He's English, but…

When the late Anne Nielsen, the doyenne of Scots traditional singing, introduced me, an unknown unaccompanied singer, to a Burns Night audience, she said, “He’s English, but he’s embraced Scotland’s traditions.” For several years following the millennium I made frequent visits to Scotland, where I made many friends who shared my enthusiasm and commitment. Those friends included several whose names would be familiar to anyone involved with Scottish song: Anne Nielsen, Gordeanna McCulloch, Adam McNaughtan, Ronnie Clark, and Doris Rougvie, among others.

When I retired in 2015, a move to Scotland seemed sensible. And so it proved. The local folk club in Falkirk welcomed me; their positive attitude and clear love for Scotland’s songs encouraged me to investigate further.

By 2019, I had amassed a small collection of songs related in some way to the local area, the Forth Valley. My research included details of local printers in Falkirk and Stirling, who produced copious amounts of cheap chapbooks (mostly 8-page pamphlets), many containing song lyrics.

In February 2019, I presented my research to an audience of folksong enthusiasts from all over the UK. This talk, suitably edited, appeared in a volume reflecting that conference: Street Literature and the Circulation of Songs, edited by David Atkinson and Steve Roud, published by Ballad Partners, London, 2019.

The positive reaction to my talk encouraged me to focus on these songs I had unearthed. The Forth Valley Songster capitalises on that research. It also gives me strong candidates for increasing my personal repertoire. I hope it provides similar stimulation for its readers.