Dick Gaughan Life on the Edge, Voice of Deep Humanity

Gaughan is a voice of deep humanity in our present dark world. 

Gaughan brought many of the traditional Irish and Scots Celtic songs to new life. I’d never heard Robert Burns Westlin Winds before Gaugan introduced this as one of the best songs ever written. He searched through the Scottish national archives for the best traditional ballads. Like Burns and Dylan before him Gaughan has been a genius song collector and remaker of the old songs. He drew on his Scots and Irish traditions to develop his song craft and performance. 

 

I first heard Dick Gaughan in the 70s at the Police folk club Edinburgh. A musician friend raved about how incredible and distinctive his guitar playing was. Many years later (after being in America for nearly ten years) I heard Gaughan again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007. This was an intimate gig where his chat and stories between songs while he tuned his guitar, was worth going for alone. In his own genuine voice, Gaughan hammers and speaks with his acoustic guitar.

 

He is an interpreter of Scotland’s traditional folk ballads. Gaughan has become a legend on the Scottish and world folk circuits for more than 40 years. 

Gaughan is Scots/ Irish and has spent his life in Leith Edinburgh. He’s a social protester, a profound storyteller who crosses boundaries, forges alliances through the depth of his story telling, and song and open chord’ dramatic guitar playing. His songs don’t flow easily to the shore – and they also share the full range of emotions. 

Its about the emotion of the song and the storytelling. Gaughan drew on his Scots and Irish traditions to develop his song craft and performance. He draws from both Irish and Scottish folk traditions. He performs traditional folk tunes, Robert Burns, favourite cover songs and his own songs. He doesn't play the predictable smoothed-over sugar box 'tartan shortbread' songs.

So glad to hope the younger generations are carrying the stream. (More so in Ireland perhaps?). I have to admit the most emotional Celtic concert I’ve been to. So many memories….You come away from his gigs questioning and renewed in the faith of our shared humanity.  

**SONGS – Erin Go Bragh, Workers Song, The Snows they Melt the Soonest, No Gods, Wages Day, Language of the Gaels, Song for Ireland, Westlin winds, Daughters and Sons, Craigie Hill, What you do with what you’ve got,  Both Sides the Tweed.

Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman. Gaughan had a stroke in 2016, which means he can no longer play the guitar. He’s not been able to play for nearly ten years. Gaughan’s album Handful of Earth became an iconic folk album. 

·       (R/evolution: 1969–83) was released in January 2026 along with 

·       Live at the BBC: 1972–79 (vinyl).  

* The concert was recorded by BBC Radio Scotland. (Celtic concerts used to be recorded by the BBC Scotland tv.)

 

GUITAR  Earthy, real and powerful guitar playing, an incredible presence and depth. Gaughan says his guitars is an integral part of his singing. The Song has a tempo all of its own. The guitar has to follow the song. His distinctive style of guitar playing, with open chords and dramatic  timing that he learnt from guitarist Davey Graham which was tuned differently. 

SONG COLLECTOR - He took past folk stories and songs from the library archives and put new melodies to them. 

POLITICS  Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman

BANDS - He played with Aly Bain’s Boys of the Lough and a punk band called Five Hand Reel.

 

Clan Alba, A folk supergroup, featured Dick Gaughan. Mary Macmaster, Brian MacNeill, Fred Morrison, Patsy  distinctive collective harmonies. Their 1996 debut album - included ‘Bye Bye Big Blue’, a lament for the closure of the Ravenscraig Steel Works, and Gaughan’s evocative ‘Childhood’s End’.

 

SONGS    Niel Gow  Craigie Hill  who had sung with Dick in ‘Clan Alba’,  the folk songcraft and voice tradition of the folk songcraft and voice tradition 

 

Songs of social conscience and an evening of contrast, quality and sincerity.You come away from his gigs questioning and renewed in the faith of our shared humanity. Gaughan has become a legend on the Scottish and world folk circuits for more than 40 years. He is an interpreter of Scotland’s traditional folk ballads. 

 

Dick Gaughan is a towering figure in folk music circles, a musician whose radical politics have always been to the fore. I did many benefit gigs with him in the 80s and was inspired to record 'The World Turned Upside Down' after hearing his version on the magnificent 'Handful of Earth' LP.

Sadly his career has suffered two major setbacks. Firstly, much of his material was issued on small labels which no longer exist, meaning it's not available physically or via streaming services. Secondly, he has been unable to perform since 2016 due to the effects of a stroke he suffered.

A group of friends and comrades have come together to address these issues by compiling and releasing a seven CD and DVD boxed set from which Dick will benefit directly once the costs have been covered. To this end they have set up a Kickstarter page to raise funds for the project. 

