A CHARITY single written, recorded and performed as a tribute for NHS workers has picked up an award at this year's Scots Trad Music Awards.
The annual event was broadcast last night as artists from Scotland's traditional music scene were recognised for brilliant achievements and stand-out releases.
And among the worthy winners from last night's broadcast included the NHS charity single 'Everyday Heroes', which won Original Work of the Year.
Skerryvore member Martin Gillespie said he wrote the track to "pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff, volunteers, and key workers who are risking so much to fight Covid-19 and keep us all safe."
The track featured a number of Scotland's greatest trad artists, including all of the members of Skerryvore, Innes Scott of Peat and Diesel, BBC Take the Floor Presenter and member of Mànran Gary Innes, Robert Robertson of Tide Lines, Harry Richards of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Skipinnish’s Angus MacPhail and Rory Grindlay, Ian Smith and Seonaidh Macintyre from fellow Tiree band Trail West, Mhairi Marwick of Fat Suit, alongside political aide and journalist Alastair Campbell on the pipes.
Award sponsor Stuart Fleming, Senior Membership Manager Scotland & Northern Ireland, PRS for Music said: “Congratulations to all the nominees and winners recognised at this year’s MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, including Skerryvore for winning Original Work of the Year.
"The incredible Everyday Heroes, written to raise proceeds for the NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal, will no doubt have brought hope to many in 2020."
This year’s event had been set to take place in Dundee’s Caird Hall but with live music and event restrictions in place for the foreseeable future, two special programmes were created hosted by Alistair Heather and Mary Ann Kennedy.
Award winners were announced along with specially-recorded music performances from some of traditional music’s top luminaries, including The Iona Fyfe Trio, Project Smok, Deirdre Graham, Jarlath Henderson and Karen Matheson as well as Phil Cunningham and many more.
Ealasaid MacDonald, Director of Strategy & External Affairs at title sponsors MG ALBA said: “Once again, the Trads has showcased the best of creativity and talent across Scotland. MG ALBA would like to congratulate all those who have taken part, those nominated and the winners, as they have been part of a very different year where music has been an essential part of all our lives.
"We are delighted that Hands Up for Trad has brought us all together for this wonderful opportunity to celebrate the best of traditional music.”
Also recognised within the awards programme were three pillars of the Scots Trad Music community with the Janet Paisley Services to Scots Language Award sponsored by Creative Scotland awarded to James Robertson, the Services to Gaelic Award sponsored by Bòrd na Gàidhlig awarded to John Smith, and the 2020 Hamish Henderson Award for Services to Traditional Music went to Lisa Whytock.
Daibhidh Boag of Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “We are proud to support this award once more and on behalf of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, I congratulate and thank John Smith for his dedication to the language through his work in television.
"His contribution to Gaelic culture has been invaluable and he continues to be an inspiration to young Gaelic speakers with his work at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye.”
Tweaked for 2020 to reflect everything the entire industry has created due to Covid-19, MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Award Winners & Sponsors were:
Album of The Year, sponsored by Birnam CD
- The Woods by Hamish Napier
Original Work of the Year, sponsored by PRS for Music
- Everyday Heroes by Skerryvore
Community Music Project of the Year, sponsored by Greentrax Recordings
- Tunes in the Hoose
Event of the Year Award sponsored by VisitScotland
- BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award 20th Anniversary Concert (Celtic Connections)
Gaelic Singer of the Year, sponsored by The Highland Society of London
- Fionnag NicChoinnich (Fiona MacKenzie)
Musician of the Year, sponsored by the University of the Highlands and Islands
- Tim Edey
Online Performance of 2020, sponsored by Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust
- Duncan Chisholm’s Covid Ceilidh
Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year, sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association (TMSA), for artists singing in Scots language
- Siobhan Miller
Trad Video of the Year, sponsored by Threads of Sound
- Calum Dan’s Transit Van by Peat & Diesel
Trad Music in the Media, sponsored by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
- Anna Massie – Black Isle Correspondent
Up & Coming artist of the Year, sponsored by Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Rebecca Hill
Music Tutor of the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative
- Josie Duncan
The awards will be shown again on BBC ALBA at 9pm on Saturday 18th December 2020 and will be available on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days.
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