Runrig

Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973¹. From its inception, the band's line-up included brothers and songwriters Rory MacDonald (bass, vocals) and Calum MacDonald (percussion). The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s, which was the band's most successful period commercially, also included Donnie Munro (vocals), Malcolm Jones (guitar), Iain Bayne (drums), and Pete Wishart (keyboards). At the height of their success during the 1980s and 1990s, Runrig were described by Billboard as one of the "most celebrated" Gaelic language bands in Scotland. Their 1995 single "An Ubhal as Àirde (The Highest Apple)" made history by becoming the first song to be sung in Scottish Gaelic to chart on the UK Singles Charts. In 2007, they re-released their 1983¹ debut single "Loch Lomond" with the Tartan Army, entitled "Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)". It debuted at number one in their native Scotland, remaining on the top spot for four weeks, and in the United Kingdom, debuted at number nine, earning a Silver certification from the BPI. In 2016, the band announced their retirement from recording and performing following the release of The Story, (2016) and announced their final tour The Final Mile in 2017. In August 2018, Runrig performed the final shows of their farewell tour, entitled The Last Dance, in Stirling City Park beneath the castle ramparts.…

Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included brothers and songwriters Rory MacDonald (bass, vocals) and Calum MacDonald (percussion). The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s, which was the band's most successful period commercially, also included Donnie Munro (vocals), Malcolm Jones (guitar), Iain Bayne (drums), and Pete Wishart (keyboards). At the height of their success during the 1980s and 1990s, Runrig were described by Billboard as one of the "most celebrated" Gaelic language bands in Scotland. Their 1995 single "An Ubhal as Àirde (The Highest Apple)" made history by becoming the first song to be sung in Scottish Gaelic to chart on the UK Singles Charts. In 2007, they re-released their 1983 debut single "Loch Lomond" with the Tartan Army, entitled "Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)". It debuted at number one in their native Scotland, remaining on the top spot for four weeks, and in the United Kingdom, debuted at number nine, earning a Silver certification from the BPI. In 2016, the band announced their retirement from recording and performing following the release of The Story, (2016) and announced their final tour The Final Mile in 2017. In August 2018, Runrig performed the final shows of their farewell tour, entitled The Last Dance, in Stirling City Park beneath the castle ramparts. An estimated 52,000 fans attended The Last Dance. ===Renewed popularity (2001¹–2009)=== Having established that they could continue without Donnie Munro, Runrig set to work on their eleventh studio album. Among their independently released studio albums, The Stamping Ground (2001) was Runrig's most successful. Moreover, critics who had given mixed reviews to In Search Of Angels, praised The Stamping Ground as the quintessential Runrig album. The band continued to enjoy support in the UK, Germany, and Denmark. However, with a Canadian frontman, Runrig began finding new fans in Canada and the United States. In 2001, Pete Wishart, the band's keyboard player, left after being elected Member of Parliament for the constituency of Tayside North for the Scottish National Party. In the 2005 election he was again elected, this time for the new constituency of Perth and North Perthshire and again for the SNP. Brian Hurren stepped in to take Wishart's place in the band. Wishart has been re-elected in each subsequent general election. The 2001 album The Stamping Ground was seen very much as a return to form after the lacklustre In Search Of Angels (1999), but 2003's Proterra divided opinion amongst music journalists and public alike. In August 2003, Runrig played their 30th Anniversary concert on the esplanade at Stirling Castle, celebrating 30 years since the band's formation, and including visitors from previous line-ups, as well as guest artists including the Glasgow Islay Choir and Paul Mounsey. Runrig played their first U.S. concert, a benefit for the charity "Glasgow the Caring City", on 4 April 2006 at the Nokia Theatre in New York City. Founding member Blair Douglas joined the band onstage, playing accordion on several numbers. While the bulk of their 2007 tour was scheduled for Denmark, Germany, and England, an outdoor show, titled "Beat The Drum", was held at Loch Ness on 18 August 2007. It was staged at Borlum Farm, Drumnadrochit and attended by 18,500 people in heavy rain. Because of the unusually large number of support acts, it