Alasdair MacCuish and the Black Rose Ceilidh Band

Alasdair began the accordion at the age of 12 under the guidance of Graham Laurie. Tuition in the early days was mainly classical based, but with his roots lying in the Uists (his father from Balranald in North Uist, his grandfather a piper from Milton in South Uist and his mother's family were MacLellans and Gillies' from Mallaig and Morar), it was inevitable that the calling of traditional music would eventually take hold. The competition scene was a major part of his early playing career and he become Scottish accordion champion in 1997. 

Whilst he is a self confessed lover of traditional pipe and Gaelic music, he also thrives on the current folk scene and enjoys taking contemporary compositions and fitting them into the Scottish dance music idiom.

The band’s style is very much focused on the demands of the dancer but musically they draw on influences from the wider Scottish and Irish contemporary folk scenes.

Alasdair MacCuish and the Black Rose Ceilidh Band were named the ‘Best Scottish Dance Band’ at the Scots Trad Music Awards in Edinburgh in September 2003.