Kelly has an established reputation in the local Celtic music community, with 13 years of instruction and performance experience. There are times when a place like Fiddler's Green is rewarded with presenting a talent deserving of a greater audience than we have the capacity to provide, but we get the opportunity by happenstance or by virtue of the fact that a very talented act is simply not yet known in the Atlanta area. Such is the occasion this month, as we feature a marvelous singer and songwriter from Scotland named Ian Bruce. Note that despite being touted as a contemporary performing songwriter, we choose not to use the common term singer-songwriter. This is because we wish to stress the separate talents for which Ian has become known in the U.K. and parts of Europe.
Many gifted songwriters are at best marginal singers.
Not so this man. During this project, his singing capabilities impressed such renowned Scottish musicians as Catriona Macdonald, Ian Lowthian, Tony McManus, the Battlefield Band, the Tannahill Weavers and Ossian. Interestingly, Ian's musical career back home really flourished when he focused on his songwriting. Without going into detail, let us just say that this guy has lived a life conducive to writing songs that common folk can relate to. Most of his compositions spring from personal experiences, which brings a quality to the writing that is rare.