Ross Macfadyen started his radio career in 1985 at the University of Strathclyde Student Union’s internal ‘StrathRadio’ service. This of course was instead of the BA in Business Studies he was supposed to be studying for! As is said, ‘what goes around – comes around’ and Ross finds himself back at the Livingstone Tower presenting and broadcasting on the ‘wireless’.
As for music, Ross has always liked “anything from Mozart to Motorhead” and is finding his time with Celtic Music Radio “musically mind-expanding.”
Always respectful of singer-songwriters, Ross’ favourite musicians include Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen (“two great American folk acts”).
Ross’ introduction to Celtic music came through acts such as Cara Dillon, Juliet Turner, Clannad, U2 and The Undertones.
On a trip to the Crannog Centre at Loch Tay a few years ago, Ross asked what the background music was they were playing. The answer was “Oh….that’ll be Dougie.” Ross thought the artist was a relative or friend, but it turned out to be Dunkeld’s Dougie MacLean who has also been a firm favourite ever since.
Ross joined Celtic Music Radio on the night of the Danny Kyle Open Stage Anniversary Concert on 19 July 2008.
He became known as ‘Mr OB’, arranging broadcasts from such venues as: Pitlochry Festival Theatre (The Red Hot Chilli Pipers), Cabaret Volitaire in Edinburgh (Juliet Turner and Yvonne Lyon), Strachur Memorial Hall (Bruce Molsky & Bellevue Rendezvous), Perthshire Amber Festival, The Lomond Folk Festival and the Northern Roots Festival at Bogbain Farm
Ross was nominated for a Radio Academy Production Award for his recording of Songwright’s Matt McGinn tribute night at East Kilbride Arts Centre, and recently won Music Director (Radio) of the Year Award at the Scottish New Music Awards 2011.
Ross presented the Saturday Sequence on Celtic Music Radio for two years and now presents Thank Folk It’s Friday from 8pm – 10pm, as well as producing the Album of the Week feature on Saturday. He also does “anything else that needs done” such as sales, marketing, fundraising and the odd bit of engineering and web design!
You can read Gavin Knight’s Obsidian Notes interview with Ross here.
If you would like to be considered for a session on Thank Folk It’s Friday, please send your CD and biog to:
Ross Macfadyen, Celtic Music Radio, Livingstone Tower, 26 Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XH
Email Ross Macfadyen: ross@celticmusicradio.net
