Blair Douglas
Chan e a cheannach a rinn e. Bha luchd-ciùil ealanta air taobh athair agus air taobh a mhàthair. Thogadh Blàr san Eilean Sgitheanach agus ann an Glaschu agus tha air cliù a chosnadh dha fhèin mar fhear-ciùil. Tha e air ochd clàran a dhèanamh cho math ri leabhar-ciùil de phuirt agus òrain a rinn e fhèin.
As would be said in Gaelic, Blair Douglas 'did not need to buy' his musical ability, he inherited it from both sides of his family. But genetics alone cannot explain this rare talent. What Blair has done over the years to hone and perfect his talents through good times and not-so-good times by dint of sheer hard and often thankless work. His musical expertise is a distillation of the tuition he received and the influences to which he was exposed, the years of playing and composing, and his recording and producing experience.
Blair was born and brought up in Skye. On his mother's side he has strong connections with North Uist while his father's people had moved to Skye from the Border country around 150 years ago.
Blair was inspired to buy an accordion after hearing the playing of the late, lamented Niall Cheòis of Lewis. In 1973, having quickly mastered the instrument he teamed up with Calum and Rory MacDonald, fellow Skyemen with North Uist connections. Together they formed the Run Rig Dance Band, later to become Run Rig, with whom he played for several years.
His first solo album, 'Celtology', came out in 1984. Subsequent CDs - 'Beneath the Beret', 'A Summer in Skye', 'Angels from the Ashes', 'Stay Strong', 'Leanaidh Mi', 'Behind the Name' and 'The Flyer' are all remarkable not only because of their quality but also because the material featured is Blair's own. These CDs are now classics and speak eloquently of Blair's huge musical talents.