had been likened to an all-day music festival, Runrig being the headline act. This was the first in what was to become a staple for Runrig – annually staging big outdoor shows in Scotland in summer. performing live with Runrig at Edinburgh Castle, 2008 Runrig re-recorded "Loch Lomond" and release it as "Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)" to raise funds for the BBC's annual Children in Need appeal. The song was released on 12 November 2007, and includes the Tartan Army, the name used to refer to supports of the Scotland national football team, and including Rod Stewart, on backing vocals. It reached No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart. "Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)" was named "The Best Scottish Song Of All Time" in November 2008. The band were presented the award by Lulu. On 5 December 2008, during the penultimate tour date at The Barrowlands, Glasgow, the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall Of Fame, by the Scottish Traditional Music Awards Director. On 29 August 2009, Runrig performed at Scone Palace for their third annual outdoor summer show (the second being at Edinburgh Castle in 2008). They were supported by acts such as the Peatbog Faeries, piper Fred Morrison, King Creosote, Kathleen Macinnes, and Blair Douglas (a former member of the group) and his band. The show was part of Scotland's Year of Homecoming 2009. To underline this, First Minister Alex Salmond made an appearance on stage (introduced by his SNP colleague and former band member Pete Wishart), and launched an initiative called 'SconeStone.' This aims to promote Scotland as a kind and compassionate nation through the "journey of kindness" made by the SconeStone across the world. Its keepers, each holding it for a week before passing it on, are expected to undertake a good deed. Its first keeper was the Reverend Neil Galbraith, who was presented with the stone on the same day. ===The Last Dance and disbandment (2017–2018)=== On 26 September 2017, Runrig announced that after forty-five years they would be "pulling the curtain down" on both recording and performing. Following the announcement, the band announced a final concert tour entitled The Final Mile which would include dates in Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom. The tour concluded with a final show in Stirling's City Park entitled The Last Dance which took place over two days and was attended by over 50,000 people over the course of the two dates. During the tour, all members of Runrig were given the opportunity to be "front and centre" for a period of time during the setlist, from a drum set which included Iain Bayne and Calum MacDonald and keyboardist Brian Hurren who performed vocals during "In Search of Angels". Original lead singer of the band, Donnie Munro, who left in 1997 to pursue a career in politics, joined the band to perform "Cearcal a’ Chuain" and "Cum ‘Ur n’Aire" alongside the Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir. To conclude the concert, Macdonald thanked fans for "45 years of memories you’ve given to us" and vowed that whilst the band "will not perform on stage as Runrig again, the music lives on". ===Post–breakup (2018–present)=== In September 2018, one month following their final performance in Stirling during The Last Dance, Sony Music released a box set compilation entitled Original Album Classics. In August 2019, the band announced the release of the concert on audio and film formats entitled The Last Dance – Farewell Concert. In 2021, BBC Alba broadcast The Last Dance from Stirling in April, marking the first time the performance had been broadcast on television, alongside other programmes devoted to the band over the course of the weekend spanning 2–4 April 2021. Bruce Guthro, who joined the band in 1998 following the departure of original lead singer Donnie Munro, died on 5 September 2023 from cancer. ==Artistry== Runrig's music is often described as a blend of folk and rock music, with the band's lyrics often focusing upon locations, history, politics, and people that are unique to Scotland. Songs also make references to agriculture, land conservation and religion. Many of the band's songs include references to Scottish history or culture. These include the band's name itself – which is a reference to a pre–agricultural revolution farming practice, run rig. ==Further reading== Morton, Tom: Going Home – The Runrig Story (Mainstream Publishing). 1991. . Macdonald, Calum and Rory: Flower Of The West – The Runrig Songbook (Ridge Books). 2000. . Herzig, Tina and Horst: Runrig Reflections (Passavia Druckservice GmbH & Co. KG). 2010. ISBN none. ==See also== List of Runrig's Gaelic songs ==References== ==External links== Runrig's official website

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