Listen to our feature programme, with Patsy talking to Ross Macfadyen from 12 noon and 12 midnight on Saturday and from 6pm on Monday 6th February.

Patsy Matheson has come a long way since 1991, when, as a young singer/songwriter, she entered a song writing competition, and was chosen as the winner by none other than Maddy Prior and Clive Gregson .

Her first solo album, ‘With My Boots On’, 1996 featured just her voice and that instantly recognisable guitar and received much critical acclaim (Froots described ‘an angel voice’) Along the way, she supported such names as John Martyn , Glenn Tilbrook , Dick Gaughan , Nick Harper , Al Stewart , Roy Harper etc and toured the UK alongside Christy Moore as well as Gordon Giltrap. In 1997, she appearanced solo on the acoustic stage at the Glastonbury Festival.

In 2003, she took on the challenge of putting together a female vocal harmony group and Waking the Witch was formed. The band rapidly went from strength to strength, releasing three groundbreaking albums and a live DVD. They completed numerous tours of the UK, played at many of the major festivals, including Cambridge, Trowbridge and Glastonbury and made countless radio appearances, including live sessions on BBC Radio 2 for both Janice Long and Bob Harris . Patsy’s song ‘Rock n Roll’ was featured on Mike Harding’s Radio 2 Folk & Roots show.

Following the farewell tour of Waking the Witch in spring 2008, and armed with a bunch of brand new songs, Patsy set about recording a solo album, ‘Little Piece of England’ . Over the last 3 years, she has toured the length and breadth of the UK, ccompanied by legendary songwriter/guitar player, Clive Gregson and also can be heard singing on his latest album ‘Bittersweet’ (Spring 2011).

In May 2011, she contributed her version of Bob Dylan’s ‘One More Cup of Coffee’, as part of an album of Dylan songs which also features Martin Simpson , Chris & Kelly While , Christine Collister, Jez Lowe, Dave Burland etc, to raise funds for Oxfam. Froots described ‘a unique, almost spaced but addictive rendering – she gets right inside the song and turns it into a blues for sensitive souls with a vocal that’s half spoken and half seduction.’

Her new album, Stories of Angels & Guitars features her playing guitar and mandolin, with guest musicians Hugh Whittaker ( The Housemartins ) on drums and Jon Short (double bass). Along with Becky Mills, another ex member of Waking the Witch, she will be touring throughout the UK in February, March and April to support the release.

Buy a copy of Patsy Matheson’s Stories of Angels & Guitars from Amazon and support Celtic Music Radio.

On Sunday 5 February, Mary has special guests in studio 1 the band Chasin Hooley who state that they are ‘the ultimate Irish folk music band’ from Co. Tyrone, Ireland.  They are playing tonight at the Grand Ole Opry, Paisley Road Toll, Tradeston, Glasgow.

Tonight’s programme is subject to delay with the finale of the Danny Kyle Open Stage live from the Concert Hall.

Contact Mary at: studio@celticmusicradio.net or text 07588 15 1530 or visit the Mary K Burke Show Facebook page.

Mary K Burke Show, Sunday 5 February 7.00-9.00pm.

Fèis Rois, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2011, has taught thousands of budding singers and instrumentalists at its weekly classes and residential courses around the Highlands, while Comhaltas which turned 60 the same year, continues to foster the close cultural links between Scotland and Ireland through its branches in the Central Belt.

Many of today’s top Scottish musicians were schooled and inspired by one or the other: spot their successors on this prodigiously talented bill.

Fèis Rois and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann at Celtic Connections 2012, Wednesday 1 February 8.00-10.00pm.

Phil is on tour of Scotland at the moment.  Tonight, Sunday 29 January he is appearing at The Brisbane Centre, Largs, Ayrshire and he is in Ullapool, Wester Ross at the Argyll Hotel on Tuesday 31 January.

Mary K Burke Show, Sunday 29 January 7.00-9.00pm.

Phil Lee writes

If you do, why not show your support?

You could do this by either making a donation or leaving a comment on our Petition Site.

Celtic Music Radio is a charity registered in Scotland, run entirely by unpaid volunteers.

We rely on your kindness to keep the station on air.

If you donate during Celtic Connections, we’ll add your name to our prize draw for a bundle of over 40 CDs!

Many thanks in anticipation!

Celtic Music Radio has the best playlist of any folk music station that I know of. The mix of contemporary and traditional Celtic and Celtic-infludenced genres has clearly been selected by knowlegeable curators with excellent taste. This exemplary quality is not available in any mainstream media, Celtic music may not be commercially lucrative for the mainstream, but is nevertheless culturally very important.

