Indy Matters's video: Billy Kay Sangsters Episode 1

Billy Kay celebrates the pouer o Scots sang wi a wheen kenpeckle sangsters. In the furst programme Billy is jyned bi Robyn Stapleton fae Stranraer in Gallowa, John Morran fae the auld minin veillage o Muirkirk in Ayrshire, Iona Fyfe fae Huntly in Aiberdeenshire, Christy Scott fae Buckie on the Moray Firth an Steve Byrne fae Arbroath in Angus – sangsters fae aw the airts the wind can blaw….an whaur Scots is the mither tongue o maist fowk that bide there. Comin fae the hert o the Burns kintrae, Billy wis brocht up in a strang Scots tradeition, sae here he wantit tae explore the subjeck wi younger fowk tae see if the wey o talkin an singin ay tholed an thrived. John Morran is wi the baund Def Shepherd, but ower the years he’s been eidently makin his ain collection o sangs fae Muirkirk, an he’ll gie us ane or twa braw anes here. Iona Fyfe an Christy Scott were baith studyin Scots music at the Royal Conservatoire in Glesga whaur they realised hou important their Doric backgrund wis tae thaim in valuin the sangs o the North East. Iona wis brocht up gaein tae festivals organised bi the TMSA an we’ll hear her versions o ane o the muckle sangs – Glenlogie. Wi her bonnie Gallowa Irish twang, Robyn Stapleton haes ane o the brawest speakin an singin veices in Scotland an Billy explores Gallowa’s sang tradeition wi her. Finally Billy spiers at Steve Byrne, sangster wi the baund Malinky whit it wis that got him yokit tae Scots sang an jalouses that it wis his discovery o the weemen poets o Angus – Helen B Cruikshank, Marion Angus an Violet Jacob that got him thirled tae the leid an the sangs. We end wi Steve an ane o the brawest Scots sangs o aw time – The Wild Geese wi words bi Violet Jacob and tune bi the late Jim Reid o Dundee. Originally aired on BBC Radio Scotland, Dec 2018. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001pvw