’s Celtic Connections. Another wee story to finish off. At Celtic Connections the hall staff met two rather drunk gents carrying Danny out the hall. When asked where they were going with him, they said they were taking him for a drink as ‘everyone had gone and he wis on his aine!’ Only in Glasgow - or Paisley!

Liz Clark

New Line-up for TMSA Board At the TMSA AGM on 7th November, Alison Mackinnon stepped down from the post of Convener after four years of service. We’d like to thank Alison for all of the time, energy and commitment she put into her role on behalf of the organisation. We are delighted that she is staying on as a Director of the TMSA. Douglas Craik was elected to the post of Convener in her stead and Fiona Campbell, Liz Clark and John Moran were all re-elected to their posts of Treasurer, Vice-Convener and Secretary respectively. Liz Wilson and Andy McInally continue in their role as Directors.

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Please send general enquiries and correspondence to:

Caroline Scott, Office Manager Tel: 0131 555 2224 TMSA National Office E-mail: office@tmsa.org.uk G43, The Drill Hall, Web: www.tmsa.org.uk 30-38 Dalmeny Street Edinburgh EH6 8RG

The TMSA receives project funding from:

Registered Company No: 199976 Scottish Charity No: SC003819

News From Aberdeen Branch

Lorna Alexander, a past Chair of the Aberdeen Branch, and a loyal supporter of the TMSA, has brought out a book of her own stories and poems. Lorna is well known for her storytelling and poetry and has been in demand at many events in Aberdeenshire over the years for doing readings, telling stories, compering at events and judging competitions. After lots of requests from friends and acquaintances for her to write a book, Lorna has had her book titled 'Early Days' published. Written mainly in the Doric, the book is a mixture of stories and poems from Lorna's childhood in the 1930s and '40s through to more recent times. It is priced at only £5 and can be ordered by phoning Lorna on 019756 41297 and will also be on sale at upcoming Aberdeen Branch events.

Graham White, Aberdeen Branch

News From Edinburgh & Lothians Branch In September we organised another chance to hear Calum Stewart (flute, Scotland); Daniel Carlsson (soprano saxophone, Sweden) and Heikki Bourgault (guitar, Brittany) who sold out at our Northern Streams Festival earlier this year. Adding to the musical mix was Nicolaj Busk (piano, harmonium) and Hal Parfitt-Murray (fiddle/viola) - both from Denmark - winners of two Danish Folk Music Awards 2009. The Branch also ran two sessions for singers, musicians and listeners on the two Sundays of Edinburgh’s Folk Club’s Carrying Steam Festival, at the Royal Oak in November. We welcomed the new TMSA Convener, Douglas Craik, to the first one - held after the Branch AGM. Our next event is the Muckle Sing, Saturday 20 February 2010 with tutor Ali Burns at the recently refurbished Howden Park Centre in Livingston, in conjunction with West Lothian Arts Services. If previous experience is anything to go by it will be a sell out, so don't miss your chance of a great uplifting day of singing and get your tickets from the Box Office on 01506 777666. More details on www.eltmsa.org.uk.

Fiona Campbell, Edinburgh & Lothians Branch

Deadline for 2010 Issue 1: Friday 19th February