The Tannahill Weavers are widely considered Scotland’s premier traditional band. Their diverse repertoire spans the centuries with fire-driven instrumentals, topical songs, and original ballads and lullabies. Their music demonstrates to old and young alike the rich and varied musical heritage of the Celtic people. These versatile musicians have received worldwide accolades consistently over the years for their exuberant performances and outstanding recording efforts that seemingly can’t get better… yet continue to do just that. The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable. The music may be old-time Celtic, but the drive and enthusiasm are akin to straight ahead rock and roll. Born of a session in Paisley, Scotland and named for the town’s historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the group has made an international name for its special brand of Scottish music, blending the beauty of traditional melodies with the power of modern rhythms.

Now in 2018, The Tannahill Weavers are celebrating their Golden Anniversary with the release of their eighteenth album, ÒRACH (“golden” in Gaelic) out August 31st on Compass Records. With ÒRACH (THE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY ALBUM), the current line-up of Roy Gullane, Phil Smillie, John Martin and Lorne MacDougall, have brought together colleagues and members past and present to record an album of all new material – traditional and contemporary songs and sets of tunes in the Tannie’s distinctive style. The physical album contains photos as well as a glossary to understand the traditional songs and extensive liner notes for each song detailing its origin and performers. Here’s an excerpt for the track “Oh No!”…

This song is by way of being an homage to its writer Billy Connolly—we did a tour with Billy in the early days and had the time of our lives in his company. Although Billy is best known for his comedy and acting careers, he was a successful musician back then, playing with Gerry Rafferty in the Humblebums. As we have such fond memories of those days, we have included one of Billy’s songs on this 50th-anniversary album. Les Wilson sang this song at every sound check that we did for many years, so it is only fitting that we should have him sing it here. We are delighted to have the wonderful GRAMMY Award-winning banjo player Alison Brown joining us on this track.

With the release of this new album and a year-long Golden Anniversary tour (which takes in the UK, the US, Canada and several European countries), the Tannahill Weavers are firmly established as one of the premier traditional groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to footstomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform are matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.

The Golden Anniversary tour kicked off in April 2018. For details of the remaining concerts, visit the band’s website at www.tannahillweavers.com

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