Songhunter - Spirit of the Land

(1999)

From an idea submitted by singer/songwriter Jim Hunter to The Highland Festival was born the Songhunter project, attracting a staggering 430 competition entries from Highlands and Islands songwriters. The incredibly difficult task of reducing that figure to a touring repertoire of some twenty songs was undertaken by a panel, while Jim Hunter formed the Songhunter Band which included members of Wolfstone and the Old Blind Dogs. The album is a sample of the great breadth and quality of songwriting in the Highlands and Islands which, until this time, had been vastly underrated. The album redresses the balance and confirms the 'spirit of this land' is strong!

Heather MacLeod and Shona Arthur (vocals) * Jim Hunter (vocals and guitars) * Andy Thorburn (keyboards, piano and accordion) * Andy Murray (electric and acoustic guitars plus vocals) * Graham Flett (bass guitar and double bass) * Jamie Ash (drums and percussion) * Fraser Fyfileld (saxophones) * Jonny Hardie (fiddle and mandolin) * Caitlin Mann (cello).

With songs by John Holliday, Karel Fialka, Alan McLeod, Niall Gordon, Christine McLenaghan, Bob Dunsmore, Debby Oliver, Findlay Napier, Robert McDonald and Craig Anderson, Steve King, Richard Golding, Fiona Cameron, Bill McMillan, Anne Lupton and Ken MacLennan, Michael Hutchings and Jack Aldam.