Born on the Hebridean island of Lewis, Heather grew up surrounded by a wide variety of music – not only the rich local heritage of Gaelic song (a time-honoured test for any singer), but also country, rock and R&B, thanks to the strong transatlantic influence long felt in the Western Isles. Her father, too, was a keen musician, armed with a passion for everything from Scottish country-dance tunes to be-bop, who played in several different bands.
Working as music programmer from the inception of the Scottish capital's best-known alternative arts venue, the Bongo Club, Heather was soon collaborating regularly with many of the musicians performing there, including, Mr McFall's Chamber, the Loveboat Big Band and Chroma. In 1998, she was lead vocalist in the Songhunter project, a major initiative by the Highland Festival based on a region-wide songwriting competition, culminating in a 10-date tour with a 7-piece band, followed by a widely acclaimed Greentrax album. The following year, she was among the featured Scottish vocalists who premiered Andy Thorburn's multi-lingual contemporary composition Tuath gu Deas, commissioned by Glasgow's prestigious Celtic Connections festival.
Heather worked arranging and performing backing vocals in the Eliza Carthy Band, (first performance appearing on Glastonbury Main Stage), and accompanying the celebrated English singer on several extensive UK and North American tours, and featuring prominently on Carthy's Warner Bros debut, the Al Scott-produced Angels & Cigarettes. She currently fulfils the same role for other ongoing projects, including the Afro-Scottish ten-piece La Boum! and Jim Condie's Distant Cousins.
Heather's debut solo album 'Crossing Tides' was released on Jan 27th 2005. It involves many friends made over the years including Sugar Blue, MacFall's Chamber, Steven Polwart and Donald Hay, and features the legendary Danny Thompson on double bass.
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