Stramash Scots Music Show

The Performers

Stramash is brought to you by a group of musicians, singers and friends who have a passion to share
the music of Scotland that they love.

You will hear a different combination of artists at each show – here are some of the Stramash performers:

Amy Leach: Amy is one of our singers. She's from Edinburgh and is a student on the folk and traditional music degree course at Newcastle University.

Amy Lord: Our other Amy is also a singer. She's from Dunblane and is a graduate in Scottish Music from the Royal Academy of Music and Drama. She was also a finalist in the BBC Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2008.

Andrew Macintyre: Born in Glasgow, Andrew first had chanter lessons aged 9 with Milngavie Pipe Band, followed by several years' tuition from renowned piper and composer Duncan Johnstone. Currently living in Edinburgh, where he plays whistle and Scottish smallpipes regularly in pub sessions, he is a member of a couple of groups who frequently perform in public. He also plays the Great Highland pipes at weddings and official dinners from time to time. Andrew usually wears a kilt at Stramash!

Andy Lyons: Andy has played fiddle for most of his life but also plays the mandola, cittern, mandolin and anything else he can lay his hands on. He has performed music in a wide range of situations ranging from leading symphony orchestras to touring the Netherlands and Belgium playing traditional music. Andrew also writes, performs and records his own music.

Ian Main: Ian is from Edinburgh’s South Side and has been writing and performing Scottish folk music with a contemporary flavour since the early eighties. Ian and Andy Lyons perform together - visit their myspace site.

Lucy Pringle and Chris Wright: They began singing together at the start of 2008, brought together by a common love of traditional and contemporary Scottish songs. Lucy and Chris’ songs have already earned them a prestigious Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections 2009. Chris works for the landmark Kist o Riches (Tobar an Dualchais) project, cataloguing the Scots song archive at the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh. Lucy and Chris are currently recording their first cd. Visit their web site.

Morag Brown: Morag is a Shetland music specialist whose talents have made her a much sought-after fiddle teacher. Find out more about Morag here.

Nick Keir: An Edinburgh-born multi-instrumentalist, actor, singer and songwriter, Nick performs very successfully in his own right and also as a member of one of Scotland’s favourite and much loved folk groups, The McCalmans. He has recorded and produced three solo CDs and has recently toured extensively as a soloist with the Copenhagen-based “Tolkein Ensemble”, featuring Sir Christopher Lee. See Nick's website.

Scott Gardiner and Johnny Kemp:  Scott is one of Scotland's top traditional singers, and has been performing at concerts and festivals across the country since his schooldays. Brought up on a farm near Forfar, he is best known for singing the bothy ballads and songs of the north-east. Career highlights include representing Scotland at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in the USA, winning the Bothy Ballad World Championship in Elgin, a nomination for Trad Awards Scots Singer of the Year and a 20 year run of performances at the Kirriemuir Pensioner’s Christmas Party.

Scott is joined by ace guitarist Johnny Kemp, who went through years in the wilderness of rock, blues
and funk outfits, before working his way round to bothy. John plays bass with ceilidh band Teannaich,
and is involved with various musical projects in his native Anstruther.

Other Stramash Folk
Stramash – The Scots Music Show was founded in 2009 when friends Robin Dempsey and Sheila Capewell discovered that they had both (independently) held a dream to share their passion for the music of Scotland. They had both been aware of a gaping hole in the traditional music scene for visitors to Edinburgh and have finally realised their dream and produced this exciting new venture together.

We’d like to thank both Helen Wyllie, our graphic designer and Isabelle McGeehan, French born and bred, who organised the translations.

Stramash – The Scots Music Show is run on a community/co-operative basis with many family and friends helping with marketing, promotion and front of house. We are very grateful for all their help.