Scottish folk artists
Scottish folk artists of Britain and Ireland on Folk Calendar: 115 of them, with their dates, where they were born and died, and their recordings. Every artist, A to Z
By role
By instrument
By tradition
A
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© SchorleCC BY-SA 3.0
Ross Ainslie
Piper and whistle player; Treacherous Orchestra
- Tom Anderson 1910 to 1991 Fiddler, collector and teacher; Shetland
- Arthur Argo 1935 to 1981 Singer, collector and broadcaster; north east song
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© Bryan LedgardCC BY 2.0
Aly Bain
Fiddler; Shetland, Boys of the Lough
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© Gonzalo J. MazzeiCC BY-SA 4.0
Margaret Bennett
Folklorist, writer and singer
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© XIIIfromTOKYOCC BY-SA 4.0
Eric Bogle
Songwriter; And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
- Ronnie Browne Singer and songwriter; The Corries
C
- Alex Campbell Singer; the folk revival's Big Daddy
- Ian Campbell 1933 to 2012 Singer; the Ian Campbell Folk Group
- John Lorne Campbell 1906 to 1996 Gaelic scholar and field recordist; Canna
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© CaoimhinCC BY-SA 4.0
Kenna Campbell
Gaelic singer and teacher; Bannal
- Duncan Chisholm Fiddler and composer; Wolfstone, Affric
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© CaoimhinCC BY-SA 4.0
Arthur Cormack
Gaelic singer and broadcaster; Cliar
- Bobby Crowe 1933 to 2014 Accordionist and dance band leader; Fife
- Johnny Cunningham 1957 to 2003 Fiddler; Silly Wizard, Relativity
- Phil Cunningham Accordion player and composer; Silly Wizard
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© Bryan LedgardCC BY 2.0
Barbara Dickson
Singer and actress; Fife folk clubs to Blood Brothers
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© CBS TelevisionPublic Domain Mark
Donovan
Singer and songwriter; Catch the Wind, Sunshine Superman
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© Nick Bramhall from Aberdeen, UKCC BY-SA 2.0
Kris Drever
Singer, guitarist and songwriter; Lau
- Gordon Duncan 1964 to 2005 Highland piper and composer
- Jock Duncan 1925 to 2021 Bothy ballad singer; Aberdeenshire song
F
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© Cindy FunkCC BY 2.0
Archie Fisher
1939 to 2025
Singer, guitarist and songwriter; Travelling Folk
- Ray Fisher 1940 to 2011 Singer; Scots ballads and the Fisher family
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© Daniel FarrellCC BY-SA 2.0
Julie Fowlis
Gaelic singer and piper
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© Bill Bailey for Coldsnap FestivalCC BY 2.0
Alasdair Fraser
Fiddler and teacher; fiddle and cello with Natalie Haas
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© HalfabeetCC BY-SA 4.0
Iona Fyfe
Ballad singer; Scots and Doric
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© Markus Großmann (Ide)CC BY-SA 2.5
Dick Gaughan
Singer and guitarist; Five Hand Reel
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© KevinBreeCC BY-SA 4.0
Anne Lorne Gillies
Gaelic singer and scholar; Songs of Gaelic Scotland
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© Henry RaeburnPublic Domain Mark
Niel Gow
1727 to 1807
Fiddler and composer; Scottish dance music
- Angus R Grant 1967 to 2016 Fiddler; Shooglenifty
- Gavin Greig 1856 to 1914 Collector; the Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection
H
- Jim Halcrow 1934 to 2015 Accordionist; Shetland dance music
- Robin Hall 1936 to 1998 Singer; Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor
- Ian Hardie 1952 to 2012 Fiddler and composer; Jock Tamson's Bairns
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© Own workPublic Domain Mark
Hamish Henderson
1919 to 2002
Poet and collector; School of Scottish Studies
