Latest news with #CelticMusic
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Musicians back Scottish folk legend's new bid to own his life's work
Dick Gaughan, born in Glasgow and raised in Leith, has been hailed as one of Scotland's leading folk singer-songwriters with a career that spanned more than four decades. Gaughan received a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2's Folk Awards ceremony in 2010 and was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame a year prior, before a stroke forced him into retirement in 2016. READ MORE: Council respond to concerns over missing alpacas at Glasgow Children's Farm READ MORE: This is the plan for this iconic Glasgow city centre building Despite this long-standing success, Gaughan's music is largely unavailable for purchase or streaming as the rights are currently held by an entity called Celtic Music. As a result, a number of acclaimed Scottish folk musicians have backed a crowdfunding campaign to help the singer-songwriter with legal fees as he attempts to win back the rights to his music. A GoFundMe was set up last week by Colin Harper, a music historian and record label consultant on archive releases and box sets, and has already secured more than £22,000 in donations at the time of writing. In a video discussing the campaign, Harper said: 'This is a crowdfunding appeal to raise legal fees to test Celtic Music's claims to the rights of seven Dick Gaughan albums, solo and collaborative, spanning 1972 to 1995. 'It's not a witch-hunt of personalities living or dead. It's simply a matter of applying the law and, we hope, bringing the music back home to the man who made it and then sharing it far and wide.' Earlier this year, Harper ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to create an eight-disk box set of a "lost" era of Gaughan's music, which is set to be released next January. The cover of the forthcoming box set, R/evolution (Image: Dave Peabody)Gaughan, who is now legally blind, collaborated with Harper on the project. Speaking to the Scotsman, Harper said: 'I found myself thinking about this late last year. "It felt alarming – upsetting, in fact – that such an incredible artist who had seemed to be a powerful, righteous, invincible performer when I saw him at concerts in the '80s and '90s had faded almost completely from view. I had to do something about it.' Celtic Music, which does not exist on Companies House, was founded by Dave Bulmer and his brother-in-law, Nick Sharpley, and operated as a record label from 1972. Its last release was in 2007. Bulmer passed away in 2013, with Sharpley left in charge of Celtic Music and its related companies. Several Scottish folk musicians have backed the initiative, including Kathryn Tickell, Patsy Seddon of super-group Clan Alba and renowned fiddler Aly Bain. Speaking to The National, Bain – who has been friends with and worked alongside Gaughan since the early seventies – explained why he has backed the campaign. 'It's not even about my friendship with Dick – it's just wrong what has been done with these recordings', he said. 'These recordings should never be kept away. They should be out there, and Dick should be able to sell them. 'I just think it's one of these legal things that we have to get sorted out, because it's just not right that all these songs of his are just kept in mothballs. Nobody can hear them. 'If anything, Dick has become even more appreciated in his old age, so it's important that he's able to produce these things and put them on the market again because they're great songs.' Gaughan hopes the campaign will help other artists of his generation, who have "felt their own legacies to have been affected by a record label's claimed ownership of their works". Tickell told The National: 'Dick Gaughan is one of the absolute greats of the folk music world. I grew up listening to his music and it's impossible to overstate just how influential and inspirational he is. 'This crowdfunder is for legal fees to enable him to fight to retrieve several iconic recordings. 'We hope that the end result will bring some much-needed income, since Dick is no longer able to perform due to disability, as well as making these recordings more accessible for people to enjoy.' Organisers say any extra funds left over from the campaign will be donated to charity Help Musicians, which aims to help artists at all levels during "times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity". The GoFundMe for Gaughan's legal fees is still active and those wishing to do so can donate here. Neil Sharpley was approached for comment.
