MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016: SKERRYVORE

Congratulations to SKERRYVORE who have been nominated in Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2016. Vote now!

We asked Daniel Gillespie of SKERRYVORE the following questions.

Tell us about yourself
Back on the remote Scottish island of Tiree in 2005, the raw but contemporary trad quartet that formed Skerryvore could have only dreamed that over the next decade they would become a multi-award winning act that was performing in over 25 countries from Chicago to Shanghai.

From those traditional roots the band have developed both in size and sound to create a unique fusion of their traditional music and songs with the urban sounds of rock, pop and funk. The band’s ability to fuse traditional Scottish music and rhythms with a range of other genres is a trademark of their distinctive, high energy sound.

Why are you involved in Scottish music?
The traditional foundations of Skerryvore began on the island of Tiree where brothers Martin and Daniel Gillespie were raised and taught accordion and bagpipes alongside band members of other successful acts Skipinnish, Trail West and Gunna Sound.

The journey from those traditional routes has been a fantastic one in a movement where traditional music has exploded with new and exciting talent that makes it such a great time to be involved in Scottish music.

Any particular career highlights?
Performing in Central Park NYC will always be a highlight as was our 7 week tour of the USA this year. However, our 10th anniversary concert 'Decade' has to be our key highlight as a band. Having 6,000 people travel from all over the world to Oban to celebrate with us will be a gig that we never forget.

What are your plans for the future?
We have just signed with SRO Artists who will now represent us in North America & Canada so we look forward to building on our fanbase and network there after a fantastic tour this year.

Also central to our plans is the development of our own music event, Oban Live – this was create as a direct result of the huge success of our 10th anniversary event 'Decade'

If you would like to come along to the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in Dundee’s Caird Hall call the Caird Hall box office on (01382) 434940 or buy online.