Charles Frink, Netherlands

You can view a selection of Gordon’s “snaps” via our flickr pages. Just Click here!

Listen to our feature Album of the Week programme with Ciaran Dorris on Saturday 28th January from 12 noon and 12 midnight.

Tom says: “These two CDs have been almost four years in the making and there are lots of people to whom I owe a big debt of thanks for having helped, encouraged or inspired their creation and a significant amount of people participated in their production as well. I really am very proud of them and I would hope that you would all enjoy listening to them.”

“I attempt to write lyrical, melodic and intelligent songs and try to make the best use of my guitar skills to provide sensitive uncluttered arrangements. I often gig as a part of The Travelling Waverlies, who perform a mixture of poetry and song and who released their first cd Speaking In Tongues to really good reviews.

The Waverlies compromise four poets…Bob Shields, Billy Cornwall, Mike Dillon and myself although the group has grown to be more inclusive and performers such as Mark Barnett, Martin Boland, Nancy Somerville, Jane Fairnie and Kenny Vass have all contributed. We have toured the Netherlands and performed at various festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe.

I often collaborate with Bob and we are steadily building up a catalogue of songs. Our joint efforts feature on birthmarked, Speaking In Tongues, The Harbour At Symi, Companions, War On War, The Journeyman and As Eden Lay In Darkness.

My style cuts across folk, country and blues but I simply try to write the best songs that I can. On my last CD, The Journeyman, I was lucky to have the support and help of singers and players like Kathy Stewart, Arthur Wilson, Kenny Vass, Martin Boland, Ken Kennedy, Killian Playthell-Steele, Gill Reid, Pamela Halpin, Peter Kavanagh, Mark Barnett, Jane Fairnie and others.”

Tom also organises the Foakies, which  is an evening devoted to singer songwriters and poets performing their own original songs and writing. It takes place on the first Monday of every month (except August and January) in the downstairs lounge of The Royal Oak at 1 Infirmary Street in Edinburgh. Entry is just £5 entry.

“It has, at times, been absolutely magical and it has never been less than a great evening,” says Tom. “We’ve had a wealth of talent at Foakies and, after a couple of years out, we are back with the help of fellow songwriter, Simon Kempston.”

You can purchase Banishment & As Eden Lay in Darkness from Tom Fairnie by clicking this link.

Each CD is just £10, or buy both for £15!

There is also a link on the front page to the right which states Listen Again.

This section also includes interviews with many the performers taking part in the Danny Kyle Open Stages which gives you further information and an insight to the performers.

Celtic Music Radio acknowledges support from Broadcasting Masters journalism students at the University of the West of Scotland, Hamilton Campus for providing this valuable service to listeners.

The Danny Kyle Open Stage kicked off on Friday 20 January 2012 with two of the 2011 Finalists – Iona Marshall and Rura plus a guest appearance of Danny Coupar who was a long time friend of Danny Kyle’s and a staunch supporter of traditional music.

The other three could not perform on the day due to exams and other commitments, but we look forward to hearing them in their support gigs and at future events.

Any information required in regards to the Danny Kyle Open Stage should be made directly to Liz Clark at: dkos.info@yahoo.com Have a great festival!

Iona Marshall

Support Gig- The Big Dish Saturday 21 January at O2 ABC.

Iona Marshall is a singer-songwriter based in Glasgow, becoming recognised there for her original live fusing melodic folk with experimental synth parts, delicate harmonies, found samples and acoustic guitar hooks. Her beautiful songs are Celtic tinged and her solo performances are heartfelt and enigmatic. She sings about landscape, love, travel, spirituality and whatever sounds come out in a stream of consciousness. Mike Scott of The Waterboys says: “Iona Marshall sings and her crystal, angelic voice creates an immediate sense of connection to something mystical, other-worldly. One could easily be washed away by the lush, spell-binding sound. Iona’s ethereal qualities are clear – a strong connection to the spiritual west coast island of Iona. Her unique song-craft has been honed over many years, blending life-long influences with modern interpretations and experimentation, exploring her passions, emotions and philosophies through sublime, haunting sound-scapes.

Rura

Support Gig –Orchestra Baobab – Saturday 28 January – The Old Fruitmarket

Steven Blake (pipes, whistles)
Jack Smedley (fiddle)
Adam Holmes (guitar, vocals)New addition in 2011!
David Foley (bodhran, flute)
Chris Waite (guitars)

Rura consists of now five stunning Scottish Musicians, several of whom have been BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional  Musicians of the Year as well as going on the prestigious Traditional Music & Song Association of Scotland (TMSA) Young Trad Tour.  Rue have had an extremely  busy year from Stapfest to Hebridean Music Festival and Piping Live to name but a few!  Joining them since ther award is Adam Holmes bringing the voice to enhance the group even further. There debut album from Greentrax will be with you soon.

