Maeve Mackinnon

Biography

 

Maeve Mackinnon is tipped as one of Scotland's leading young folk singers. An Honours graduate of the RSAMD's Scottish Music degree, her singing really started to come into its own prior to finalising for the BBC Radio Scotland "Young Traditional Musician 2005" award.
Born into a political family, Maeve spent most of her infancy learning to walk and talk on peace marches in the 1980s, and remembers Dick Gaughan as being the first live singer she ever heard, and a major musical influence. Childhood holidays on the Isle of Jura and her discovery of the Celtic supergroup Capercaillie nurtured her interest in Gaelic song and folk music. She started learning Gaelic at 17 with a view to being able to sing the songs properly and was encouraged by singer Alyth MacCormack and fiddler Iain MacFarlane to try out for the RSAMD's Scottish Music course.
Maeve majored in Gaelic song at the RSAMD (under the tutelage of Kenna Campbell and Mairi MacInnes) whilst maintaining and developing a deep interest in Scots and Irish folksong and bluegrass. In 2005 she was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Isle of Skye), which greatly benefited her language skills.
Reviews this year have described Maeve’s voice as “achingly beautiful”, and “fluid, supple singing”.
Maeve is fortunate to perform regularly on national television. She appeared most recently with her 4-piece lineup on Scottish Television’s, "Ceol aig a' Chaisteal”, and is a featured artist (with Innes Watson on guitar) on the BBC's forthcoming coverage of Celtic Connections 2007.
Her current schedule includes work in Gaelic primary education, a Scottish Opera educational production in Gaelic song, gigs and singing tuition. Her debut solo album, "Don't Sing Love Songs", is out now on Footstompin Records. Produced by Duncan Lyall (Croft No.5) and Ali Hutton (Back of the Moon), the album interweaves Gaelic songs with folksongs from Scotland, Ireland and North America, maintaining a distinctive and exciting groove throughout.