Dick Gaughan's entire career has been about showing solidarity for people in need. Let's show some solidarity for him now and get this project funded and flying.

 

Awww the Dick Gaughan tribute concert was amazing!! So emotional, so many folk icons from Scotland, England and Ireland. Plus all those Black and white images of the 70s folk scene in Edinburgh. The Irish artist Seamie O’Dowd who performed Song for Ireland was so good, one of those hushed silence moments... And Dick Gaughan was actually there at the end and sang a bit. He’s the most iconic folk artist, song collector and awesome guitarist of the past century. The most emotional Celtic Connections concert I’ve been to (over the past twenty years)….

 

 A voice of deep humanity in our present dark world. I first heard Dick back at an Edinburgh folk club in the 70s! My son has seen Dick live several times and was also moved to tears at the tribute concert. He plays guitar and Westlin Winds was always a favourite to play ....I hope the younger generations are carrying the traditions. I have photos from the concert will post.

The Solid Oak Tree True and Bold: It’s the song that Matters

 Earthy and grounded on sure solid roots,

I will follow your lead where it takes me,

Sure footed and solid and deep where it matters, 

Your hearts true and open and bold.

You search where it matters staying honest and true,

When so much around us is fake falsehoods and cruel, 

Dishonesty and ignorance that ignore what really counts,

Make your voice a beacon of light and hope.

As your strength of character pounds out the rhythms

And angst on your guitar,

You stand true and bold in a world that’s lost its way,

You are like the solid oak tree.

 You sang of the bonny yew tree,

Tell me what do you see.

“When the poor hunt the poor across mountain and moor
The rich man can keep them in chains

“So I raise up my glass and drink deep of its flame

To those who have gone who were links in the chain
And I give my soul's promise, I give my heart's pledge
To outlaws and dreamers and life at the edge.”

Don’t let go of the harness

That keeps us together,

As you search for truth in the auld ballads and songs,

Stay true,

It’s the song that matters.

PK 

Cultural History Disconnects

Cultural History Disconnects

 

I had a big disconnect between my primary school and secondary school. At primary we had Scottish dancing, Scots poetry and song. Then at secondary we had no Scottish history, culture or music at all. Only English literature, history and music. Quite a strange disconnect. We used to go to the military tattoo at the castle every year. 

 

Then I attended college down the cobbled royal mile Edinburgh, and wondered about all the history here – the Canongate Kirkyard, John Knox house, St Giles, Holyrood, the Grassmarket – and the castle. 

 

Going to secondary school Edina, I travelled across the town by bus via princes street. I passed a statue to the Scotch Bard Robert Burns at the bottom of Leith walk each day. On the top deck there were many teenagers in brightly coloured blazers who spoke with posh English accents and I wondered where they came from. In Edina around 25% of children attend private schools. 

 

No it wasn’t and isn’t an integrated melting pot at all but a stiff social hierarchy here. Back in the 60s though, young people had more options to go to study. Houses were built to offer greater social mixing, but that often hasn't succeeded. When people don't feel they have things in common, many put up defensive barriers. 

 

Visiting Holyrood palace I once picked up a small blue book on the Stuart kings of Scotland. I became fascinated by the Scots history and stories. I visited the Scottish national galleries, with their many portraits of Scottish royalty. My parents were from Northern Ireland, so I was very confused, as no doubt they were too. 

Kim Carnie at Celtic Connections 202

 Charmed with her soft, mesmerising voice

 

Carnie was the support artist for Duncan Chisholm, tonight and was backed by the strings and piano, and with Megan Henderson on vocals and violin and with Innes White on guitar. For tonight’s concert she performed Gaelic heritage songs. 

The song Chan Eil A’ Chuis was based on the work of a female bard, a hymn of the morning light and was backed with only piano, beautiful. Carnie has written new compositions for her album and with the festivals artistic director Donald Shaw producing – And So We Gather and She Moves Me. She has a bubble personality and it would be good to hear more of her upbeat and infectious final song – Nighearn sin Thall. The Gaelic song is ever popular with cc audiences and she performed with her clear tones and poignant songs. More please!

Edinburgh festivals RETURNS 2021!

We’ve had tough times, so hard for many. What will all the costs be?

One thing for sure is that the arts will be essential for our recovery. 

 

Scottish Festivals ... Seek to engage, challenge, entertain and to ensure quality of standard, musicianship, writing, diversity, colour and more.

Every August is a highlight to venture on Edinburgh’s historic streets and to culturally recharge my batteries at the world’s largest arts festival. There’s a special freedom of creativity, where nearly anything goes – a vast melting pot of colour, comedy, dance, song. 

