Strathspey star up for another 'gong'
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Grantown's very own Hamish Napier is up for another award.
This time he has been shortlisted for all the studio recording session work he has put in over the last few years.
Now it's down to Strathy readers and their musical friends to ensure that the gifted former Grantown Grammar virtuoso gets the accolade he deserves – by voting in the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Industry Awards 2019.
The potential Session Recording Musician of the Year is a multi-instrumentalist, folk musician, composer, music producer and music tutor.
Co-writing with Duncan Chisholm, his beautiful album ‘Sandwood’ claimed the Scots Trad Music Awards ‘Album of the Year’ in 2018.
"The launch in the last night of Celtic Connections in the 11-piece band in the RSNO room of Glasgow Royal Concert Hall was epic – I’ll never forget it," he said.
"Performing with Duncan’s band this last year or so is certainly one of the most enjoyable and amazing experiences of my musical career."
Napier has somehow found the time to play on over 40 folk albums in the last 16 years – and over 10 in the last two, with Duncan Chisholm, Ross Ainslie, Jarlath Henderson, Adam Sutherland, Gary Innes, Mike Vass and others.
It's probably easier to say what he doesn't play rather than list all his instruments, but he tried this week:
"I play flutes, whistles, piano and sing. I have been fortunate to make a living the last 16 years as a full-time Scottish folk musician and tutor, doing what I love: playing for ceilidh dances through Scotland, teaching music to people of all ages at home and abroad, including at the academic level at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for eight years."
This while continuing to perform alongside many of Scotland’s finest musicians in large venues throughout the UK, Europe and North America.
Surrounded by musical talent within the family, he has been singing longer than he can remember.
"It was always a dream of mine to be a professional musician. It did not come easily and I’ve had to work very hard at it.
"But it was well worth all the effort. The best thing about playing folk music are the people you meet, the friendship you develop and the energy, improvisation and spontaneity of the music itself.
"The history and folklore of the music has such depth and beauty – it means so much to so many people throughout the country. I hope that I can contribute to the tradition in some way."
He has contributed, for starters, with his albums The River and The Railway – at Celtic Connections 2016 and Piping Live 2018 respectively.
He has presented BBC Radio Scotland’s Travelling Folk, introducing a music theory lecture on the show.
But he admitted one of the great highlights of his career so far was singing ‘Ye Cannae Shove Yer Grannie off a Bus’ dressed as twin Uncle Sean with his gifted brother Findlay on Katie Morag (BBC children’s show, ‘The Grand Concert’ episode).
"At the moment I’m on a 10-year journey to create five albums, a pentalogy, of completely original folk music composed about my local area, Strathspey.
"I’m half way there. The first two albums are complete. The River, about the glorious Spey in 2016 and The Railway concerning the famous Speyside Whisky railway line, in 2018.
"I hope to finish the penology by the time I’m in my early 40s."
Make some time to vote for him – he's well worth it – at:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/scotstrad2019