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Musicians back folk legend's new bid to own his life's work
Dick Gaughan, born in Glasgow and raised in Leith, has been hailed as one of Scotland's leading folk singer-songwriters with a career that spanned more than four decades. Gaughan received a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2's Folk Awards ceremony in 2010 and was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame a year prior, before a stroke forced him into retirement in 2016. READ MORE: Canadian duo to bring twist on trad music to Speyfest Despite this long-standing success, Gaughan's music is largely unavailable for purchase or streaming as the rights are currently held by an entity called Celtic Music. As a result, a number of acclaimed Scottish folk musicians have backed a crowdfunding campaign to help the singer-songwriter with legal fees as he attempts to win back the rights to his music. A GoFundMe was set up last week by Colin Harper, a music historian and record label consultant on archive releases and box sets, and has already acquired more than £22,000 in donations at the time of writing. In a video discussing the campaign, Harper said: 'This is a crowdfunding appeal to raise legal fees to test Celtic Music's claims to the rights of seven Dick Gaughan albums, solo and collaborative, spanning 1972 to 1995. 'It's not a witch-hunt of personalities living or dead. It's simply a matter of applying the law and, we hope, bringing the music back home to the man who made it and then sharing it far and wide.' Earlier this year, Harper ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to create an eight-disk box set of a "lost" era of Gaughan's music, which is set to be released next January. The cover of the forthcoming box set, R/evolution (Image: Dave Peabody)Gaughan, who is now legally blind, collaborated with Harper on the project. Speaking to the Scotsman, Harper said: 'I found myself thinking about this late last year. "It felt alarming – upsetting, in fact – that such an incredible artist who had seemed to be a powerful, righteous, invincible performer when I saw him at concerts in the '80s and '90s had faded almost completely from view. I had to do something about it.' READ MORE: Fund set up in honour of young Scottish DJ reaches £15k in just two months Celtic Music, which does not exist on Companies House, was founded by Dave Bulmer and his brother-in-law, Nick Sharpley, and operated as a record label from 1972. Its last release was in 2007. Bulmer passed away in 2013, with Sharpley left in charge of Celtic Music and its related companies. Several Scottish folk musicians have backed the initiative, including Kathryn Tickell, Patsy Seddon of super-group Clan Alba and renowned fiddler Aly Bain. Speaking to The National, Bain – who has been friends with and worked alongside Gaughan since the early seventies – explained why he has backed the campaign. 'It's not even about my friendship with Dick – it's just wrong what has been done with these recordings', he said. 'These recordings should never be kept away. They should be out there, and Dick should be able to sell them. 'I just think it's one of these legal things that we have to get sorted out, because it's just not right that all these songs of his are just kept in mothballs. Nobody can hear them. 'If anything, Dick has become even more appreciated in his old age, so it's important that he's able to produce these things and put them on the market again because they're great songs.' Gaughan hopes the campaign will help other artists of his generation, who have "felt their own legacies to have been affected by a record label's claimed ownership of their works". READ MORE: 'I'll be busy washing my hair', Stephen Flynn said of upcoming Trump visit Tickell told The National: 'Dick Gaughan is one of the absolute greats of the folk music world. I grew up listening to his music and it's impossible to overstate just how influential and inspirational he is. 'This crowdfunder is for legal fees to enable him to fight to retrieve several iconic recordings. 'We hope that the end result will bring some much-needed income, since Dick is no longer able to perform due to disability, as well as making these recordings more accessible for people to enjoy.' Organisers say any extra funds left over from the campaign will be donated to charity Help Musicians, which aims to help artists at all levels during "times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity". The GoFundMe for Gaughan's legal fees is still active and those wishing to do so can donate here. Neil Sharpley was approached for comment.
