Old Blind Dogs

Old Blind Dogs is a Scottish musical group which plays traditional Scottish folk music and Celtic music, with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues and Middle Eastern music rhythms. The three founding members of the band (Ian F Benzie, Buzzby McMillan and Jonny Hardie) first met during a so-called "buskers' holiday" in the Scottish Highlands in 1990, and after playing together for the summer decided to call themselves "Old Blind Dogs". Dave Francis and Carmen Higgins joined the band soon afterwards, but left in 1992 before the recording of the first album, New Tricks. Since that time, the line-up of the band has changed frequently, with only Jonny Hardie remaining from the original group.

The Old Blind Dogs were named "Folk Band of the Year" at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2007. Also in 2004, Jim Malcolm was named Songwriter of the Year. In 2001, the UK's Association of Independent Music selected their album Fit? as a finalist for the Celtic Album of the Year award.

The band was, until the departure of Jim Malcolm, unusual amongst Scottish folk groups in that it represented the folk tradition of the North-East of Scotland, having a repertoire that included many ballads from this particular area, often sung in the distinctive 'Doric' dialect of Aberdeen and the surrounding area.

The band have toured extensively, performing in Britain, the USA, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, and Russia.

Discography

Albums

1. New Tricks (1992)
2. Close to the Bone (1993)
3. Tall Tails (1994)
4. Legacy (1995)
5. Five (1997)
6. Live (1999)
7. The World's Room (1999)
8. Fit? (2001)
9. The Gab o Mey (2003)
10. Play Live (2004)
11. Four on the Floor (2007)
12. Wherever Yet May Be (2010)

Contributing artist

1. The Rough Guide to Scottish Music (1996)

Band members

1990–92

• Ian F. Benzie (guitar, vocals)
• Jonny Hardie (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, backing vocals)
• Buzzby McMillan (cittern, bass)
• Carmen Higgins (fiddle)
• Dave Francis (percussion)
• Davy Cattanach (percussion) [joined 1991]

1992–96

• Ian F. Benzie
• Jonny Hardie
• Buzzby McMillan
• Davy Cattanach

1996–97

• Ian F. Benzie
• Jonny Hardie
• Buzzby McMillan
• Fraser Fifield (small pipes, saxophone)
• Davy Cattanach

1997–99

• Ian F. Benzie
• Fraser Fifield
• Graham Youngson (percussion)
• Jonny Hardie
• Buzzby McMillan

1999–2003

• Jim Malcolm (guitar, harmonica, lead vocals)
• Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, backing vocals)
• Buzzby McMillan
• Rory Campbell (whistle, border pipes, guitar, harmonica, backing vocals)
• Paul Jennings (percussion) [left 2002]

2003–2006

• Jim Malcolm
• Jonny Hardie
• Rory Campbell
• Fraser Stone (drums, percussion)
• Aaron Jones (bouzouki, bass, backing vocals)

2007–2008

• Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals)
• Rory Campbell (border pipes, whistles, vocals)
• Fraser Stone (percussion)
• Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)

2008–

• Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals)
• Ali Hutton (border pipes, whistles)
• Fraser Stone (percussion)
• Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)

In the following table, please note that although "Live" was released in 1999, the performers are those from the 1992–1996 line-up (Benzie, Hardie, McMillan, and Cattenach) and not those from "The World's Room" (a studio release from the same year).

External links

• Official website
• Green Linnet, the record label to which Old Blind Dogs is currently signed