#folk singer

रायपुर: छत्तीसगढ़ की लोक संस्कृति को विश्वभर में नई पहचान दिलाने वाली पंडवानी की महान गायिका और पद्म विभूषण सम्मान से अलंकृत डॉ. तीजन बाई का शनिवार देर रात निधन हो गया। उन्होंने तड़के रात 3:15 बजे रायपुर स्थित एम्स में अंतिम सांस ली। वह 70 वर्ष की थीं और पिछले कुछ समय से अस्वस्थ चल रही थीं। उनके निधन से लोक कला, संगीत और सांस्कृतिक जगत में शोक की लहर दौड़ गई है। पंडवानी को दिलाई वैश्विक पहचान डॉ.…

Nick Keir was born into an established Edinburgh family business, David Keir and Sons, footwear manufacturers, He was never cut out to be a businessman and resolutely pursued his life as a poet and dreamer. He was one of the first intake at the new University of Stirling in 1971 and it was there that he developed his performance as a folk singer. He formed the folk-rock band Finn Mac Cuill in 1972. With the Finn McCuill Folkshow he toured Scotland with the poet Norman McCaig and had many wry anecdotes of those times. He then joined the leftist theatre group 7:84.

In 1982, he was invited to join the McCalmans and remained with them for the next 30 years until the band dissolved, touring all over the world as one of the best known and most successful Scottish Traditional acts.

In 2004 , together with the group, Nick was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame on the occasion of being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Prize at the Scottish Folk Awards, and in 2005 the group received the Danish Folk Music Prize at the Skagen Festival.

After the McCalmans, Nick performed across Europe with the acclaimed Tolkien Ensemble, presenting a musical spectacular with Sir Christopher Lee in The Lord of the Rings. He also played with the Holbaek Ensemble of Denmark playing an exciting mix of Scots and Irish Traditional music laced with the Baroque of Correlli and Vivaldi. He also found time to do four solo cds, the song American Accent being on the second release “All over this town”

In 2012 he was diagnosed with a serious illness and courageously battled on, delivering his final masterly performance in the Spring of this year at the Queens Hall, the McCalman’s home venue and within yards of where he had grown up and lived nearly all his life.

Described as a modest and infinitely courteous man, his songs and music could capture the spirit of Edinburgh through the eyes of an unashamed romantic, he obviously loved his history too.

Corryvreckan Calling.

Alone on the deck in the morning light She looks out west to where the islands lie As the ferry boat pulls away Down in the bar where the old men smoke Tell their tales and share their old men's jokes Sunlight shining through the grey She lifts her hands as if to shade her eyes And in the morning light she scan horizons

She had a dream of an island home, a soft wind blowing and Corryvreckan calling,     calling, far out at sea Down in the fields where the children play, they come home just as the     light is falling, falling The children come home at close of day

Born in the streets on the town's dark side, she learnt to run, learned to run and hide Run anywhere but here Other girls dreamt of being TV stars or making a break in some fast, shiny car Far Far away The old folk told her tales of peat smoke fire nights And in her dreams she sees the glistening starlight

She got a job in a hotel bar A room of her own…a window to the stars Under Hebridean Skies She walks on the beach in the morning rain, and smiles and thinks of just     how far she's come Sunlight dazzling her eyes And if the chance it comes I think she'll take it And after all you know I think she'll make it