| Alasdair White | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980s Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland |
| Genres | Scottish folk music |
| Instruments | fiddle |
| Associated acts | Battlefield Band |
Alasdair White is a Scottish folk musician who played with the Battlefield Band as a fiddler since 2001, when he was 18 years old.[1]
White is a Scottish Gaelic speaker, and originates from Tong on the Island of Lewis (in Gaelic Eilean Leodhais) one of Scotland's Outer Hebrides islands, a geographical area where the Gaelic language and culture are of great importance to some of its native inhabitants; it is this, combined with general Scottish culture that influences White's playing style.
White's chief instrument is the fiddle, of which he generally plays in a West-Highland and North-West styles; these styles being heavily derived from a culture with a rich piping tradition. He also plays the whistle, banjo, bazouki, mandolin, Highland and Small pipes, 'and probably anything else he can lay his hands on!'
White joined Battlefield Band in September 2001, and as of March 2008, he appears on four albums: Time & Tide (2002), Out For The Night (2004), The Road of Tears (2006) and their latest album Dookin' (2007).
Aside from Battlefield Band, White released a solo album in 2006 entitled An Clàr Geal (The White Album). This album features thirteen tracks, traditional Scottish arrangements as well as White's own work. On this album White worked with musicians Ewen McPherson (Banjo/Guitar/Mandolin/Tromb), Aaron Jones (10-string bouzouki/Bass), Iain Copeland (Percussion), Russel Hunter (Piano), Alison Kinnard (Scottish Harp) and fellow Battlefield Band member Mike Katz (musician) (Highland Pipes/Scottish Small Pipes in keys C and A). In early 2008, An Clàr Geal won in The 7th Annual Independent Music Awards for Best Traditional World Album.[2]
White's musical career started while still at school playing with the Face the West, releasing their first CD Edge of Reason while still at school. The band continued on when White left to join Battlefield Band and have just released their second album. White will be appearing with Face the West at the Hebridean Celtic Festival in July 2009 for a Face the West and Friends gig on the main stage.