Celtic Connections 2012 to Celebrate The Art of Songwriting

Veteran troubadours and legendary lyricists will take to the Celtic Connections stage this January. Artists include Will Oldham, aka Bonnie Prince Billy, Bridget St John (who was one of the first acts signed to John Peel’s Dandelion Records), legendary Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, California’s master storyteller Tom Russell, UK folk triumvirate Martin Simpson, Dick Gaughan and June Tabor and Glasgow’s own Rab Noakes.

The Cecil Sharp Project brought together a who’s who of the British folk scene to create new works based around the life and legacy of Cecil Sharp – the founding father of England’s first folk revival and the country’s most prolific collector of folk music and dance. The highly acclaimed collection will be performed live by Show of Hands’ Steve Knightley, English sibling singers Jim Moray and Jackie Oates, accordionist Andy Cutting, ex-Breabach fiddler/vocalist Patsy Reid, Southern US roots specialist Caroline Herring and Canadian clawhammer banjo ace Leonard Podolak, of The Duhks.

A brand new show called Floating Palace will premiere at Celtic Connections before touring the UK, featuring KT Tunstall, Abigail Washburn, Robin Hitchcock, Howe Gelb and Eliza Carthy.

Celtic Connections 2012 runs from Thursday 19th January – Sunday 5th February and comprises 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late night sessions taking place over 18 days in 20 venues across Glasgow.

More at celticconnections.com