The name Dougie MacLean should need no introduction, he’s a Scottish living legend after all, so what better news than that he has a new album on the way to mark his 40th anniversary as a musician.
Till Tomorrow will be released on Linn Records on 23rd June 2014 on which Dougie collaborates with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. To mark the occasion he will perform the album with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 7th June 2014.
As a singer, songwriter, composer and instrumentalist, no artist captures the soul of Scotland with more authenticity or emotion than Dougie MacLean. Originally famed for writing the song Caledonia, Dougie has teamed up with conductor John Logan and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to bring a new and beautiful symphonic dimension to his best-loved songs on his debut recording with Linn Records.
“2014 marks the 40th anniversary of my career as a musician so to have the privilege of working with such a talented collection of musicians is a dream come true. To play my songs with the beauty and power of the Royal National Symphony Orchestra behind me is an incredible experience and truly makes me feel like I am lifting off the stage!” says Dougie.
The idea originally came to Dougie in 2011, the year he was awarded his OBE, and with 2014 being his 40th anniversary as professional writer, composer and musician, this year seemed the ideal time to set about such a retrospective. Working with close collaborator and orchestrator John Logan “Till Tomorrow” does just this. “The orchestral arrangements add a whole new dimension to the music, which spans my whole career. Till Tomorrow was one of the very first songs that I penned when I was 15 or 16 – if anyone had said I’d be performing that song in front of a symphony orchestra at that tender age I’d have said don’t be silly. I can’t wait for the concert on 7th June.”
The hand-picked selection includes Heiland Harry, Ca’ the Yowes, Green Grow the Rashes, This Love Will Carry, Till Tomorrow and of course, his enduringly popular love song to Scotland, Caledonia. Since he wrote Caledonia in 1977 it has become something of an unofficial Scots national anthem; it topped the Scottish charts and has been covered by artists as diverse as Paolo Nutini, Amy Macdonald and Ronan Keating. His music has been used in Hollywood films, most famously the track The Gael was used in the multi-oscar winning ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. He has also been the subject of three BBC TV specials. Dougie was BBC Radio 2’s Folk Artist of the Year in 2013.
Of the concert at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 7th June Dougie says: “I can’t wait to perform with the RSNO again. Coming from the folk tradition I always thought classical musicians might be a bit straitlaced and stuffy, but the RSNO are the most friendly and welcoming bunch of musicians I’ve had the pleasure to work with. It’s going to be a very special evening indeed.”
Well I need to exit on a song so here’s one from one of my favourite albums Cragie Dhu: