Monday, 6 August 2012

ORKNEY 12: MICHAEL HARCUS

I had a chance meeting whilst on holiday in Orkney. One morning in Pierowall I had to kill some time while I waited for the shops to open.  When I alighted from the bus that was taking everyone else to the ferry I fell into conversation with a lady standing at her gate saying goodbye to her guest boarding the same bus. "Where could I go for an hour?" I asked her.  "Come in to our house and wait" she said.

Pierowall by the harbour.

She and her husband very kindly offered me a cup of tea and some of her home-made oatcakes (very impressive as I have tried making these and never had success).  

I spent a very pleasant hour with them before heading off to make enquiries about someone I was trying locate in Peirowall.  They were very helpful in my search and I .... eventually ... made contact.


However, as we chatted I learned that these good folks are involved in writing and performing music.  Their style is sometimes gospel, sometimes country and western in flavour and sometimes rock music ... or a combination of all three.  They had recently produced a CD "Hardship and Hope" which can be seen on their website here.  This Orcadian singer/songwriter on the CD is Michael Harcus. The harmonies are done by his wife Teenie and/or a friend Mairi Warren, from Glasgow, who also plays piano.


As this CD was recorded both in Westray, Orkney and Nashville, Tennessee I have pulled together a couple of my photos that show the Orkney side of the one thing Orkney and Tennessee might have in common: fences!









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