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Talking To...Shelagh McDonald

In 2008 they left the tent and got a flat in Lanark. Unfortunately Gordon's health was declining and the "masses of song and lyric ideas were shoved to the side"

"I felt like I could take care of him and still get out and play. If only to make us a bit of money to get out of the tents and solve a few problems. He told me it would be completely unworkable and he was right, he always was right actually."

In February of 2012, Gordon sadly passed away

"I was glad we got those last years together. Looking back I realised every step of the way everything was being prepared, before and after.
Now Gordon wasn't here I may not feel like singing, not have the heart. The day before he died he looked at me and said you have got to sing"

Following the exhaustion that came with tying up all the loose ends after Gordon's passing she was eventually ready to think about a come back. After doing some floor spots in various places it was Steve Tilson, an old friend, who was playing a show at A' the Airts in Sanqhuar who invited her along and asked her to bring her guitar. She was asked if she would like to do a few songs by Hugh Taylor, the compare at the show and duly performed four songs.

"I was terrified, when you play again after so long you really forget what happens. Your hands get sweaty, you forget the words but once you get past that first song its fine"

From there Hugh Taylor had invited her to be the guest on his radio show Folk 'n' Stuff on a small Dumfriesshire Community Radio Station Alive Radio 107.3 and on December 11th in a tiny, compact studio she made her official comeback. In the studio with them was a film crew from Faction North beginning filming for a feature length documentary covering Shelagh's return.
Following her come back show on January 16th at the Green Note in London as special guest to The False Beards (featuring old friend Ian A Anderson) there are plenty more to come including A' the Airts and The Wickerman Festival in Dumfriesshire. 2013 could be a momentous one for 64 Year old, Shelagh McDonald but she is typically modest about what is to come.

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. At my age you learn to live day to day and take it as it comes. As a musician its up to you lift people. There will be people there who have paid their money to see you, they may have had a fight with the wife, worried about their job or mortgage or any bad thing, you want to make them forget about that.
By plugging in to the music, your plugging in to love and when they walk out of the club you've channelled them away from whatever was pre-occupying them before they came in. They walk out saying I can face tomorrow. As you get older you realise that's what its about"

Shelagh McDonald is a woman picking up where she left off 42 years ago and I had to ask her the obvious question. Any regrets?

"If what happened in London didn't happen I wouldn't be getting the same kick I am now and I have absolutely no regrets"

Aymer Nelson

B&W Photograph by Keith Morris. www.keithmorrisphoto.co.uk