Born in Clydebank, a Scottish town famous for ocean liners and Singers. My ancestry claims titled Gaelic harpers and agrannys with an angelic voice. Childhood was dazzled by foxtrots, razzled by quick steps and rock 'n rolled by hit records from which I was taught to dance by my mother and sisters. I graduated to the university of life just as beatniks and mods challenged rockers and drunks for music supremacy. Songs crafted by experience are the spirit of my soul.

Glasgow city with its bright lights and smoky hallowed dance halls was my teenage hunting ground until moving to London. But hippie philosophy succeeded yuppie ethics and I returned to juggling jobs in Glasgow until opening a record shop. Poor profits & mindless punks took me to Aberdeen where a regular wage temporarily oiled the wheels of family life. When family and job slipped away I fled with my guitar and creativity to a remote highland croft to write songs and a musical 'Turnaround': With the band 'West Highland All-Stars'.

1960's

1970's

Glen Miller, Jimmy Shand, Gene Krupa, Hank Williams, Fats Domino, Elvis, Dave Clark Five, Beatles, Stones, Chris Farlow, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Pathfinders, Temptations, Pink Floyd, Cannonball Adderley, Prince Buster, Moody Blues, King Crimson, Link Wray, Stockhausen, Zappa, Stravinsky, Beefheart, Miles Davis, Santana, Sonny and Brownie & Stomu Yamashta.

Got a job working on the 1st 'Highlander' movie as a rigger and the experience inspired to make videos:'Turnaround, Clydeoscope, Dagoll Dagom and Clydesider,' all were broadcast on TV but hard work for little reward took me back to music. Having written over 70 songs I began collecting songs into albums: 'The Crucial Element', 'Turnaround' (the movie); 'Back Tae Yer Hoots' (traditional and original Scottish songs inspired by Aberdeen's 'Old Blind Dogs' who stayed with me during their early recordings. I guested on their 'Tall Tails' album and they on 'The Road to Metaluna' songs busked on Glasgow streets by day and in pubs at night.

In 1994 I teamed up with musicians Andy Burt & Stewart Wilson to form 'Headland' and produced our debut album 'Social Animals'. Taking a 4 year sabbatical I studied at Glasgow University for an MA in Scottish Studies graduating in 1999. To keep abreast of new opportunities in digital music distribution I became interested in IT and founded scotsmusic.com to promote Scotland's musicians on the Web.

Peter Hammil, Can, John Martyn, Taj Mahal, Lee Perry, Tim Buckley, Bob Marley, Guy Clark, Ry Cooder, J J Cale, Sex Pistols, The Clash, 30 Footers, John Lee Hooker, Steve Forbett, Peter Green, Frankie Miller, Randy Newman, Nina Simone, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Seger, The Tremons, Matt McGinn, Maggie Bell, Leonard Cohen, Davy Cattanach, Jonny Hardie, Iain F Benzie, Bill McRae,

2000's

Music index

'Dubldunt' is a collection of old and new songs recorded during the winter of 2003 - 2004 and released Autumn 2004, followed by 'Kailyard' a collection of traditional Scottish songs with a modern twist released early 2004. For fiddler Jonny Hardie I recorded a version of 'The Bonniest Lass' for his solo album 'Lucky Jonny' released 2005. The same year I updated the 'Turnaround' project with new recordings of the original songs as a soundtrack for a future radio production. This was followed by 'Kelvingroove' released summer 2007 and Em! released 2009. Mp3's from these albums can be accessed on the web by clicking here or are available for sale by emailing me direct using the address below.

Nick Cave, Rev Doc, Old Blind Dogs, Davy Spillane, Ravi Shankar, Andy Burt, Alex Harvey, Hamish Henderson, Scott Skinner, Lady Nairne, & Robert Tannahill. Jackie Leven, Pictones, Gillian Welch, Annie Grace, Gavin Marwick, Sheila Stewart, Craig Armstrong & Phil Petherbridge.

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