2013 Entertainment Schedule
The four signature entertainers below will be featured on the Main Stage at the Lowland Field.
Additional Entertainers at Country Dance Stage
|
|
|
Enter the Haggis |
|
Enter the Haggis is a Canadian Indie/Scottish/Folk Rock world-fusion band based in Toronto, Canada. Commonly called ETH, the band has been playing and recording since 1996. Their latest studio album, “The Modest Revolution” is the band’s 10th album. The name is a reference to the diverse nature of the band’s sound. Like Haggis the sound of ETH is a mixture of diverse and unusual elements, brought together to create something new. Since its birth in 1996, ETH has kept a rigorous concert schedule, playing in wide ranging venues in Canada, Europe, and the United States. They have made appearances at such events as the Folk im Schlosshof in Bonfeld, Germany, the Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay, BC, Irish2000 in Albany, New York, The Philadelphia Folk Fest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Texas Scottish Fest, Rocky Mountain Highland Games and Scottish Festival, the Ann Arbor Folk Fest in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Cayamo (2011, 2012), MusikFest in Bethlehem, PA, the world famous Irish Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, NY, and the Dublin Irish Festival in Dublin, OH. |
|
|
|
|
Uncle Hamish and the Hooligans |
|
Uncle Hamish and the Hooligans are a five member Celtic rock band from and around the mountains of Western North Carolina. The origins of this band stem from a desire to escape the various forms of music each member was involved in. They all had an overwhelming need to be part of a band that was truly different and special. Influenced by such ground-breaking bands as Seven Nations and Enter the Haggis, they set out to play Celtic music that also included their personal tastes. In their music you will likely hear influences that range from Toto to Genesis and all points in between. Mix in the haunting sounds of traditional Celtic instruments such as the Highland bagpipes, whistles, flute, mandolin and other instruments of the like, and what you get is Uncle Hamish |
|
|
|
|
Colin Grant-Adams |
|
National touring artist Colin Grant-Adams, originally from Oban, Scotland, performs songs of the British Isles, American/folk and bluegrass music, adding elements from his own musical experiences of thirty years to create a refreshingly spirited sound uniquely his own. “Scotland in Songs and Stories,” Grant-Adams entertains, inspires and educates his audiences on a journey to the British Isles. Drawing from traditional (Roots), contemporary, and acclaimed original songs, Grant-Adams brings to light the early influences the Scottish emigrants had on American folk and bluegrass music. Grant-Adams weaves songs with mystical stories, a touch of humor, and even some unbelievable yodeling, delivered with his powerful tenor voice, and intriguing guitar work. He has produced eight recordings, appeared on numerous television shows and concerts all over the United States, including the acclaimed Carnegie Hall in New York City. Stephen Holden of the New York Times calls him “a spirited spokesman of a vigorous Scots folk tradition that is unabashed in its expression of patriotism.” |
|
|
|
|
The Celtic Martins |
|
The Celtic Martins, formerly known as The Martin Family Band, from Southeastern Pennsylvania is an exciting, energetic group that features traditional Celtic music as well as Irish step dancing. A performance by The Celtic Martins will feature the musical ability of five of the Martin children, ranging in age from 9 to 18, accompanied by their parents on guitar and bass, and drummer, Earl Pyles. Although the fiddle is the dominant instrument in a performance by The Celtic Martins, shows also include several other instruments such as the Irish whistles, concertina, mandolin, bagpipes, and percussion. Their shows also feature some Irish step dancing by the Martin sisters, which is always a crowd favorite. The family has been performing music since 2004 and has quickly become a musical sensation, performing throughout the region at various fairs, festivals, and other venues such as Bethlehem Musikfest, McLain Celtic Festival, Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, Kutztown Folk Festival, Southern Maryland Celtic Festival, and at theaters such as the Miller Center in Reading PA, and the Kirkland Arts Center in Clinton, New York. Check them out on Facebook |
|
|
|
Master of Ceremonies Bob Valentine“This is America’s best Scottish Master of Ceremonies!” |
|
 |
That’s how Bob Valentine was introduced to an audience of 1,000 people last year. On the road to earning that title, he has performed with Alec Beaton, Smithfield Fair, Albannach, Colin Grant-Adams, Seven Nations, Ian Bruce and many more. His goal is to prepare the audience for the group, and keep the evening moving toward a pleasant conclusion, whether it’s a Burns Supper on a cold January night or a festival on a warm spring day.Bob was born in New York, the son of a Scottish immigrant and a Swedish American mother. As a graduate of the University of Kentucky, he considers the “Bluegrass State” his home. For over 30 years, Bob has been known as a public speaker, entertainer, actor, director and “compere.”A well-known interpreter of the works of Mark Twain, Bob is the founder of The Spinners!, Kentucky’s only professional storytelling troupe. The group was featured on the Nostalgia Network and on the Americana Television’s Storyteller’s Theatre. In 2008, he released his first recording of Scottish jokes and tales, I’ll Tak the Low Road. His most recent book of humor, Seasons, is published by New Caledonian Press and is available at selected bookstores and on BarnesandNobles.com.Bob is a Past-President of the Caledonian Society of Murray, Ky., and regularly schedules speaking and performance engagements at Scottish Heritage Festivals, including the Robert Burns Suppers (Knoxville), the West Kentucky Highland Festival (Murray), the Gatlinburg Highland Games (Tenn.), the Louisiana Highland Games (Jackson) and the Glasgow Highland Games in Kentucky. He is a regular member of the faculty for Murray State University’s Scottish Heritage Elderhostel. He currently serves as Senior Lecturer in Mass Communication at Murray State. Bob and his wife, Vicki, live near Paris, Tennessee. |