About Me

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Isle of Canna, Scottish Highlands, Highlands, United Kingdom
I am a Gaelic singer living in the Highlands.I have produced 4 CDs - the most recent being "Archipelago- Songs of the Scottish Islands in Scots 7 gaelic""released on the Greentrax label. The other Cds are " A Good Suit of Clothes- emigrant Songs" "Duan Nollaig" - a unique Gaelic Christmas double CD( also on Greentrax, 2007) and "Orain nan Rosach" ( 2006). Since May 2015, I have been lucky enough to be working as the Canna House archivist on the Isle of canna, for the Nationl Trust for Scotland, looking after the incredible folklore archives fo John Lorne and Margaret Campbell.I look forward to keeping you up to date with my music, gigs, news www.fionamackenzie.org Tapadh leibhs! Thank you!

Monday 26 November 2012

Gaelic Song, Kilmarnock Edition and lots more!



Gaelic Song Update- I've been away for a while but decided I should really get back to Blogging and tell you what I've been up to recently!

2012 has been a busy year for me, musicwise. I've not only recorded a new solo album 'Archipelago', again on Greentrax Recordings but I've just released a new album with the band "Kilmarnock Edition" too. "Archipelago" is a unique recording of Songs of the Scottish Islands sung in Scots & Gaelic and visits some of the less well known islands of the Scottish coastline. The cover image is of St Kilda , or Hiort, in Gaelic. 

 I even get the chance to sing in the ancient Northern Isles tongue of Norn. It was a fascinating project to work on and one with which I learned a lot. It was produced by David Lyon of Greenock, an amazingly talented and conscientious musician and producer. He is the husband of Yvonne Lyon , who also sings with Kilmarnock Edition.

I was delighted to be nominated in the Gaelic Singer of the Year category at the Scots Trad Music Awards this year- a tremendous honour, particularly given the talent amongst the other singers in the category. The results will be announced at the glittering ceremony in Fort William on December 8th this year. The whole event is a fantastic celebration of the good things that go on inthe world of Scottish Traditional Music throughout the year.

Kilmarnock Edition goes from strength to strength and we celebrated the launch of our album 'Pay It Forward' on Friday Nov 23 at the Scottish Music Centre in Glasgow. We now look forward to our Celtic Connections debut in January in Glasgow . Hope to see you there!




In the meantime I will be busy working on my Mackay Country Song Residency, which looks at the history and effect of social migration within Sutherland. My residency is entitled "Dachaidh" or "Home" and examines what 2Home" means to different people.

Delighted if you like to leave any comments of questions here abut anything I have written about.