Dougie MacLean Celebrates 50 Years Of Music in 'Home' Venue!

Perthshire musician Dougie MacLean will celebrate 50 years of music in his Songmaker concert in Perth Concert Hall on Saturday 6 July. 

He will showcase some of the songs and tunes that have brought him success at home and abroad, in the company of musical friends who have been important to his journey. Perth Concert Hall has become a ‘home’ venue for Perthshire born MacLean, who lives in Butterstone near Dunkeld. He has filled the Hall on many occasions during his long running Perthshire Amber Festival.

Most renowned for his song Caledonia, and melody The Gael and inspired performances in venues from London’s Festival Hall, to New York’s Carnegie Hall and Sydney’s Opera House, Dougie’s popularity is still growing as his weekly broadcasts begun in March 2020 from his Old Schoolhouse in Perthshire have reached over 4 million viewers in more than 70 different countries! He has received three prestigious Tartan Clef Awards, a place in the Scottish Music Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, and Honorary Doctorate and an OBE! He has been described as “… a musical hero” (Wall Street Journal) and as “Scotland’s musical ambassador” (Performing Songwriter).

Artists that will join him for this very special concert range from Ross Ainslie, Alan Sutherland, Chris Agnew and Jamie MacLean who are all members of the
Dougie MacLean Band (whose filmed recording of Caledonia has has 12.5 million views on Youtube!), to guitarist Martin Hadden who performed in the very first band Dougie was in at age 17 called Puddocks Well. Also joining Dougie on stage will be Davy Duncan and Chris Smith who were gig partners in his first trio (performing Thundering In) being joined by electric guitarist Jimmy Anderson for Turning Away. Other wonderful musicians will join Dougie including Greg Lawson (performing on Not Lie Down), Tim Edey (performing on Broken Wings) and Perthshire vocalist Gina Macleod.

Other members of the 10 piece MacLean Project (which enjoyed great success at HebCelt and Perthshire Amber Festivals) Pete Garnett, Hannah Fisher, Sorren Maclean and Gordon Maclean will also be part of the stellar line-up. Members of The Vale of Atholl Pipes and Drums will work their magic with him on Dougie’s tribute to his lost Gaelic tongue in Stolen and his celebrated composition The Gael.

Those who love the direct intimacy of Dougie MacLean’s solo performance, with his compelling choruses and wonderful stories, will not be disappointed either as that is
always an essential part of a Dougie MacLean concert!

Songmaker 2024 … a celebration of 50 years of music by Dougie MacLean is in Perth Concert Hall on Saturday 6 July, for tickets and info click here. 

Friday 7 June 2024