- Mike Heron Singer and songwriter; the Incredible String Band
- Lizzie Higgins 1929 to 1993 Traveller ballad singer; Aberdeen
- Tom Hughes 1907 to 1986 Fiddler and ploughman; the Borders style
- Alistair Hulett 1951 to 2010 Songwriter; Roaring Jack, Dance of the Underclass
I
- Hamish Imlach 1940 to 1996 Singer, guitarist and raconteur; Glasgow
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© Chris Barber from Dartford, EnglandCC BY-SA 2.0
Bert Jansch
1943 to 2011
Guitarist, singer and songwriter; Pentangle
- Peerie Willie Johnson 1920 to 2007 Guitarist; Shetland dance music
K
- Calum Kennedy 1928 to 2006 Gaelic singer; Mòd Gold Medallist
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© Bryan Ledgard from Yorkshire, UKCC BY 2.0
Mary Ann Kennedy
Gaelic singer, harpist and broadcaster
- Marjory Kennedy-Fraser 1857 to 1930 Collector and arranger; Songs of the Hebrides
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© Robin MortonCC BY-SA 3.0
Alison Kinnaird
Harper; the revival of the Scottish harp
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© Paisley ScotlandCC BY 2.0
Danny Kyle
1939 to 1998
Singer and entertainer; Danny Kyle Open Stage
L
- Rona Lightfoot Piper, Gaelic singer and storyteller
M
- Hector MacAndrew 1903 to 1980 Fiddler; the Gow tradition
- Ishbel MacAskill 1941 to 2011 Gaelic singer; the Gaelic diva
- Jimmy MacBeath 1894 to 1972 Bothy ballad singer
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© Seattle Folklore SocietyPublic Domain Mark
Ewan MacColl
1915 to 1989
Singer, songwriter and activist; Dirty Old Town, Radio Ballads
- Lauren MacColl Fiddler; RANT and Salt House
- Allan MacDonald Piper and piping scholar; Glenuig
- Calum MacDonald Percussionist and lyricist; Runrig
- Iain MacDonald Piper and flute player; Ossian and Battlefield Band
- Rory MacDonald Bassist and songwriter; Runrig
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© SylviaStanleyCC BY-SA 4.0
Bruce MacGregor
Fiddler and broadcaster; Blazin' Fiddles
- Jimmie Macgregor Singer and broadcaster; with Robin Hall
- Kathleen MacInnes Gaelic singer and actress
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© Abrach (talk) (Uploads)Public Domain Mark
Calum Maclean
1915 to 1960
Gaelic folklore collector; School of Scottish Studies
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© Palak DudaniCC BY-SA 4.0
Dougie MacLean
Singer and songwriter; Caledonia
- Bobby MacLeod 1925 to 1991 Accordionist and dance band leader; Tobermory
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© Paul Bonatti (Gaelic Arts)CC BY 2.0
Flora MacNeil
1928 to 2015
Gaelic traditional singer; Barra
- Catherine-Ann MacPhee Gaelic singer and actor
- Donald MacPherson 1922 to 2012 Highland piper; Oban and Inverness
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© PKimageCC BY 3.0
Michael Marra
1952 to 2012
Singer and songwriter; the bard of Lochee
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© TimDuncanCC BY 3.0
John Martyn
1948 to 2009
Singer, songwriter and guitarist; Solid Air
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© XIIIfromTOKYOCC BY-SA 3.0
Karen Matheson
Gaelic singer; Capercaillie
- Gordeanna McCulloch 1946 to 2019 Ballad singer; The Clutha
- Shelagh McDonald Singer and songwriter; Stargazer
- Matt McGinn 1928 to 1977 Songwriter; The Foreman O'Rourke
- Catriona McKay Harpist and composer; Fiddlers' Bid
- Ewan McLennan Singer and guitarist
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© Cindy Funk atCC BY 2.0
Brian McNeill
Fiddler, songwriter and novelist; Battlefield Band
- Siobhan Miller Singer; Scots songs
- Hamish Moore Piper and pipemaker; Scottish smallpipes revival
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© CarstorCC BY 4.0
Fred Morrison
Piper; Highland pipes, smallpipes and low whistle
N
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© Findlay NapierCC BY-SA 4.0
Findlay Napier