CBS News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Weekend To Do List: Fourth of July celebrations around Greater Boston
It's the Fourth of July Weekend and there's lots of celebrations in Greater Boston! Quincy 400 Maritime Festival Quincy has its 400 Maritime Festival all weekend long at Marina Bay, celebrating the city's 400th anniversary. Enjoy live entertainment, boat displays, sand sculptures, food, fire performers, face painting and more. Shop at Marina Bay and stroll the boardwalk for the perfect Fourth of July Weekend. The summer amusement kicks off Friday and lasts through Sunday. When: Friday, July 4 from 2 p.m. 9 p.m.; Saturday, July 5 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, July 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Marina Bay Boardwalk, 305 Victory Rd., Quincy Cost: Items available for purchase Click here for more information Kids Eat Free at Rail Trail Flatbread Co. in Milford and Hudson Celebrate the fourth with some free food for he kids from Sunday to Sunday in Milford and Hudson. Rail Trail Flatbread Co. is treating the little ones to free meals so the entire family can have some fun this fourth. The tasty deal is on site only! When: Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6 from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Where: 223 Main St., Milford and 33 Main St., Hudson Cost: Free for kids 12 and under Click here for more information Summer Boston Celtic Music Festival The Summer Boston Celtic Music Festival celebrates Greater Boston's rich Irish and Celtic music traditions with local musicians at Harvard Square. With both free and ticketed performances, it's a beloved annual tradition that kicks off inside Club Passim on Sunday at 2 p.m. When: Sunday, July 6 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Cambridge Cost: Free and ticketed performances Click here for more information and to get tickets
CTV News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Toe-tapping good time: Cape Breton's KitchenFest! Celebrates Gaelic culture
There were tunes and tapping toes on Monday during a lunchtime ceilidh at the Gaelic College in St. Anne's Bay, N.S., as part of the twelfth annual KitchFest! 'We've come here every year for ten years for the Celtic Colours,' said Jean-Louis Bergeron, who was visiting from Sherbrooke, Que. While Bergeron is a veteran of the well-known Celtic Colours International Festival held every October, this is his first time coming to Cape Breton to experience KitchenFest! – a nine-day event to kick off summer with shows all over the Island. 'The people are very friendly,' said Bergeron. 'The scenery is beautiful and the music is great, so what else can you ask for?' Nova Scotia's former premier Rodney MacDonald is now the CEO of the Gaelic College and heads up KitchenFest! 'There are over 80 shows around Cape Breton Island,' said MacDonald. MacDonald says tourists from all over come to check out the shows. Proof of that could be found in the parking lot Monday, as license plates from all over the U.S. Eastern Seaboard were on display. Proceeds from the festival go into the programs offered at the Gaelic College. 'Any dollars raised through the festival go towards our programs to teach youth, whether it's language, music, dance or craft,' said MacDonald. 'And that's important – it's part of our mandate.' Shirley Hefferon and Ian MacDonald came to Monday's concert from nearby Baddeck, N.S. They said the festival was worth checking out as locals because of its relaxed pace. 'It was great. Good meal, too', Hefferon said. 'We enjoy it, we'll be back,' Ian Macdonald added. 'They're doing a pub night here on Thursday – we'll do that one.' Organizers say more than 90 per cent of performers at KitchenFest! are from Cape Breton and eastern Nova Scotia. 'We're wrapping up on Saturday,' MacDonald said. 'There's a lot of different shows that day. In particular, the Glendale Outdoor Concert. It's a longstanding concert, and I encourage people to check it out.' For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘I didn't know I wanted to be the bagpipe girl, but here I am': P.E.I.'s Alli Walker reinvents country music
You can take the girl out of the Maritimes, but you can't take the Maritimes out of the girl — just ask Prince Edward Island's Ali Walker. The rising country artist, now based in Nashville, is leaning into what makes her different: a love of traditional Celtic music and a set of electric bagpipes. 'I honestly really fell in love with bagpiping because there's the College of Piping in Summerside, and my mom happened to work there,' said Walker in an interview with CTV's Katie Kelly. 'So I was kind of surrounded by it.' That early connection to her roots would end up shaping her future. A few years ago, she worked the pipes into a tune called Whiskey's Gone — the song that became her most popular. 'I didn't know I wanted to be the bagpipe girl,' said Walker. 'But here I am — the bagpipe country music girl. And I love it because it's so fun and so different.' That difference helped her land a dream moment: performing alongside her childhood idol, Shania Twain in St. John's last year at the Churchill Park Music Festival. 'I recorded a video of me playing my electric bagpipes to Any Man of Mine, and my manager sent it to her team,' said Walker. 'Shania loved it… and they were like, 'Yeah, she wants you to come on stage.' It was in front of tens of thousands of people.' That viral moment capped off a breakout year for the singer-songwriter, who relocated to Nashville from Toronto 12 months ago and quickly built a team that now includes a record label, publishing deal, and agents. 'The team has grown exponentially, which is crazy and exciting,' said Walker. 'But also difficult to handle all in one year.' Still, she's managed to stay creative. Her latest single, I Saw the Devil, continues her genre-blending streak — fusing rock, country, and of course, the bagpipes. 'It's honestly everything I've been wanting to move towards,' said Walker. 'A little bit more rock, a little bit of country, and a little bit of bagpipes.' Now touring across Canada, the U.S., Europe, the U.K., and Australia, Walker brings a little piece of home with her wherever she goes. 'I'm so proud to be from the Maritimes,' said Walker. 'So to have everyone's support is incredible.' For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
