Grantown musicians with the X-Factor want your vote
Today is the last change to vote for three former Grantown Grammar School pupils in the running for the prestigious Scots Trad Music Awards.
The trio who played for the school's Celtic-rockers ‘Skoosh’ from 1997 and 2000, have all gone on to carve out names for themselves in the music industry.
Multi-talented Hamish Napier has been nominated in two categories at this year’s traditional music awards, for both composer of the year and the album of 2016 with his release ‘The River’.
It is the fifth time Napier has been nominated in the album section, but the first time as a solo artist with his latest CD which was heavily influenced by his home area and the River Spey in particular.
His only victory came a decade ago when as a member of Back of the Moon – who also included his brother Findlay – where he won best folk band.
His mother, Marie-Louise is a professional musician and composer, who plays the harp and piano as well as singing. It was she who first encouraged Hamish to compose.
"The traditional music scene in Scotland is buzzing at the moment. It is really vibrant," said Hamish (34).
"There are more young players than ever. In the course that I teach at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland there are 23 students – double what it was when my brother was there in 1996.
"And it is not a case of saving traditional music from dying – it has become really innovative and a very creative art form. Young people are doing amazing things with it.
"So many people are playing traditional music and enjoying it now.
"It really is encouraging and a tribute to the Feis movement, supportive councils and community projects."
And two of Hamish’s former band members from Grantown Grammar School are also up for gongs at the trad awards.
As a founding member of leading Scottish folk group Breabach, guitarist and singer Ewan Robertson, from Carrbridge, is nominated in both the Scottish folk band of the year and album of the year categories.
Meanwhile, Grantown drummer Fraser Stone is shortlisted in the live act of the year section as a member of the acclaimed group The Treacherous Orchestra.
Online voting closes at the end of today
Anyone can vote for them online by filling out the simple form at: https://projects.handsupfortrad.scot/scotstradmusicawards/voting/
Please do not have to vote in every single category of the awards (if they are not sure who to vote for) – they can leave these categories blank.
