Michael McGoldrick is a folk musician who plays Irish flute, uilleann pipes, low whistle and bodhran. He also plays other instruments such as acoustic guitar, cittern, and mandolin.
The Boys of the Lough is a Scottish-Irish Celtic music band active since the 1970s.
Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones, and Bob Thomas. In January 1972, Jones and Thomas formed a trio with their flatmate Bill Watkins and performed under various band names in Edinburgh folk clubs. In the spring of 1972, Watkins returned to Birmingham and, in June 1972, Chris Pritchard (vocals) came in as his replacement. In July 1972, this newly formed trio were offered their first paid booking at the Burns Monument Hotel, Brig O' Doon, Scotland, and needed a band name in a hurry. The name "Silly Wizard" was chosen and the continuing stream of bookings ensured that the name became permanent. In September 1972, the trio recruited Johnny Cunningham (1957–2003) and Silly Wizard started to take off.
Aly Bain MBE is a Scottish fiddler who learned his instrument from the old-time master Tom Anderson. The former First Minister of Scotland Jack McConnell called Bain a "Scottish icon."
Nightnoise was a music ensemble active from 1984 to 1997. Their original blend of Irish traditional music, Celtic music, jazz, and classical chamber music inspired a generation of Irish musicians. They released seven albums on the Windham Hill label.
John McCusker is a Scottish folk musician, record producer, and composer. He had a long association as a member of Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby. He has served as producer and arranger for various artists. He has also released several solo albums.
The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of traditional Scottish music and also features international folk, roots and world music artists. The festival is produced and promoted by Glasgow Life. Donald Shaw, a founding member of Capercaillie, was appointed Celtic Connections Artistic Director in 2006.
Caledonia's Hardy Sons is the second album by the Scottish band Silly Wizard. It was released in the U.K. on Highway Records in 1978, and in the U.S. in 1980 on the Shanachie label.
Andrew McGregor "Andy" Stewart was a Scottish singer, songwriter and instrumentalist, formerly the frontman for Silly Wizard. He was born in Alyth, Perthshire. With Silly Wizard he not only sang, but also played the tenor banjo, mandolin and tin whistles.
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill was an Irish singer, guitarist, composer, and producer who was a major influence on Irish traditional music in the second half of the twentieth century. He is remembered for his innovative work with Skara Brae, the first group to record vocal harmonization in Irish language songs, and The Bothy Band, one of the most influential groups in Irish traditional music. His reputation was enhanced by a successful collaboration with master fiddler Kevin Burke, and his work with the Celtic groups Relativity and Nightnoise, which achieved significant commercial and critical acclaim.
Johnny Cunningham was a Scottish folk musician and composer, instrumental in spreading interest in traditional Celtic music.
Fergie MacDonald MBE is a Scottish accordionist who specializes in ceilidh music and plays the button key accordion. A trained physiotherapist and an international clay pigeon shooter, MacDonald is considered to be the man who popularised the West Highland style of traditional Scottish dance music. He was brought up in Moidart.
Gordon Jones, originally from Merseyside, is a Scottish folk musician playing guitar, bohdran, bouzuki and autoharp and founding member of Silly Wizard. Performed with Silly Wizard during their entire 17 years together as well as composing and producing both music and albums for Silly Wizard, two of which received MRA awards.
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill is an acclaimed Irish traditional singer, keyboard player, and composer. She is considered one of the most influential female vocalists in the history of Irish music. Throughout her career, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill has worked with renowned traditional Irish groups such as Skara Brae, The Bothy Band, and Nightnoise. In February 2024 it was announced that she was to be recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 6th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.
A Glint of Silver is an album by Silly Wizard released in 1986 on the Green Linnet Records label. This is final studio album recorded by the band.
So Many Partings is the third album by Silly Wizard released in 1979 on the Highway Records label in the U.K. and 1980 on the Shanachie label in the U.S. On this album the songs "The Valley Of Strathmore" and "The Highland Clearances" were written by Andy M. Stewart.
Relativity was a Scots-Irish quartet formed in 1985 consisting of two Scottish brothers and an Irish brother and sister. The four members of the band were brothers Johnny Cunningham (fiddle) and Phil Cunningham, and Irish sister and brother Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. Each of the members enjoyed a flourishing solo career at the time Relativity was formed.
Privateering is the seventh solo studio album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released on 3 September 2012 by Mercury Records. The first studio double-album of Knopfler's 35-year career as a recording artist, Privateering consists of 20 original songs, and integrates blues rock with traditional folk and country genres. Recorded between March and December 2011, the album received generally positive reviews throughout Europe, and reached the number one position on album charts in Austria, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands, as well as the number two or three position in Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The album peaked at number eight in the United Kingdom. The album was released in North America a full year after its European release due to a contractual dispute between Knopfler and his North American distributors.
Transatlantic Sessions is the collective title for a series of musical productions by Glasgow-based Pelicula Films Ltd, funded by- and produced for BBC Scotland, BBC Four and RTÉ of Ireland. The productions comprise collaborative live performances by various leading folk, bluegrass and country musicians from both sides of the North Atlantic, playing music from Scotland, Ireland, England and North America, who congregate under the musical direction of Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas to record and film a set of half-hour TV episodes. The Television director is Mike Alexander and the producer is Douglas Eadie.
Rachel Sermanni is a Scottish folk musician from Carrbridge in Strathspey. She has toured with a number of well-known folk and indie artists in the United Kingdom. Her debut studio album was released in September 2012.
