Charlie Kirkpatrick is a renowned Scottish accordionist who has been immersed in traditional music his entire life. Growing up on the island of Iona in the 1950s, Kirkpatrick was inspired by Scottish dance music programs on the radio. At age 12, he got his first accordion and soon started performing with friends at school dances. Early influences included accordion legends Jimmy Shand, Bobby MacLeod, Ian Powrie and Jim Cameron.
After moving to Glasgow, Kirkpatrick became enamored with the accordion and fiddle club scene. His greatest hero was the late Fraser McGlynn. For over 50 years, Kirkpatrick has played his trademark black Italian-made Shand Morino accordion, known affectionately among friends as “Black Magic.”
In 1982, Kirkpatrick’s band passed an audition to perform on Radio Scotland’s “Take the Floor” dance music program. They have remained regular guests on the show for 40 years now. Over his prolific career, Kirkpatrick collaborated with many top musicians, including the late Derek Hamilton, an extremely talented multi instrumentalist who played in his band who played in his band for nearly 50 years.
Kirkpatrick is immensely proud to have been made Guest of Honour at the National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs’ annual Celebrity Lunch in 2012. Another highlight was being invited to open the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival in 2019. But his greatest joy comes from seeing audiences smile and having fun at dances and ceilidhs.
Though he has achieved great success, Kirkpatrick remains humble and dedicated to entertaining people and promoting Scottish traditional music. His ability to connect with audiences is as important as his technical skill. Charlie continues giving back by organising events for the accordion and fiddle club community that launched his storied career.