Tensheds

Support Gig – Paul Kelly Wednesday 1 February at Oran Mor

Tensheds is the piano bashing, guitar swinging, husky voiced hobo. An individual with a chameleon like personality. An artist who won’t conform to a stereotype but who lives his life in a time old tradition. A free spirit with humble charm with stunning songs and musicianship.

“For the past few years Tensheds has dedicated himself to his craft, even to the extent of living on the road in his campervan. And now, his hard working earnestness is now paying off. He won the Performing Rights Society UK Unsigned Award in 2008, the Northern Trax Making It Big Award in 2009, a Celtic Connections Danny Award in Jan 2011, Pure Rawk Best Blues Track Of The Year, and even found time to set the World Record for the Most Gigs Performed in 24 Hours – performing 8 shows in 8 different cities. Supporting the likes of Hazel O’Connor, 2011 tour”

Yuptae

Support Gig – The Allan Kelly Gang – Friday 4 February at Oran Mor

Members:
Liam Campbell (guitar)
Roisin Anne Hughes (button accordion)
Roisin McArdle (piano )
Colette Hunter (banjo)
Patricia McArdle (flute)
Matthew Turner (drums)
Daniel Hunter (fiddle)
Siobhan McArdle (fiddle)

Yuptae are a young band hailing from the vibrant music scene in Glasgow’s South Side. Coming through the ranks of St Rocks Ceilidh Band giving them the strong sense where their music has come from and where they taking it too with innovative arrangements of traditions, contemporary and self penned tunes.

Mostly coming from musical families they in turn become the tutors for the youngsters coming behind ensuring that the Irish/Scottish traditions in music are kept alive and kicking!  Playing at local gigs and sessions over the last few years, they have built up a firm following of fans and are looking to expand this with future recordings and gigs further afield and played at various festivals throughout Scotland and Ireland in 2011 and are hoping to expand on this in 2012.

Broken Strings

Support Gig – Four Men & A Dog – Thursday 2 February Old Fruitmarket

Magnus Bichan  (Fiddle/Banjo/Border Pipes)
Guille Lopez (Cajon)
Graham Low ( Fiddle)
Aidan Moodie (Guitar)
Chloe Peace (Fiddle)
Graham Rorie (Fiddle/Mandolin)
Robbie Stevenson ( Accordion)
Broken Strings first played together in February 2009 with just five members. (from Kirkwall Academy)Under the tutorage of Douglas Montgomery.

They played at the Orkney Folk Festival Open Stage where they were pronounced the winners in May 2010 which in turn brought them to The Danny Kyle Open Stage in January 2011 and became one of the six final award winners!

Since then they have been building on their success with numerous appearances at local concerts and fund raisers in Orkney as well as coming down to Edinburgh to perform at The Fiddle Festival in November.

On 10 December 2011 they launched their new CD ‘Halda’ in Kirkwall, Orkney and was greeted with much acclaim and was the BBC Radio nan Gael album of the week.

The JPTrio

Support Gig – Sligo Sessions – Wednesday 25 January – St Andrews in The Square

Jos Kelly (Button Accordion and Piano)
Paddy Hazleton (Percussion)
Ted Kelly (Banjo and Tenor Guitar)
Niamh Farrell (Vocals)

Sligo based group The JP Trio was described by Martin O’Connor as ‘the new cutting edge of fused traditional music’, the JPTrio are an inventive and fresh new trio. All three musicians are founding members of Spraoi. Heavily influenced by jazz along with Irish music, the group is unique and exciting, fusing both genres and creating a brand new sound”.

Recently winning a Danny Kyle award at Celtic Connections and getting a few Scots on there feet the wonderfully entertaining JPTrio will have the audience swinging!

Joining the band last year in time for the Stonehaven Folk Festival with her stunning voice is Niamh Farrell.

Danny Kyle Open Stage, every day 5.00-7.00pm live on Celtic Music Radio.

Have Mercy Las Vagas are Crispin McAlpine, Eilidh Trotter, Stephen Scott, Marc Mclean and Phil Plunkett who play a mix of folk and blues.  Learn more tonight from 7.00pm.

Mary K. Burke Show, Sunday 22 January 7.00-9.00pm. Please note, subject to delay due to the Danny Open Stage live broadcast from the Concert Hall.