Aonghas Grant Interview

The second episode of ‘Adam Sutherland’s Interesting People’ features an hour long interview with a man who has played a huge part in the continuation of his native West Highland fiddle music over the the last 50 years.

Aonghas Grant very kindly let me come and visit him in his lovely home in Lochyside, near Fort William. Over a wee pot of tea, he recounts to my father and me many a tale from his varied and fascinating life of fiddle music, describing some of the many characters he’s met along the way.  Some of Aonghas’s star pupils get a wee mention, including Allan Henderson, Megan Henderson and Louise Mackenzie.  It was also lovely to hear him talk about my first fiddle teacher, Donald Riddell. Fired up Shetland fiddler Ross Couper and North East virtuoso Paul Anderson also get a look in – high praise, indeed.

Aonghas finishes with a few tunes from himself, before some heartfelt and beautifully articulate thoughts on the state of the Gaelic Language and the current thriving Scottish music scene.

I am so delighted that Aonghas agreed to let me come and visit him for my podcast. I must confess to being somewhat nervous on the way there, but he put me at right at ease.

Folk like him are real treasures, and in my opinion offer incalculable value to the world.