Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre - White Wings

(April 2007) 14 tracks: White Wings * The Rocks of Gibraltar * The Virginnia Maid * The Shoreheid Boat * Time Wears Awa’ * Here’s a Health to All True Lovers * The Gairdner * John Barleycorn * The Shira Dam * MacCrimmon’s Lament * Farewell to the Bens * In Freenship’s Name * Our Ship is Ready * Last Farewell Tae Stirling.

Alison McMorland was born in Renfrewshire into a musical family. She has enjoyed a long involvement in traditional music at various levels: singer, collector, broadcaster, author and tutor on the Scottish Music course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow.

Alison came to wider public notice in the 1970s, through her recordings and published song collections having come, initially, under the inspirational guidance of the late Hamish Henderson. In working closely with and learning from traditional singers, such as Willie Scott and Lucy Stewart, Hamish was to say of her: "Alison stands out as one of the principal modern interpreters of a ballad singing tradition… uniting scrupulous traditional fidelity with versatile creative and resourceful artistry."

Geordie McIntyre is a Glaswegian of Highland and Irish descent, his lifetime involvement in song, ballad and poetry reflected in his singing, collecting and song writing. His early years as a Radio and Television technician and later as a Modern Studies teacher, coupled to his passion for the outdoors has, in diverse ways, fuelled and complemented his central interest in folk music.

Geordie produced and performed on two acclaimed multi-artist albums: The Streets Of Glasgow (Topic 1973) and Glasgow Horizons (Lismor 1990). Over the years he has performed in clubs and at festivals throughout Britain, Ireland and the USA. In 2005 an excellent collection of Geordie’s songs was published entitled Inveroran.

Although essentially solo performers, Alison and Geordie have developed a joint repertoire based on a fine sense of personal harmony, allowing them to perform as a duo at home and abroad, as well as work on other projects. Alison recorded a solo album for The Living Tradition in 2000, followed by two joint albums with Geordie, also for The Living Tradition.

Alison, who features on Greentrax compilation albums, was nominated for Singer Of The Year at the Scots Trad Awards in 2005.

They are joined on this, their first album for Greentrax, by two master musicians: Derek Hoy (fiddle, viola) and Norman Chalmers (concertina, whistle) - both members of Jock Tamson’s Bairns. Kirsty Potts, daughter of Alison - a fine singer in her own right - adds vocals on three tracks.