The Heb Celt music festival in July is to see the return of a man ubiquitous in traditional music circles – but who has not released a solo recording in 30 years.
Despite renowned singer Arthur Cormack not recording any of his own material in three decades he was nevertheless involved in 55 albums.
That was until last year when he released Buanas – which means endurance in Gaelic – but it has taken until now to bring his own work to the stage.
Mr Cormack managed to squeeze in recording sessions around his many other commitments supporting Gaelic music and language teaching.
He said: “The solo recording took some time from start to finish as I had to do recordings as and when I was available and studios and musicians were available.”
Now audiences will get the chance to see Arthur Cormack and Friends live for the first time with new solo work for the first time in a generation at the Heb Celt festival.
The first live performance will be in Tarbert in Harris on July 21 followed by the main event at the An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway the next and final night of the festival.
Mr Cormack said: “HebCelt is a very friendly festival and promotes Gaelic music and therefore the language which is always a good thing in my reckoning.
“I always look forward to performing at the festival and have been a couple of times as a punter too.”
He added: “I’m very much looking forward to appearing at An Lanntair again, which is such a great venue, and in Tarbert. My paternal grandmother was from Taransay, so I have a great affinity with Harris.”
Mr Cormack was born and brought up on Skye where he still lives and works. He began singing aged eight and won the National Mòd Gold Medal, the top award for Gaelic singing at 18.
He has recorded with the bands Mac-talla and Cliar and is well known from regular appearances on television and radio or singing live as often as work commitments allow.
The musician is one of four founders of the Gaelic music production company Macmeanmna.
So with so many commitments the 30-year gap in solo recordings becomes more understandable.
Mr Cormack said: “Because I run a record label, other projects always seemed to jump ahead of the queue and during the past 30 years we have released around 55 albums.
But when it comes to a lack of output of his own work it is his “day job” as chief executive of Fèisean nan Gàidheal that could be to blame.
The umbrella association of the Fèis which is a Gaelic arts tuition festival supports 47 events open to young people across Scotland.
Connections between the Fèis and HebCelt is strong with the Fèis is also working with the festival on a special programme as part of the Year of Young People.
It will bring together 20 musicians aged between 12 and 16 from Barra, North and South Uist and Lewis and Harris to perform.
Mr Cormack said: “Lots of young people who have come through the fèisean at some point have performed at HebCelt and the festival has always been good at promoting young/new talent.”
He will appear at HebCelt with his former Cliar bandmate, Ingrid Henderson (piano and harp), his daughter Eilidh Cormack (vocals) and Iain MacFarlane (fiddle, box, whistle), when he will perform a mixture of older songs and some tracks from Buanas.
