Old Blind Dogs
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Old Blind Dogs is a musical group which plays Celtic folk and traditional Scottish folk music, with influences from rock, reggae and Middle Eastern music rhythms. The three founding members of the band (Ian F Benzie, Buzzby McMillan and Jonny Hardie) first met during a so-called "buskers' holiday" in the Scottish Highlands in 1990, and after playing together for the summer decided to call themselves "Old Blind Dogs". Dave Francis and Carmen Higgins joined the band soon afterwards, but left in 1992 before the recording of the first album, New Tricks. Since that time, the lineup of the band has changed frequently, with only Jonny Hardie remaining from the original group.
The Old Blind Dogs were named "Folk Band of the Year" at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2007. Also in 2004, Jim Malcolm was named Songwriter of the Year. In 2001, the UK’s Association of Independent Music selected their album Fit? as a finalist for the Celtic Album of the Year award.
The band is unusual amongst Scottish folk groups in that it represents the folk tradition of the 'North Eastern shoulder' of Scotland , having a repertoire that includes many ballads from this particular area, often sung in the distinctive 'Doric' dialect of Aberdeen and the surrounding regions.
The band have toured extensively, performing in Britain, the USA, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, and Russia.
[edit] Discography
- New Tricks (1992)
- Close To The Bone (1993)
- Tall Tails (1994)
- Legacy (1995)
- Five (1997)
- Live (1999)
- The World’s Room (1999)
- Fit? (2001)
- The Gab o Mey (2003)
- Play Live (2004)
- Four On The Floor (2007)
[edit] Band members
1990–92
- Ian F. Benzie (guitar, vocals)
- Jonny Hardie (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, backing vocals)
- Buzzby McMillan (cittern, bass)
- Carmen Higgins (fiddle)
- Dave Francis (percussion)
- Davy Cattanach (percussion) [joined 1991]
1992–96
- Ian F. Benzie
- Jonny Hardie
- Buzzby McMillan
- Davy Cattanach
1996–97
- Ian F. Benzie
- Jonny Hardie
- Buzzby McMillan
- Fraser Fifield (small pipes, saxophone)
- Davy Cattanach
1997–99
- Ian F. Benzie
- Fraser Fifield
- Graham Youngson (percussion)
- Jonny Hardie
- Buzzby McMillan
1999–2003
- Jim Malcolm (guitar, harmonica, lead vocals)
- Jonny Hardie
- Buzzby McMillan
- Rory Campbell (whistle, border pipes, guitar, harmonica, backing vocals)
- Paul Jennings (percussion) [left 2002]
2003–2006
- Jim Malcolm
- Jonny Hardie
- Rory Campbell
- Fraser Stone (drums, percussion)
- Aaron Jones (bouzouki, bass, backing vocals)
2007-
- Jonny Hardie
- Rory Campbell
- Fraser Stone
- Aaron Jones
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Green Linnet, the record label to which Old Blind Dogs is currently signed
