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Our traditional music and songs are more than just a musical heritage, they are a way of life ! As was the old way, I learnt from an oral tradition and then took the songs straight to my heart. I learnt this singing style while I was growing up in the small community of Upper Coll on the Isle-of-Lewis and although I never set out to become a professional singer; it all just seemed to happen at a particular time in my life, I am now very proud that I retained the old ornamental singing style, and fortunate indeed that I have many opportunities to perform these songs around the world. It is a style of singing which has been passed down to us for many generations, but sadly, it is a dying art, and rarely heard nowadays.

Morag MacLeod of Scalpay (former lecturer in Gaelic song at the School of Scottish Studies), has been a great influence on my understanding of Gaelic Song in general, and through her encouragement I continue to research and collect songs from all areas of Gaelic Scotland.

My family, and in particular my grandfather, was a huge influence on my life - he lived with us until he died at the age of 94. He had been a crofter/fisherman for most of his life and was a perfectionist in everything that he did. I followed in his footsteps for much of my formative years and unconciously soaked up many of the old stories, songs, crofting, fishing and cultural traditions of my home island of Lewis.

My greatest musical influence, in the early years, growing up in Lewis was, without a doubt, the highly ornamental Psalm singing which I heard in the home each morning and evening, during worship, and in church each Sunday. I was also exposed to the traditional and melismatic singing style of Lewis singers at house ceilidhs (gatherings), weddings and social occassions. This kind of singing was never part of our musical education at school and was ignored throughout my education (as was my native language). Much has been done to ensure that children are given the opportunity to be educated in Gaelic at many schools throughout Scotland now, but traditional Gaelic singing and poetry is still suffering a decline and given very little attention within the education system.

I travelled a lot after leaving Lewis and I was exposed to many different kinds of music. My years living in Venezuela had a huge effect on me with regard to music, dance, language, cuisine and many other things too numerous to mention. I am touched by all kinds of music and have a particular love of stringed instruments - lute, mandolin, various guitar styles, fiddle, harp, harpsichord etc.

The music of the Great Highland bagpipe holds a particular fascination for me and I have gathered many songs relating to the ancient Pibroch music (the so-called 'classical' music of the pipes). Although I sing many of these songs I never try to emulate the sound of the pipes.

I hesitate to name individual influences with regard to Gaelic song and singing, as much of it was subliminally acquired while growing up, although I do have recollections of many old folk and singers which I admired. Many of my strongest influences are, sadly, no longer with us but they are very much part of my life in song. In adulthood I continue to study archive recordings of Gaelic singers which were recorded from the approximately 1951 onwards, and some of the material I have recently recorded has been influenced by this material.

This year, 2008, I was offered the dream job of being one of two Gaelic Song specialists employed to catalogue all the Gaelic song archives at the School of Scottish Studies for the Tobar an Dualchais project http://www.tobarandualchais.com. I am living a charmed life, am I not?

SPECIAL TOO ARE THE FOLLOWING:- - my husband and our darling daughter, my parents, my brothers and their lovely families, the Isle-of-Lewis, Scotland, the Gaelic language and my culture, Ireland and my great friends there, Milltown Malbay and Willie Clancy Week, Skippinish (can't stop myself from dancing when they play), the sea, the old folks, the ceilidh house (now gone forever), my good and faithful friends, the old story tellers, travel, my life in South America, my group of old pals in the West End Hotel on Thursday nights, Nairn, my dear neighbours Gordon and Muriel MacIntyre, Iain MacDonald and family, Ian Hardie and Viv, my new friends Maggie and Ken, my pal Christine Primrose, my loyal and giften musicians friends, my garden, lilies, Islay Malt, orchids - oooh I LOVE orchids ..............

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