Jimmy Macgregor joins Shetland Folk Festival line-up

Shetland Folk Festival has finalised the visiting artistes for the 32nd annual event at the beginning of May by adding legendary folk singer and television personality Jimmy Macgregor to the line-up.

He will perform at a one-off event on Thursday 3rd May, going by the title “Jimmy Macgregor’s Gathering of Songs, Stories and Famous Folk!”

Also added to the mainstream festival line-up are two multi award-winning duos, Tim Edey and Brendan Power and Jeana Leslie and Siobhan Miller.

Macgregor has been described as one of Scotland’s top personalities and “the most entertaining traveller”. His one-off illustrated talk and performance at the Shetland Hotel on the festival’s opening night will outline his influence in the folk music revival and his stories of famous folk will be delivered with undimmed levels of energy and enthusiasm.

Turning 82 in March, he is also famous for his TV shows like The West Highland Way and Macgregor’s Gathering which ran on BBC Radio Scotland for more than 10 years.

Fresh from winning two titles at this month’s prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, the organising committee have lured Edey and Power back to entertain Shetland audiences once more.

While Edey has been to Shetland several times in the past few years, it was 1993 that Power last performed at the festival.

Voted Musician of the Year 2012 at the Radio 2 awards, Edey is one of the finest multi-instrumental players of his generation in the worldwide Celtic music scene. A virtuoso on both acoustic guitar and button accordion, his musical ear and technical command allows him to play the most demanding instrumentals and improvise freely in any style.

UK-based Kiwi harmonica player and composer Power is acknowledged by many as one of the most versatile and creative harp players around.

Shining new stars on the UK folk scene, Leslie and Miller are extremely talented and multi award-winning Scottish singers and musicians. Both are blessed with natural voices that blend beautifully and critics and audiences alike have responded warmly to the duo’s fresh approach to vocal arrangements and their open, communicative personalities onstage.

Mhari Pottinger of the festival committee said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the final additions to the 2012 visiting artistes, adding yet more diversity and first class musicianship to a line up that’s already been highly commended – and that’s even before we’ve announced the local acts.

“We are always looking for ways to expand our ticket availability to better meet demand but also in the type of events that the festival encompasses. This year we’re planning 25 ticketed events at 13 different venues and hopefully there’s a little bit of something for everyone.”

The deadline for receipt of advance festival membership applications is Friday 2nd March with forms available for download from the festival website. Ticket bookings open for advance members around the 16th March, within all remaining tickets and additional membership for sale from Friday 6th April.

The completed visiting acts line-up is now as follows:
Admiral Fallow (Scotland – one night only);
Treacherous Orchestra (Scotland – one night only);
J P Cormier and the Elliott Brothers (Cape Breton);
KAN (Scotland/England/Ireland);
Alison Brown Acoustic Quartet featuring John Doyle and Casey Driessen (USA/Ireland);
Lori Watson & Rule of Three (Scotland);
Sprag Session (Cape Breton);
Mànran (Scotland);
The Hot Seats (USA);
Rory Ellis with Perry Stenbäck and Steffan Sørensen (Australia/Sweden/Denmark);
Kasaï Masaï (UK/Congo);
Ross Couper & Tom Oakes (Shetland/England);
Baltic Crossing (Finland/Denmark/UK);
KV Express (Belgium);
Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson (Scotland);
Tim Edey & Brendan Power (England/New Zealand);
Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller (Scotland);
Jimmie Macgregor (Scotland);
Allan’s Magic (Scotland).