A PREDICTION that Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis’s first album together would never go out of fashion has proved to be remarkably prescient.
They reworked old, well-known Scottish songs for The Winnowing, released in 1994, and five years later they were also asked to sing their version of Auld Lang Syne at the Kennedy Awards in 1999 in front of the then US President, Bill Clinton. Almost a decade later the song was picked up for the Sex And The City film.
Now another song, Green Grow the Rashes, has been chosen for the news Songs for Scotland 2 album, which is aimed at keeping culture at the heart of the independence campaign.
As well as producing a downloadable album of songs, it is hoped that enough money can be raised through the project to fund a scholarship for young musicians named after Scots polymath Alasdair Gray.
“It is really nice the song has been picked up – I remember someone saying that the album would not go out of fashion but I was not sure what she meant at the time,” says Campbell.
Having been trained in classical music, Edinburgh-based Campbell was not familiar with many traditional Scottish songs when she and Francis first got together, but she thoroughly enjoyed recording The Winnowing.
“Dave suggested I sing Green Grow the Rashes because he thought my voice suited it. I remember thinking it was good – Dave’s guitar style is delicate and light and it has a little bit of a calypso feel to it.”
Since then the pair have made another three albums but they are currently pursuing solo projects. Francis works with Trad Arts and Culture for Scotland and is first officer for the Trad Music Forum. On top of that he is writing a musical based on Noah’s Ark. Campbell is fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, where her solo show Pulse – which she made with “creative midwife” Kath Burlinson – received five-star reviews. She is now planning more shows that weave live viola and voice with animation and storytelling.
Campbell says she is delighted to be part of the Songs for Scotland project and is particularly enthusiastic about the proposed Alasdair Gray scholarship.
“That is a fantastic idea. I teach improvisation with the traditional music students at the Royal Conservatoire and love meeting and sharing music with that next generation.”
She believes the trad music community can help keep independence on the agenda, particularly at the moment when some splits seem to be appearing within the Yes movement.
“I hope we don’t run scared and batten down the hatches, but it worries me that people are not so connected with each other – I think things have got a bit scrambled. The trad community is really special, particularly the way they make events happen and keep people connected. Trad music is a world where community does exist and I think it can help us find our voice.”
Campbell adds: “I think that Scotland has got a very important voice. I wish the indyref had gone through, but something shifted then and a lot of women found their voices and I hope this carries on. I want Scotland to find a way for its voice to be heard and have influence in the whole of the UK and in the world. I have come to conclusion that independence is the best way forward not because I don’t want to be joined with England but I think we have to have a new system and a new way to generate energy.
"I am really worried that our voice is not going to be heard. It is very difficult at the moment but I am trusting that if I keep working and doing the things I am doing I will play my part and get my voice out there. It is about gathering for the next push which I think will happen and I will be right behind it.”
Tickets to the album launch event, An Evening for Alasdair Gray on November 29 at Oran Mor, are now on sale via bit.ly/SongsScotland. Each ticket includes a copy of Native Musicians: Songs for Scotland 2.
The National is project sponsor for Songs For Scotland 2. Every Monday, we publish a piece about one of the artists involved
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