Various Artists - Hamish Henderson Tribute Vol 2

Cat. no: CDTRAX410
Format: CD
Barcode: 5018081041022
Release Date: 15 Oct 2021
Genre: Folk

Dr Hamish Henderson, poet, singer/songwriter, folklorist and cultural and political activist, was born on 11th November, 1919, in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, and died on 9th March, 2002, in Edinburgh. In 1951, after service in the British Army during the Second World War, Hamish became an honorary research fellow at the newly founded School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University and in 1954 he was offered a permanent post there.

He remained at The School of Scottish Studies until his retirement. Although he was a very fine poet, and arguably one of the most significant voices of the Second World War, it was his songs and the ballads that were to attract him both as a writer and collector. The material he collected on his ‘field’ trips, now safely archived at The School of Scottish Studies, and some of which have been released on The Scottish Tradition Series of recordings by Greentrax, is now legendary and many of the songs he wrote, including ‘The Freedom Come All Ye’, suggested by many as a contender for the Scottish National Anthem, have become ‘folk’ standards.

After Hamish’s death, Dr Fred Freeman and Ian Green M.D. of Greentrax Recordings, set about the task of releasing an album of songs and poems of Hamish Henderson and in 2003 the ‘Hamish Henderson Tribute Album’ - ‘A’ The Bairns O Adam’ (CDTRAX244) was released to wide critical acclaim. Research and collection of material for a ‘Hamish Henderson Tribute Album - Volume 2’ was immediately set in motion and despite the ‘lockdown’, which delayed its release, the new album, again produced by Fred Freeman, is now proudly released on the Greentrax label.

Whereas the first album comprised mainly existing recorded material, by such stalwarts as Alison McMorland, Dick Gaughan and The Laggan, plus a track from The School archives of ‘traveller’ Jeannie Robertson, recognised as Hamish’s ‘discovery’, ‘Volume 2’ consists of mainly newly recorded songs and poems. The singers are Fiona Hunter (of Malinky), John Morran (of Deaf Shepherd) and young singer Cameron Nixon (who can be heard on Malinky’s ‘Handsel’ album). They share the Hamish songs, while Fred Freeman reads his poems. 

The songs include the title track, ‘Here’s To The Maiden’, ‘The Speaking Heart’, ‘Tail Toddle’ (with an instrumental solo by Marc Duff), ‘The Roads To Rome’, ‘Banks of Sicily’, ‘Soo Sewin Milk’, ‘Nou Jeannie Dear’, ‘Sodge Ye The Cotton Spinners’ (discussed and sung by Hamish), ‘Blossom In The Spring’ (plus a discussion with Hamish and the late Stuart MacGregor), and ‘The Presence’, which was actually a poem by Hamish which was set to music and recorded by Archie Fisher many years ago.

Tracks: Ballad Of The Banffies - Cameron Nixon / Here’s To The Maiden - Fiona Hunter / Banks Of Sicily - John Morran / Hamish Introduces Tail Toddle - Hamish Henderson / Tail Toddle / Instrumental Solo - John Morran / Marc Duff / The Presence - Fiona Hunter / The Roads To Rome - Cameron Nixon / Soo Sewin Silk - Fiona Hunter / The Speaking Heart - John Morran / Katzel Henderson / En Marche - Euan Maclaughlin / Fred Freeman / Nou Jeannie Dear - John Morran / Sodge Ye The Cotton Spinners - Hamish Henderson / Brief Discussion Blossom In The Spring - Stuart Macgregor / Blossom In The Spring - Cameron Nixon / Goettingen Nicht - Fiona Hunter / Aunty Mary / Wee O’hara - Hamish Henderson / Hamish’s Mad Version Of El Alamein - Fred Freeman / Rivonia Atte

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