Robert Tannahill: Wi' love that ne'er shall tine

Join us for an evening celebrating the renowned Scottish songwriter and poet, Robert Tannahill. This insightful lecture-with copious musical illustrations-will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Paisley weaver poet.

Fred Freeman of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will be accompanied by the singer John Morran of Deaf Shepherd to explore the radical people’s tradition in relation to multiculturalism in Scotland and Tannahill’s unique body of anti-sectarian, abolitionist and anti-war songs and poems.

The lecture coincides with the release of the fifth CD in Fred Freeman’s internationally acclaimed ‘Complete Tannahill Songs’.

About:

Currently Visiting Professor of Traditional Music at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Fred Freeman has, over many years, taught Scottish literature at The School of Scottish Studies and the English Department, University of Edinburgh. He had a postdoctoral appointment at St Antony’s College, University of Oxford for two years in the late 1980s.

He is the author of numerous books and articles on Scottish literature, Scots language, folk music and history, and was recently recognised by the Association For Scottish Literary Studies with a lifetime Honorary Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to Scottish literary studies.

Over the past decade he has drawn upon his extensive musical background, producing over 46 internationally acclaimed CDs, amongst them: The Complete Songs of Robert Burns, 13 Cds, Linn Records 1996-2003; The Complete Songs of Robert Tannahill, Vols I, II & III (with Vol IV currently in production and one remaining volume to come).

John Morran is the lead singer and guitarist with Scots traditional band Deaf Shepherd. Increasingly recognized as one of Scotland’s most outstanding performers of traditional song he is frequently invited to lecture on the subject.

Adding his rich Lowland heritage to Deaf Shepherd’s musical mix, John is one of the band’s longest-standing members hailing originally from the Ayrshire ex-mining community of Muirkirk. With the nearest town in any direction being ten miles away the village remains a stronghold of the Lowland Scots language which inspires much of John’s singing whether in Burns ballads or contemporary compositions from the region.

Host or Publisher Scottish Poetry Library