This is the third collection of Old Songs and Bothy Ballads recorded at the Fife Traditional Singing Weekend - the annual gathering of traditional singers that takes place at Collessie in the Howe of Fife - in the heart of the ancient Kingdom of Fife. These recordings were made in May 2006.

The album features twelve different singers, opening with a superb rendition of the famous north east bothy ballad The Barnyard o Delgaty sung by Gordon Easton - seen in full flight in the cover photo. Special overseas guest Anita Best was brought up in one of the fishing outports of Newfoundland and sngs three songs from her local tradition including a Newfoundland version of an ancient traditional ballad The Bonnie Banks of Fordie still known in Scotland.

With a selection of fine guest singers and an audience most of whom are singers, the album captures the atmosphere of a singers' event with around half of the songs joined in fine chorus.

About the Singers

Anita Best
Special overseas guest Anita Best was brought up in one of the fishing outports of Newfoundland - on Merasheen island in Placentia Bay, depopulated during Newfoundland's community re-settlement program of the 1970s. Her early life in one of the most culturally rich parts of Newfoundland inspired a fire and passion to collect and interpret a tradition and culture which seemed to be departing in tandem with the disappearing communities. Recognised as an outstanding traditional singer, she has recorded several albums, hosted a CBC Radio series and runs a bi-weekly concert in the summer months. Anita's three songs on this album represent some of the wide spectrum of songs that are part of Newfoundland's rich singing tradition - songs originally from England such as In Bristol there lived a Fair Damsel, ancient ballads such as the rare Bonnie Banks o Fordie versions of which are still sung in Scotland and The Union from St John's one of very many Newfoundland shipping disaster songs.

Gordon Easton
Gordon is from the Blackhills of Tyrie near Fraserburgh, where his family has crofted for generations. He learned many of his old songs from his mother and grandmother and is well-known for his fiddle, jew's harp and 'moothie' playing, not to mention his considerable skills as a 'diddler'. He has become a fixture on the festival competition scene, sometimes entering as many as five competitions. Gordon opens the album with the classic bothy ballad Barnyards o Delgaty. His second song, the humorous Briggie's Gerse Park, is full of his rich Buchan dialect. His fine version of the The Beggar Man - a song whose authorship is often attributed to King James VI - comes from his mother's repertoire.

Bob Blair
A singer wi th a love of Scottish lyrical songs and traditional ballads, Bob is originally from Fife and now lives in Glasgow where he is a member of the Glasgow group Stramash. Whilst living in England in the 1960s and 70s, Bob was a member of Ewan MacColl's Critics Group and has long been an admirer of Ewan's songs and work. Here Bob sings The Collier Laddie, a song that refers to his native Kirkcaldy.

Maureen Jelks
From the age of four Maureen was brought up in the old Overgate in Dundee but spent some of her later childhood years with her family in London. Her love of folk song developed after returning to Dundee and meeting in with the Stewarts of Blair. As well as her own two CDs she has contributed to several other compilations such as Scots Women on the Greentrax label. She has been a guest at many festivals including the Whitby Festival, Auchtermuchty and the Celtic Women's Festival in New Orleans. Here she sings the Dundee ballad of Bonnie Susie Cleland and brings the album to a close with Bonnie Glenshee - a song largely from the Stewarts of Blair.

Geordie Murison
Geordie is an agricultural contractor from Mill of Craigiecat near Stonehaven. He is an enthusiast for traditional songs and bothy ballads and has a fine repertoire of songs many of which he has gleaned from singers in his area around Stonehaven. Here he sings the local bothy ballad Atween Stanehive and Laurenkirk.

Ellen Mitchell
Born in Glasgow where she has lived most of her life, her discovery of folk clubs and festivals gave her an enthusiasm for traditional song. She has taken part in competitions run by the TMSA and has won on three occasions - once with Twa Brithers learned from Sheila Stewart. In recent years she has been a guest at The National festival at Sutton Bonnington and at Whitby Festival and has recorded a CD along with her husband Kevin on the Musical Traditions label. Here she sings the ancient ballad of Young Johnstone learned from the singing of Betsy White.

Ron Bissett
A well known local bothy ballad singer, Ron came to Fife from Kincardineshire with his family when his father came as head shepherd to Kippo at Kingsbarns. He took his first job at Letham in 1950 - driving a pair of horse and living in the bothy. Here Ron sings Amang the Neeps and the Barley - a song composed in the 1970s by Jean Sutherland of Newburgh in Fife.

Margaret Spiers
Margaret now lives in Auchtermuchty but comes originally from Aberdeen where s