Description
Scottish Laughlines is a collection of the funniest songs from Scotland. Sung by Alastair McDonald with enthusiasm and accompanied by his brilliant banjo playing, this is a very cheery album.
Although born in Glasgow (1941) Alastair spent part of his youth in Australia. On his return to Scotland he took on the role of a performer with great gusto, appearing anywhere that would take him from Churches and hospitals to ceilidhs and clubs. In 1962 he won the Best Banjo Player award at the Elgin festival. He reached a much bigger audience in 1973 when he co-hosted the TV show "Songs Of Scotland".
In his book, One Singer - One Song, writer, singer & storyteller Ewan McVicar describes folk singer Alastair McDonald as having "...sung with the Scottish Radio Orchestra, performed on radio & TV, played banjo in countless jazz bands, accompanied traditional Gaelic singers & performed as pantomime dame...". Ewan goes on to muse that perhaps it's that very versatility that brings him under fire from self appointed purists that seem to have difficulty doing one thing well. Interesting thought, Ewan!
Alastair has enjoyed the company & respect of established figures like Josh McRae, Dominic Behan, Morris Blythman, Matt McGinn, Kenny Ball, Billy Connolly, Hamish Imlach, The Stewarts of Blair and many more. Alastair continues to perform, mainly in Scotland, although since the '90s he has made frequent appearances at jazz festivals in Denmark where his banjo & vocals have been received enthusiastically by Danes blissfully undiverted by dancing centipedes, Glasgow Cats, Lugton Dugs or Glencoe massacres (!) - speaking of which, it seems Alastair has the rare ability of lifting a song directly from the written page & into the hearts & minds of the listening public, as the repertoires of more than a few of his fellow performers will reveal.
Sam The Skull; The Kelty Clippie; Rothesay O; Cholesterol; The Mermaid's Tale; Goliath Of Gath; McFarlane O The Sprotts; German Lad; Johnnie Lad; Oor Gudeman; Wee Cooper O' Fife; The Pan Drop; The Auld Man's Mare's Dead; Wee Cock Sparra; The Kirk Soiree; Ten Wee Wimmin; Big Kilmarnock Bunnet; Oor Hamlet; Hot Asphalt; Glasgow's Barraland.
Scots songs, traditional music, by this well-known male folk singer.
Check out our full collection of Scottish Singing CDs.
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