Scotland, The Hebrides

On this leg of our virtual journey we are going to hop around the Hebridean Islands.  I took the above picture in 2001 from somewhere in Wester Ross looking across to the Isle of Skye, our first stop.  Here we meet the singing dynasty of the Campbells of Greepe, a family group that have been singing Gaelic tunes with no or minimal instrumental accompaniment for generations. Here is gentle song called Horo Mhàrie Dhubh from their 2014 album No.2 Greepe:  

The Band Cliar has many Skye connections.  They were  formed in 1999 by Mary-Ann Kennedy from Glasgow and Arthur Cormack from Skye.  After a hiatus of 7 years they were joined by Maggie MacDonald of the Campbells of Greepe clan, Ingrid Henderson, who was born in Mallaig in the Highlands a short ferry ride from Skye, Ross Martin from nearby Arisaig and Hector Henderson from Skye.  This song, Clò Mhic Ille Mhìcheil & Blue Bonnet, features on the bonus album on The Rough Guide to Scottish Music:

The mostly instrumental band The Peatbog Faeries, based on the Isle of Skye, have been fusing traditional Celtic sounds with electronica, rock and Jazz since 1991.  Here's a live performance by them of the Dancing Feet Set (Weary We've Been / Dancing Feet), which features on their 1996 album Mellowosity:

From Skye we hop over to the island of North Uist, where folk singer Julie Fowlis grew up.  Here's beautiful song sung in Scottish Gaelic called Dh’èirich mi moch, b' fheàrr nach do dh’èirich (according to Google translate that means: I got up early, better not) from her 2017 album alterum:

Our next stop is South Uist, where Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes was born. On this track she collaborates with Texan folk and roots musician Sarah Jarosz.  I love the way her voice has a bit more of a rougher edge to it compared to many of the Celtic genre.  The song is called Oran na Cloiche and features on her 2006 album Summer Dawn:

The Trio Salt House are from various places around the Scottish Highlands but they recorded their 2017 album Undersong on the small Isle of Berneray, just north of North Uist.  Their new album Huam is available to pre-order now.  This is a song from the first album called Staring at Stars:

From Berneray we take the ferry across to the Isle of Lewis, which is where singer/songwriter Iain Morrison is from. His music has elements of Neil Young style folk rock.  Here is a track from his 2018 album Amusement Arcade entitled Let's Go Captain: 

Ishbel MacAskill was born in 1941 near Edinburgh, but was adopted by a couple from the Isle of Lewis where she grew up.  Musically she was a late starter, not performing in public until she was 38.  She sang in Gaelic and was also an actress in a popular Gaelic TV soap.  Unfortunately she died in 2011 aged 70 following a domestic accident.  This song Gradh Geal Mo Chridh (Fair Love of My Heart) features on her posthumously released 2017 album Sìoda: 

This concludes our little virtual trip around some of the Hebridean islands, I hope you feel inspired by these beautiful, wild landscapes steeped in ancient culture.  Next we head to the far north of Scotland.  As usual you can follow my ramblings on my tripline map.