Aly Bain

ALY BAIN is probably the best-known and most significant fiddle-player in the Celtic tradition. Aly was born in Lerwick, Shetland in 1946 and grew up in the islands. He began playing the fiddle at the age of eleven, learning from Tom Anderson, the acknowledged master of Shetland traditional music. After several years playing locally in Shetland, Aly headed south to mainland Scotland and life as a full-time musician. His dramatic playing, with great tone and technical ability, brought early recognition. Alert to the musical potential of dynamic interaction between the Irish and Scottish traditions Aly helped establish the Boys of the Lough and began a life of intensive playing, recording and travel that continues to this day.

Although his musical base is firmly in Scotland, his extensive travels have given Aly an appreciation and mastery of many kinds of fiddle music. He has applied this knowledge to the production, since 1986, of several networked television series featuring live performances of music from many traditions. He still finds time for solo engagements and also has released two highly acclaimed solo albums of fiddle music.

A firm believer in the future of the music, Aly recently worked with young Scottish musicians in a project culminating in the recording "Aly Bain and the Young Champions". In November 1994 he was awarded an M.B.E. for services to folk music. In July 1999 he was the recipient of an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

See Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham