Last year, during the pandemic, I was reading a wonderful travel memoir on Scotland called Where's Me Plaid? A Scottish Roots Odyssey by Scott Crawford (it's lovely and wonderful and hysterical; I HIGHLY recommend it.......so much that here's the link to it on Amazon:)
...when fabulous author Mr. Crawford mentioned one Dougie MacLean. Because I love all things Scotland, I decided to ask my Alexa to play some of his music. And a new era began.
To say I like Mr. MacLean's music would be the understatement to end all understatements. If my soul had a soundtrack, THIS IS IT. I wake up to it. I fall asleep to it. I paint to it, in rotation with Rising Appalachia and the Indigo Girls. But even that is still, like, 85% Dougie.
I bake bread to Dougie. I do the dishes to Dougie. When I leave the house his CDs are the only ones in my car. My poor husband knows all the words to his songs because it's constantly on in the house. And....I've written two novels to nothing but Dougie. So far.
If you look at the end of the books, I thank him there. Songs of his have inspired characters, moods and locations. If you like Wyldwood and Circle of Three, you must GET THINESELF SOME DOUGIE.
Luckily, not only is DM uber-talented, but he is kind as well. Throughout the pandemic he had broadcast the most wonderful free concerts/storytelling sessions from his studio in an old schoolhouse (both he and his father attended the school) in Scotland. The studio is called Butterstone, which I love with all my heart. There's more than 100 of these concerts now. Here's a link to one from last December on Youtube:
I just know you'll fall in love with these concerts like I have. They are so....charming, inspiring, and....full of love.
Check them out and let me know if you love them too!
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