 

August means Edinburgh and in particular its International book festival. I grew up in this northern capital, dominated by its castle, Arthur seat and historic Royal mile. I have been taking photos at the Edinburgh Festival since 2007. 

This is a year to renew our attitudes and ideas or make a change of direction: this is much needed reflections and contemplations.

 

**EDINBURGH FESTIVALS 2021 will be happening on a smaller scale.

Last year 2020 the festivals, for the first time had to be cancelled since 1947, due to the worldwide Covid pandemic. I visited the high street, it was very odd. 

 

This year the festival is planning 3 large outdoor marquees. While the fringe may take over some of the newly empty shops in town. Edinburgh is also planning to pedestrianise George street. Stars such as Alan Cumming and violinist Nicola Benedetti.

Edinburgh festival is the world largest arts festival, begun in 1945 to bring rejuvenation after the devastation of war. 

There is the main international festival along side the Fringe comedy: plus dance, opera, musicals, drama, concerts, mime, art, debates, books and of course the performers in the high street..

There’s also the high water marks of the main festival – with opera, classical, ballet, drama, and more. .

TICKETS NOW ON SALE - https://www.eif.co.uk

 Edinburgh FRINGE - https://www.edfringe.com

The Edinburgh festival has been taking place each August since 1947. After the devastation of war Austrian Rudolf Bing, decided Europe could be brought together to heal by a large scale cultural festival. He decided on Edina, as it reminded him of Salzburg, and it became the worlds biggest cultural arts event. 2020 was the first year for 73 years the Edinburgh festival has not been held.

Edinburgh is ideal to see on foot with the Royal mile, the Mound and over to the new town.

 

Art is crucial

Art is how we move forward, broaden horizons, question and exchange ideas, culture and heritage ultimately matters more – more than any political rhetoric! 

Ewan MacColl version of Scotland

Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

 

MacColl was a Scottish indy supporter

He wrote some incredible songs. He is remembered best for his songs – Dirty Old Town, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Shoals of Herring

He was born Salford, Jimmie Miller - and he would lie and said he was from Auchterrarder and had a Glasgow childhood. He had Scottish parents – his mother from outer Hebrides. He read of 19^th century Gaelic poet Eoghan MacColl of Lochfyneside. He collected the Scots ballads, 

 

MacColl recorded an album of street songs from Dublin, Salford and Glasgow with Irishman Dominic Behan. He was friends with Scots poets Hugh MacDiarmid and Hamish Henderson.

 

MacColl was part of the Scottish Literary Renaissance – 1920s, 1930s connected to the Celtic revival movement renewed cultural nationalism. Both looked back to poets such as William Dunbar and also to contemporary poets such as Ezra Pound, TS Eliot, WB Yeats, Edwin Morgan , first Scots Maker. 

Town planning of people and their environment – place-work-folk. Also novelists  Neil Gunn, Lewis Grassic Gibbons, 

Scottish Gaelic Renaissance – Sorley MacLean.

Edwin Morgan

Hugh MacDiarmid

He had strong left wing views and monitored by M15. He married Peggy Seeger lived Beckenham, Kent on his song royalties. He was a prophet not fully acknowledged. Who felt and imagined himself as part of the Scotland of his parents. 

 

We need honest visionaries who recognise the past and see the ways forward.

BOOK: The cultural and political life of Ewan MacColl by Ben Marker.

 

Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole writes, “MacColl’s influence on the culture we live through now is so ­pervasive as to be almost invisible – so much taken for granted that we hardly bother to see it.”

Song for Scotland -'Auld Lang Syne'

Scots spread around the world as – explorers, lecturers, innovators, writers – and had close trade to Europe.

Kane writes of the impact songs can have, to bring us all together in community spirit, to build hope. 

From a shattered apartment Beirut – windows blown in, amid her ruin an elderly woman sits at her piano and plays the classic international song by our Bard Robert Burns, his song of unity and friendship -

'Auld Lang Syne.’

Making beauty from ashes.....

This song's emotional power travels the globe and gives people hope. Not about divisions but about bringing people together in what really matters. 

Making beauty from ashes.

Scots and journalist musician Pat Kane concludes for indy (Scotland National August 8^th)

All the way from Beirut the perfect national anthem for indy Scotland. 

“hardly for the first time, Scotland is already profoundly woven into the world, as the world waits for our official return. Closing suggestion, isn’t this the obvious, post indy Scottish national anthem in waiting? A song the world already sings – joyfully, harmoniously, in happy celebration? Right under our noises, all this time. “

Here are the pipes and chorus and a perfect rendition of Auld Lang Syne. https://www.youtube.com/auld-lang-syne

Burns heard the old song and added new verses - its a song too for the auld Scotia that was being lost. 

