Alasdair Roberts

Alasdair Roberts is a Glasgow-based musician – primarily a singer and guitarist – born in Germany and raised in central Scotland. Acclaimed by Folk Radio UK as 'one of our most talented, important and relevant songwriters and song-adapters', he has released several critically acclaimed albums of his music via Drag City Records since the late nineties.

Alasdair is known for his own idiosyncratic and evocative compositions and songs, as well as for his fresh interpretations of traditional songs and narrative ballads from Scotland and beyond. He enjoys a wide range of collaborations with fellow musicians, as well as with artists from other disciplines. He plays in the groups Furrow Collective and Current 93 and has toured extensively both in the UK and worldwide, both solo and with various musical companions.

Alasdair’s most recent album, Grief in the Kitchen and Mirth in the Hall, is a collection of traditional songs recorded entirely solo. April 2025 will see the release of Remembered in Exile: Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia, a new album recorded in collaboration with Lewis-born Gaelic singer Màiri Morrison and Canadian producer/arranger Pete Johnston.

Featured releases

The Scottish musician here supplies another document of his fascinating interpretations of wild and rare traditional songs he's sourced from various parts of Scotland. Limited to 300 copiesAlasdair Roberts on his new release on Infinite Greyscale:'The TunesI am indebted to my piping friend Donald Lindsay for The Blythsome Bridal, The Braes of Tulliemet and The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, while Chief O’Neill’s Favourite and The Flowers of Edinburgh were learnt from my fiddling friend Neil McDermott. The Blythsome Bridal is used as the melody to a comic lyric called ‘Fy Let Us A’ To The Bridal’ first published in 1706. The Braes of Tulliemet lie near the Perthshire town of Pitlochry. The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman is also known as ‘Carrick’s Rant’. Chief O’Neill was Francis O’Neill (1848-1936), who was born in County Cork, emigrated to the USA as a young man and eventually became chief of the Chicago Police from 1901 to 1905. The Flowers of Edinburgh was first published in James Oswald’s Caledonian Pocket Companion around 1760. The guitars are fretted in the following positions as the tunes appear on the record: II, II, V, VII and V.The SongsMy family stayed in a haunted house in the village of Balquhidder for a very short while in the early 1980s after moving from Germany to Scotland. However, I only took to singing The Braes of Balquhidder very recently after hearing a recording of it sung by the late Tim Lyons. The Seasons was learnt from the singing of the late Aberdeen singer Lizzie Higgins, daughter of Jeannie Robertson. Edinburgh-based Ulsterman Cathal McConnell knows many fine songs, most of which are collected in his book/CD set I Have Travelled This Country. I learnt this version of The Curragh of Kildare from that source. The late Sheila Stewart of Rattray, near Blairgowrie, is the source of my version of False, False. I would be unable to attribute my singing of Roberts Burns’ The Silver Tassie to a single source, owing to its general popularity in Scotland. I am forever indebted to all the fine singers and musicians mentioned above, and to many others unmentioned, for passing on songs and tunes to me over the years.'Alasdair RobertsLondon, June 2020 

Alasdair Roberts – Fretted And Indebted

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Forthcoming events

Sunday 20 April 2025

Alasdair Roberts + Juice / Santi Lowe (duo)

Past events