Triumph for trad talent as winners announced for MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards

The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards celebrated its 12th year in style tonight (Saturday 13th December) with a glittering awards ceremony which was their biggest and best yet – with a record breaking figure of over 100,000 public votes deciding the award recipients. 

Broadcast live on BBC ALBA, the prestigious awards - organised by Hands Up for Trad - saw stars of the Scottish music scene take to Inverness Leisure Centre to celebrate and honour the very best of traditional talent.

This year’s notable winners include Julie Fowlis who scooped Folk Band of the Year, sponsored by Threads of Sound.  This year has been a tremendous one for the band, having performed across 19 days, 14 venues and 11 states as part of a USA tour and, more recently, Julie herself became the first Gaelic artist to win at the national Scottish Music Awards, previously won by artists such as Annie Lennox, Paolo Nutini and Simple Minds.

Other winners of the prestigious prizes included Skipinnish scooping the coveted Live Act of the Year award, beating off competition from Skerryvore, Peatbog Faeries and Gavin Marwick’s Journeyman Spectacular.  The Trad Music in the Media award went to Isles FM who recently faced closure due to a lack of funding.  After receiving £6,000 in donations, the small station now has a new 12 year OFCOM license, meaning this win adds to a terrific year end.  

Gaelic Singer of the Year went to Mischa Macpherson, who was a headline act at this year’s Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival, while Jim Sutherland bagged the PRS for Music award for Composer of the Year. Please find a full list of winners below. 

This year’s glamorous ceremony was hosted by Tony Kearney and Mary Ann Kennedy and winners of the awards were selected through public votes, as well over 100,000 people had their say.  

Event Founder and Hands Up for Trad Creative Director: Simon Thoumire says: “Year upon year the awards get bigger and better and tonight was no exception.  We have had a terrific evening and wish a massive congratulations to all our winners and nominees. We’re proud to have been awarding Trad talent for the past 12 years and, thanks to the overwhelming support from the public, we will continue to do so.

“We would also like to thank Highland Council for their overwhelming support this year and MG ALBA for their continued contribution to the awards – the support from both has been invaluable.

“We’re delighted to announce that in 2015 the Scots Trad Awards will be going to Dundee for the first time on December 5th – so watch this space for news on the event.”

The evening was concluded by a fantastic array of live performances from some of the country’s best-loved Trad music stars including eclectic six-piece Shooglenifty, Shetland’s global ambassadors Fiddlers Bid and energetic quintet, Rura.

Inverness Provost, Alex Graham, said: “The MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards is an excellent showcase and platform for the whole traditional music industry, as was evident from the spectrum of talent which entertained the audience present in Inverness Leisure Centre and the many BBC ALBA viewers.

“The Highland Council were delighted to have the Trads in Inverness, especially in the Year of Homecoming Scotland when the Highlands hosted a wide range of cultural and sporting events.

“The growth of Traditional Music and the development of the Creative Industries within the Highlands are real success stories for our area.

“Highland Council were proud to support the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards and we wish all the participants, businesses, winners and supporters every success for the future. I hope the event will return to here again very soon.”

Donald Campbell, Chief Executive of event sponsors MG ALBA, said: “The Trads recognise those who have achieved excellence and we at MG ALBA are delighted to have been involved once again as sponsors. We congratulate all who have been nominated and all the winners.”  

Stuart Fleming, Senior Manager of event sponsors PRS for Music, said: “PRS for Music are delighted to continue to celebrate the fantastic traditional music of Scotland's rich and exciting culture. This year, more than any in living memory, our Scottish members have showcased their music to the world with passion and energy."

Cllr Hamish Fraser presents the WVenue of the Year Award to Jean Urquhart from The Ceilidh Place in Ullapool

The full winners list for this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards:

• Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD - Live at Celtic Connections by Duncan Chisholm  
• Club of the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland- Tin Hut Sessions
• Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music – Jim Sutherland
• Community Project of the Year sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust – Summer Isles Festival
• Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland – GRIT: The Martyn Bennett Story
• Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna – Mischa Macpherson
• Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society – Catriona McKay
• Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings - Skipinnish
• Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association – Emily Smith
• Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs – Da Fustra
• Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Threads of Music – Julie Fowlis
• Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The National Piping Centre – West Lothian Schools pipe band
• Trad Music in the Media sponsored by Skipinnish – Isles FM
• Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Creative Scotland's Youth Music Initiative – Douglas Montgomery
• Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – The Elephant Sessions
• Venue of the Year Award – The Ceilidh Place