This is a song about bringing people together. Because Scotland's self-determination is not about any nationhood - but rather our right to democracy for all who live here in Scotland - for our fairer, more equal, greener and well being future. 

Kane writes of the impact songs can have, to bring us all together in community spirit, to build hope. Collective singing can ‘induce feelings of happiness, safety and security in a group – calming, energising, organising and inspiring. 

He recommends the book - David Levitin , The World in Six Songs. 

Kathleen MacInnes with amiina at Celtic Connections 2019 Review

What an impressive concert. Kathleen is one of Scotland’s foremost Gaelic singers with her broad range and husky tones. To begin her concert she sang Gaelic songs after which she was joined by Icelandic group amiina. Their sound was subtle and sublime with amiina playing gentle drums, violin 

– which beautifully encased Kathleen soothing voice. What a unique combination

The sounds produced were haunting, island journeys, with atmospheric soundscapes. Amiina were the string section of Icelandic avant rock sound sculptors Sigur Ros. The band performed three of their own tracks, and showed their diversity and richness of sound. 

They performed a poem by Alexander MacColl Smith, The Waves that Bear the Saints. Kathleen is from south Uist and won Gaelic singer 2006, (Scots Trad music awards).  A quality and thoroughly enjoyable concert.

They was supported by the excellent four part harmonies of Irish singers Landis.

Art Freedom without Borders

This years theme at the Edinburgh International book festival 2018 is "freedoms". It is important we are free to have our VOICE. Its important for culture, sense of identity, artistic creativity, truth, heritage, communicating, collaborating and so much more. 

At a talk on the highly respected Scottish singer songwriter Michael Marra, a Canadian asked - 'why did we not hear of Marra on the Scottish radio or tv, and how can we have a Voice here in Scotland, if we have no way of expressing it freely and widely? ..The answer is that Marra went to London for a while, but the London music industry wanted to change him and take away the essence of what makes him a great artist. ........ And I wonder often why Scotland is not free, and unlike other nations has no media of its own....

An artist must be true to their art...

Creatives not only require freedom of expression, it’s the life blood they draw on for their creativity. Any artist who tries to stick inside boxes is stifled. I remember a Russian art exhibition at the Tate modern – all were identical, raising arms to the heavens.  

JD Fergusson

The Scottish painters JD Fergusson on modern Scottish painting is his plea for artistic freedom. "Scotland should have an independent art," Artists must challenge assumptions and take a sledgehammer to totems. 

Artist Alexander Moffat and poet Alan Riach , in a new edition of Scottish artist JD Fergusson Modern Scottish Painting, in which he questions the need of artists to conform to market forces. If arts motivation is economic it is not usually successful. Then as now, there was what Moffat and Riach call "the tyranny of academic authority in taste, practice and artistic social priorities". Oddly there have been significant problems with Creative Scotland’s large umbrella organization (which includes film, Games, music, literature, arts) being controlled by the accounts men.  There was the need for artists to conform if they wanted to be embraced by the kind of organisations and institutions who view art as the conduit to boosting the economy and encouraging an ever-growing influx of tourists. 

The need to conform to be embraced by established art institutions. Fergusson's approach to art was embedded in political philosophy and he was convinced of the need for independence. He questioned why "the Glasgow School" faded out. "Was it Scotland's feeling of inferiority? Was it the lack of sympathy or financial support?" 

Nick Barley

**Edinburgh book festival director Nick Barley claims culture and the arts is being adversely affected by the hostile attitude at the UK home office.  
“We’re putting culture at risk, ironically the theme of this years EIBF this year is freedom!  

The UK Home office refusals from Syria are up from 18% to 68% in 2017.  -"Our relationship with authors is being damaged because the system is completely unfit for purpose. They’ve jumped through hoops – to have their applications refused.”  The UK Home Office has refused visas for authors invited to Edinburgh book festival. Festival director Nick Barley says ‘humiliating’ application process will deter writers and damage cultural life in UK. A dozen writers, from African and Middle East countries have had their visa applications refused, amid a process that requires 3 years of bank statements. 

Michale Marra, Arrest this Moment

JD Fergusson was drawn like so many other Scottish artists of the day, to Paris. (Samuel Peploe, Francis Campbell and Boileau Cadell). He writes of the impact that the French capital had-. “Paris was a place of light, freedom, intellectual challenge, learning and research. It allowed me to be Scots as I understand it, and has made me so Scots that I am leaving it and coming home." 

Fergusson’s book is a cri de coeur for artistic freedom and he is always passionate..
Some of the greatest art happen when we challenge the boxes – as when French impressionisms challenged the Paris Salon.

Modern Scottish Painting, by J D Fergusson, published Luath Press, http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/13415574.J_D_Fergusson_on_modern_Scottish_painting/