Singer and songwriter; Back of the Moon
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© Robbo-ManCC BY-SA 2.0
Rachel Newton
Harpist, singer and viola player; The Furrow Collective
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© PKimageCC BY-SA 3.0
Rab Noakes
1947 to 2022
Singer and songwriter; Stealers Wheel
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© Genevieve StevensonCC BY-SA 4.0
Aidan O’Rourke
Fiddler and composer; Lau
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© Karine_Polwart_at_Tribute_to_Alistair_Hulett.jpg: Candy Schwartz derivative work: Qwfp (talk)CC BY 2.0
Karine Polwart
Singer and songwriter; Faultlines, Malinky
- Ian Powrie 1923 to 2011 Fiddler and dance band leader
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© Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (taken by a photographer employed by the college in the course of his job)CC BY-SA 4.0
Christine Primrose
Gaelic singer; Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
R
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© Bryan LedgardCC BY 2.0
Eddi Reader
Singer; Fairground Attraction, the songs of Robert Burns
- Jean Redpath 1937 to 2014 Singer; Scots song and Robert Burns
- Alan Reid Keyboards and songwriter; Battlefield Band
- Jim Reid 1934 to 2009 Singer and songwriter; Foundry Bar Band
- Donald Riddell 1908 to 1992 Fiddler, fiddle maker and teacher; Kirkhill
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© JssfrkCC BY-SA 3.0
Alasdair Roberts
Singer and songwriter; traditional ballads
- Jeannie Robertson 1908 to 1975 Traveller ballad singer; Aberdeen
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© Ei aberdeenCC BY-SA 4.0
Stanley Robertson
1940 to 2009
Ballad singer and storyteller; Traveller tradition
S
- Willie Scott 1897 to 1989 Traditional singer; Border shepherd and crook maker
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© University of Salford Press OfficeCC BY 2.0
Peggy Seeger
Singer and songwriter; Radio Ballads, Gonna Be an Engineer
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© ArcaistCC BY-SA 4.0
Jimmy Shand
1908 to 2000
Accordionist and dance band leader; The Bluebell Polka
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© XIIIfromTOKYOCC BY-SA 3.0
Donald Shaw
Accordion and keyboards; Capercaillie, Celtic Connections
- Margaret Fay Shaw 1903 to 2004 Collector of Gaelic song and lore; South Uist
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© Colin SmithCC BY-SA 2.0
James Scott Skinner
1843 to 1927
Fiddler, composer and dancing master; the Strathspey King
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© JamiekiwiCC BY-SA 4.0
Emily Smith
Singer, pianist and accordion player
- Will Starr 1922 to 1976 Accordionist; Scottish dance music
- Davy Steele 1948 to 2001 Singer and songwriter; Ceolbeg, Clan Alba, Battlefield Band
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© VandonovanCC BY-SA 3.0
Al Stewart
Singer and songwriter; Year of the Cat
- Andy M. Stewart 1952 to 2015 Singer and songwriter; Silly Wizard
- Belle Stewart 1906 to 1997 Traveller singer and songwriter; Blairgowrie
- Davie Stewart 1901 to 1972 Traveller singer and accordion player
- Sheila Stewart 1937 to 2014 Traveller singer and storyteller; Perthshire
- Chris Stout Fiddler; Shetland
T
- Billy Thom 1937 to 2010 Dance band drummer
- Frances Tolmie 1840 to 1926 Collector of Gaelic song; Skye and the Western Isles
W
- John Watt 1933 to 2011 Songwriter and singer; Pittenweem Joe
- Sheena Wellington Singer; Burns songs and Scots traditional song
- Duncan Williamson 1928 to 2007 Traveller storyteller and singer; Argyll and Fife
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© Sam SaundersCC BY-SA 2.0
Robin Williamson
Singer, storyteller and harper; the Incredible String Band
- Roy Williamson 1936 to 1990 Singer and songwriter; the Corries, Flower of Scotland