Biography
Throughout Britain and Ireland, much as across the Atlantic, ensembles rooted in folk traditions emerged that fused core elements of the old repertoire with infusions drawn from distant musical cultures. Groups such as Steeleye Span, the Tannahill Weavers, Fairport Convention, the House Band, and Wolfstone freely wove strands of reggae, African rhythms, and American folk-rock into the ancient ballads and melodies of their own heritage. One of the most distinctive outfits to pursue this path was Aberdeen’s Old Blind Dogs, a Scottish unit that crisscrossed Europe and North America repeatedly during the 1990s until the group disbanded in 1998.
The band’s story began in 1990 when three seasoned figures from the Aberdeen scene—guitarist and lead vocalist Ian F. Benzie, fiddler Jonny Hardie, and multi-instrumentalist Buzzby McMillan—reconvened after years of playing together in various local combinations. Benzie, the senior member, had first encountered folk music during the late 1950s and early 1960s; discovering that many of the American folk songs he admired, including those associated with Joan Baez, originated in centuries-old British tradition, he turned decisively toward traditional material while also developing a gift for writing original songs. Critics have likened his vocal style to that of fellow Scots Dick Gaughan and Archie Fisher, praising his command of phrasing on both self-penned pieces and classics such as “The Cruel Sister.”
Hardie, a classically trained viola player, had fallen under the spell of traditional fiddle music during travels across Britain. Reuniting with McMillan after music college, the pair took to busking on city streets and performing in a string of short-lived groups before joining forces with Benzie. By 1992 the trio had earned notice for its ability to juxtapose Scottish traditional songs with contemporary selections, yet it was the arrival of percussionist Davy Cattanach that year that gave the ensemble its singular character and opened fresh stylistic avenues. Cattanach, who had previously worked with McMillan in reggae, rock, and blues outfits and had spent several years in London, returned to Aberdeen and learned of the band’s search for a drummer. Though new to traditional music, he acquired a set of congas and introduced rhythms that enabled the group to expand its blend of ancient and modern textures.
Over the ensuing five years Old Blind Dogs toured and recorded extensively, drawing enthusiastic responses on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1997 piper and woodwind player Fraser Fifield joined as a fifth member, his contributions viewed by longtime followers as a valuable enrichment of the sound. The following year Cattanach stepped down and was succeeded by Graeme “Mop” Youngson, the longtime Wolfstone drummer. After completing a 1998 American tour, however, the cumulative strain of constant travel prompted Benzie to withdraw, leaving the band on hiatus as the decade closed.
With the arrival of the new century the musicians regrouped and have since released several albums, among them Tall Tails (2000), Fit? (2001), The Gab O Mey (2003), Old Blind Dogs Play Live (2005), and Four on the Floor (2007).
The band’s story began in 1990 when three seasoned figures from the Aberdeen scene—guitarist and lead vocalist Ian F. Benzie, fiddler Jonny Hardie, and multi-instrumentalist Buzzby McMillan—reconvened after years of playing together in various local combinations. Benzie, the senior member, had first encountered folk music during the late 1950s and early 1960s; discovering that many of the American folk songs he admired, including those associated with Joan Baez, originated in centuries-old British tradition, he turned decisively toward traditional material while also developing a gift for writing original songs. Critics have likened his vocal style to that of fellow Scots Dick Gaughan and Archie Fisher, praising his command of phrasing on both self-penned pieces and classics such as “The Cruel Sister.”
Hardie, a classically trained viola player, had fallen under the spell of traditional fiddle music during travels across Britain. Reuniting with McMillan after music college, the pair took to busking on city streets and performing in a string of short-lived groups before joining forces with Benzie. By 1992 the trio had earned notice for its ability to juxtapose Scottish traditional songs with contemporary selections, yet it was the arrival of percussionist Davy Cattanach that year that gave the ensemble its singular character and opened fresh stylistic avenues. Cattanach, who had previously worked with McMillan in reggae, rock, and blues outfits and had spent several years in London, returned to Aberdeen and learned of the band’s search for a drummer. Though new to traditional music, he acquired a set of congas and introduced rhythms that enabled the group to expand its blend of ancient and modern textures.
Over the ensuing five years Old Blind Dogs toured and recorded extensively, drawing enthusiastic responses on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1997 piper and woodwind player Fraser Fifield joined as a fifth member, his contributions viewed by longtime followers as a valuable enrichment of the sound. The following year Cattanach stepped down and was succeeded by Graeme “Mop” Youngson, the longtime Wolfstone drummer. After completing a 1998 American tour, however, the cumulative strain of constant travel prompted Benzie to withdraw, leaving the band on hiatus as the decade closed.
With the arrival of the new century the musicians regrouped and have since released several albums, among them Tall Tails (2000), Fit? (2001), The Gab O Mey (2003), Old Blind Dogs Play Live (2005), and Four on the Floor (2007).
Albums
