Alex McKinnon Accordionist
Alex was a regular performer at the Big House Carradale and has played with The Carradale Band since 1958. He is known throughout Argyll and still lives in Carradale but has retired after years of farming at his family farm.
Matthew Paterson
After-Dinner Speaker at events in Carradale and further afield, Matthew's wit and wisdom have added sparkle to occasions throughout Scotland. Matthew is a native of Carradale but lived and worked in Arbroath. He is now retired from his job as an instrument tradesman with Glaxo and still has his family home in the village.
Lome MacDougall
Carradale's very own Hollywood star, Lome MacDougall, a versatile musician who plays Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, Border pipes and whistles, Lome is in constant demand to perform at concerts and recordings throughout the world. He was the co-producer of all the Red Hot Chilli Pipers albums, including "Bagrock to the Masses" which achieved a UK Gold disc with over 100,000 sales and the CDs have sold over 250,000 combined. He recorded the pipe parts for recent BBC Children in Need single and arranged and performed highland and border pipes for the 2012 Disney Pixar movie Brave. He also composed and recorded for a recent international VisitScotland advert. He provided the pipes for Manran and Michelle McManus' STV Appeal single Take You There, released in August. He appeared on BBC One's hit primetime crime drama Shetland and has most recently recorded pipes on Susan Boyle's upcoming album.
Amy Reilly
Amy was brought up and educated in Carradale and is a graduate of Strathclyde University. She is now a Chartered Accountant in Glasgow, where she lives with her husband Karl. Amy has always loved poetry, literature and history and NouFest is the perfect vehicle to combine all of these interests as well as her skills as an accountant, as she is helping the committee to balance the books for the festival!
The Twisted Melons
A vastly experienced live act with more than 400 shows under their belts, The Twisted Melons born and bred in Campbeltown with close relatives in Carradale, are one of the west of Scotland's best kept secrets, playing live relentlessly in small venues throughout the country while regularly producing and releasing their music 100% independently. Comprised of the three Johnson brothers, the band has an uncanny sibling musical telepathy that makes every show a one-off. They have written music to three of Naomi's poems especially for this event, which were premiered at The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh last week and wowed the audience. They have been asked to be involved in future events to promote past Scottish authors to a new generation - something of which Naomi would have strongly approved.
Donald Smith
Donald heard his first traditional tales as a child, but has been an active student of Scots and Irish storytelling for more than twenty years. He started telling stories himself in the last three after a lot of listening. Donald is interested in the recovery of local storytelling traditions, events and story walks, and in working with community and church groups. Donald travels widely in Scotland and worldwide as a storyteller and is currently the Director of The Storytelling Centre Edinburgh. His PhD was on Naomi's literary work and he credits her as a decisive influence in his decision to stay in Scotland and work in arts and culture. He will debut a creative piece especially written for tonight's concert on Naomi's novel "The Bull Calves" set in Gleneagles, with characters based on people from Carradale.
Duncan McCrone and Cy Jack
Duncan first came to Carradale in the late 50s/early 60s and it's been a special place for him ever since. He is perhaps best known as a former member of the band the Clydesiders and as a solo artist. His hit "Always Argyll" is played regularly throughout the county and the world. Cy Jack and Duncan have written many other well-known songs together, which are often played on Argyll FM and Radio Scotland. A number of artists picked up on their songs, including Irish stars Foster & Alien and Dominic Kirwan, who had a hit single with the Duncan & Cy ballad "Absent Friends". They play regularly together in Kinityre and their fishing songs fit well into this tribute about Naomi as her life was so involved in the fishing industry; she owned half of a boat and was always campaigning on behalf of the fishermen.
The Wild Sarachs
The Wild Sarachs re-unite after a two and a half year rest from playing music. The organisers are delighted they have chosen NouFest as their return gig as they have a strong connection with Carradale. Their first proper gig was in Carradale and they recorded "Carradale Glen" on their Campbeltown Loch Blues EP. In 2010 they were selected to play on the Danny Kyle Open Stage at Celtic Connections and, despite their recent absence from the live scene; their music is still regularly played on Argyll FM.
Local Artists
All the performers will be joined by some locals at the end of the evening to sing songs carefully crafted by businessman Archie McMillan during his seafaring days and other Carradale favourites!
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