I am delighted to announce my single Swan Song featuring the incredible vocals of Karen Matheson will be released this coming Friday 18th January. It’s a song that means a lot to me and a song that I wrote in 2017 after losing four friends. One in particular asked me to play at their funeral and commented that I’d play their swan song as they left the church. This was the inspiration behind the track.
To download Swan Song you can click the link here
I am delighted to announce the pre-sale of my new solo album, Imminent.
Since the launch of ERA in 2017 the response had been wonderful to the self-penned songs and tunes that I have composed. Imminent is exactly the same, with all 11 tracks including three songs written by myself. Ross Wilson from Blue Rose Code picks up the vocals on ‘Dream Fields’ while the unmistakable voice of Karen Matheson has recorded ‘Swan Song’ AND I even had a bash at the singing myself with ‘Starlight’
To add to the list of incredible musicians, the album also features Ali Hutton, Angus Lyon, James Lindsay, Steve Byrnes, Ewen Henderson, Conal McDonagh, Fraser Spiers and Damien O’Kane.
The album will be launched at Celtic Connections on Saturday 19th January at the Drygate Brewery in Glasgow and if you would like to join us that evening then tickets can be purchased HERE
If you would like to pre-order ‘IMMINENT’ then please click here.
Over the past four years, ‘Shinty’s Heroes’ has taken us all over the country from theatres, village halls to some of Scotland’s largest festivals and venues, but as the end of 2018 approaches, so does the finale of this wonderful show to commemorate the Shinty players and Shinty playing communities that played their part in WW1 and what better place to play out this show than in the heart of Shinty country and just four weeks after the Camanachd Association celebrate their 125th anniversary, in Badenoch.
With a stellar line up of musicians, including Ingrid Henderson, Duncan MacGillivray, Ewen Henderson, Iain MacFarlane and myself, the whole night and story its told beautify alongside visuals by historian and broadcaster, Hugh Dan MacLennan.
To get tickets for this special night then here is the link. SHINTY’S HEROES TICKETS
BBC Radio Scotland turn the grand old age of 40 this November and I am delighted to be presenting their big birthday bash from the famous, Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom with fellow BBC Radio Scotland presenter, Bryan Burnett.
The night will be packed full of special guests and musicians including Mànran, Ricky Ross, Aiden O’Rourke, The Tom Orr Ceilidh Band and many, many more and will be aired to coincide with the stations 40th anniversary later in November.
To join us of this special night of music and dance, you can apply for free tickets at the link attached. Lines close on Monday 1st October.
Good luck
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND’S BIG BARROWLAND BIRTHDAY CEILIDH
It gives me great pleasure to say I have been working away this week in the studio on a brand new album. Since the release of ERA in January 2017, I have been overwhelmed by the love, comments and the amount of people who have enjoyed the album, so much so that I’m making another one to give yourselves the chance of beating your comments and love for last time round.
The album will be released in January 2019 so stay tuned for more details. x
It was lovely to meet Alasdair Jeffrey (far right) at this years Camanachd Cup final, who purchased my signed Scotland Shinty strip. Alongside Alasdair and beside myself on the left are Shinty legends and Camanachd Association development Officer, Ronald Ross MBE and Willie MacDonald. 
Fancy a special wee memento from Runrig’s last ever concerts?
I am auctioning off my No9 Scotland captain Shinty strip as worn on both nights at ‘The Last Dance’ which is also signed by all the band. I’m going to donate all the proceeds from the winning bid to Youth Shinty and development. If you would like to bid on the strip then please click THIS LINK
This auction will close on Sunday 26th August 2018.
Best of luck and happy bidding.
It was a huge honour and privilege to perform with Runrig on their ‘Last Dance’ concerts in Stirling’s City Park.
Since I was a child I have loved their music and as I’ve got older I have learnt to understand and love their lyrics and the sentiment behind their songs even more.
Forty five years as a band is such an incredible achievement and I don’t think any band over those four and a half decades have given back more to Gaelic, history and Scotland’s heritage than Runrig.
So here’s to you Rory, Calum, Malcolm, Iain, Bruce and Brian. I hope you enjoy the extra time you now have on your hands and thanks once again for letting me hang on for the ride.
Well what can I say?
That was without question one of the best weeks of my life. Getting to interview and tour inside the Carnegie Hall, walking down 6th avenue as part of the Tartan Day Parade, not to mention Maddison Square Garden, Freedom Tower and the abundance of amazing things we did and people that we met along the way.
I must also mention and commend the incredible job that Donald ‘bhan’ MacDonald and John Daniel Peteranna did with the Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band and how they played on the parade. A credit to not only themselves but to the Uist’s and Western Isles.
Our New York Take the Floor special will be aired on BBC Radio Scotland on Saturday 21st and 22nd April so be sure to tune in then and hear all about our adventures.
Very excited to announce that BBC Radio Scotland’s Take the Floor will be going to New York City next month as we join in with the 20th anniversary celebrations of Tartan Week. We plan to visit many of the attractions the city has to offer while also bringing a flavour of what our Scottish music has brought to the big apple through immigration and what influences NYC and America have had on our own music.
There might even be a bit of craic had along the way too 🙂
I have been overwhelmed by lovely messages and calls since winning “Instrumentalist of the Year” at this years MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards. It was an incredible night and I couldn’t have been prouder to have my Dad accompany me, the very man who started me playing the accordion all those years ago.
A huge thank you to everyone who voted for myself in this category and for your continued support. I look forward to hopefully sharing a tune and a dram with you all over the festive period.
Gary 🙂 x
2017 has been an incredible year for myself, musically and personally and it just keeps getting better! I am delighted to announce that I have made the final five for this years ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’ at the 2017 Trad Awards. We have also been shortlisted for album of the year with Mànran which is fantastic. If you would like to vote for myself and Mànran then you can do so by clicking HERE
Here is a six minute interview that I did with BBC ALBA last weekend which takes a look behind the scenes at ‘Take the Floor’ and had a blether about my old Shinty days.
I am delighted to have been asked to be guest speaker at the St Andrews Rotary Club on August 2nd. I will be interviewed by Frank Quinault about my life, music, shinty and my recent appointment of presenting BBC Radio Scotland’s, Take the Floor, with all money raised going towards charity.
If you would like to be part of what should be a great, fun evening, then please look at the poster attached.
ERA IS NOW OUT!
I am over the moon to announce that ‘ERA’ is now available to purchase online from all music download sites and from my own website.
I’d like to take this chance to thank all the incredible musicians who performed on the album and for making the whole process the best of craic from start to finish. I’d also like to take this opportunity in thanking the incredibly talented, Ali Hutton for all his hard work and ideas, who alongside myself co-produced the album.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it.
Gary 🙂 x