Maggie MacInnes

Maggie MacInnes sings and plays the clarsach. She was born in Glasgow and now lives in Ayrshire.She comes from a long line of Gaelic singers from the small island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and learns most of her songs from her mother the highly acclaimed traditional singer, Flora MacNeil M.B.E.

Maggie has been involved in various groups over the years such as Ossian, Fuaim and Eclipse First and has travelled widely with her music touring in many parts of Europe, U.S.A. and Canada. She also appears frequently on Radio and Television and has made various recordings over the years.

Autumn 1998 saw the release of Maggie's first solo C.D. "Eilean Mara" on Dunkeld Records(DUNCD022) which was co-produced by Dougie MacLean and received great critical acclaim. On1st May 2001,Maggie released her second solo C.D. which is called "Spiorad Beatha"("The Spirit of Life") on her own new label "Marram Music", which features some of Scotland's finest musicians such as Charlie McKerron (of Capercaillie) , Brian McAlpine (formerly of Iron Horse), Sean O'Rourke( formerly of JSD Band) , Marie Fielding, Paul Jennings, and Keith Easdale along with her mother, Flora, on backing vocals.

In 2001 Maggie performed regularly at various festivals at home, in Ireland and in Italy as well as being invited to Russia for the 1st International Festival of Celtic Music and Dance of Moscow where she was accompanied by the flute and saxophone player, Sean O'Rourke and the percussion player, Frank MacGuire.

In 2002 Maggie performed at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, The Edinburgh International Harp Festival , and she was one of those chosen to take part in a two week tour of Scotland with " Scottish Women" which involved Scots and Gaelic singers coming together to showcase some of the finest songs from the two traditions with a backing band of some of the finest Scottish musicians under the musical direction of Brian McNeill, Head of Scottish Music in the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Maggie also produced and directed a new show/concert called "Burns and the Gaels" which looked at the links between the works of Robert Burns and Gaelic music and poetry. This event combined music, poetry and song and featured Maggie along Sheena Wellington, Rod Paterson, Ishbel MacAskill, Finlay MacDonald amongst others. "Burns and the Gaels" and "Scottish Women" were both performed at Glasgow's Celtic Connections Festival in January 2003.

Since 2003 Maggie has released another solo CD called "Peaceful Ground" MARCD02 and has been involved in composing and writing new music inspired by ther inherited musical tradition.She was given a commision by the Celtic Connections festival of Glasgow to write a new suite of music which she performed to great acclaim at the festival in 2004 and 2005.This piece was called ""Oran na Mna"(A Woman's Song) and Maggie has further developed the piece with some assistance from the Scottish Arts Council and has just released a CD of this music.

In the last couple of years Maggie has made many Television appearances and,in particular, she has developed a relationship with MNE Television who have commsioned her to write music for two television documentaries,"An Traigh Mhor" and " A Fagail Mhuighlaidh"(See news section for further info.).Maggie is also appearing on MNE's music programme to be broadcast on Burns Night,25th January,2007 on BBC2 called "Da chanan,aon chridhe"(Two languages,One Heart).
Television appearanced have not just been restricted to Britain as Maggie was flown out to Halifax ,Nova Scotia,Canada to record a special Christmas show which was broadcast all over Canada in December,2006. This was called "Celtic Angels at Christmas" and it was produced by New Scotland Pictures Inc.

2007 promises to be another busy year for Maggie.She will be working on a number of programmes with MNE Television and hopes to release a CD of "The Seed Boat" which is the show she performs with singer,songwriter,Colum Sands. She also plans to release some of the music she recorded for MNE Television on a CD to be called "Mingulay". In addition to that Maggie is flying out to Ohio,USA to judge at The Great Lakes Mod which is a Gealic music and song compettion based festival in June and in August she will be returning to the Lorient Interceltic Festival of Brittany.

Quotes/Reviews

"Maggie MacInnes is at the forefront of the new wave of singers taking Scotland's Gaelic song tradition to its rightful place in the musical world. Her commitment to both tradition and innovation is an example I hope to see widely followed." (Brian McNeill, Head of Scottish Music, RSAMD)

"…her singing was such that no translations were necessary…" "…her voice was haunting and angelic;and her chilling unaccompanied vocal on a Scottish lament earned the show's longest ovation from the sell-out crowd…" (Boston Globe, U.S.A.)

"…one of the brightest singers of traditional Gaelic music in Scotland." (A.F.I.M.---Association of Independent Music ) June1999

"…a display of singing confidence,background authority and unshowy musicality that bodes well indeed." (Rob Adams, Glasgow Herald)25Jan2000

"....the finest live performer in Gaelic music today" (Folk Roots Magazine,July,2001)

"…it also takes a performer of unusual talent to unlock the soul and to place therein this music and these poems. And Maggie MacInnes is certainly one such performer (Living Tradition Magazine, Summer 2001).

Find out more about Maggie at her website