Edinburgh Tradfest – Wild Mountain Thyme

With thirty-six artists spanning the globe, performing one of most popular Scottish/Irish folk songs Wild Mountain Thyme, The Edinburgh Tradfest is marking what would have been its launch day in the best possible way, bringing the heart of tradition and music into the comfort of our homes.

At noon on May 1st, the day the festival was due to launch, Edinburgh Tradfest is releasing a recording and video of the popular song via YouTube, with the link provided from social media. Coming from local and far, artists from Scotland, Ireland, England, California, Nova Scotia and Norway have recorded themselves for the project under the guiding eye of Traditional Artist in Residence Mike Vass, edited by Edinburgh video maker Ruth Barrie from Waltzer Films.

Noted artists for the recording include but are not limited to, acclaimed folk musician and original festival headliner Eliza Carthy; Fiona Hunter, Rachel Newton, James Mackintosh, Shetland fiddlers including Catriona Macdonald and Chris Stout, accordion player Phil Alexander, and Irish folk-singer Daoirí Farrell. A full list of performers can be found below.

Selected for its uplifting ability with the Scottish people, Wild Mountain Thyme is likely to bring comfort to those music fans and traditional enthusiast across the world during these trying times, where often tradition is a solace to those whose families are separated. While no easy task in formulating this recording, the team has come together to craft something they are no-doubt proud of and fittingly mark the occasion.

Notably, the recording also signals the start of the festival’s fundraising campaign for their 2021 season, already brimming with ideas to showcase the best in traditional arts: https://www.givey.com/edinburghtradfest2021

Released on YouTube, make sure you’re following Edinburgh Tradfest online to find out more:

edinburghtradfest.com, Twitter.com/@EdinTradfest, Facebook.com/tradfestedinburgh, Instagram.com/@EdinTradfest

Full Performance listing:

Lead vocals: Eliza Carthy, Fiona Hunter (Malinky), Steve Byrne (Malinky), Mike Vass (Malinky), Daoirí Farrell, Nuala Kennedy, A.J Roach, Olivia Ross (The Shee), Kaela Rowan (Shooglenifty), J.P Cormier, Ciorstaidh Chaimbeul (Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail)

Fiddles: Holli Scott (Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail), Fiona MacAskill (Kinnaris Quintet), Aileen Reid (Kinnaris Quintet), Laura Wilkie (Kinnaris Quintet), Eilidh Shaw (Shooglenifty), Sam Sweeney, Catriona Macdonald (Shetland Springs), Chris Stout (Shetland Springs), Kevin Henderson (Shetland Springs), Ross Couper (Shetland Springs), Margaret Robertson (Shetland Springs), Mike Vass (Malinky)