Biography
The beginning - Bob's very first instrument was given to him by his granny as a Xmas present when he was 15 years old. After a few weeks, surprisingly unknown to his parents, this was given a few coats of various coloured gloss paint to match those used by his music idols at the time, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Hawkwind. A few months later, while visiting one of his friends, he heard some music which was quite a bit different to what he was used to. It was the Corries. He only recognised one tune, the Skye Boat Song, which was regularly whistled by his dad who had passed away the previous year. Gone was the heavy rock to be replaced by the gentler tones of those folk legends along with the Dubliners and the Clancy Brothers.
His first public performance was a few years later in one of the local Glasgow pubs with his friend with no band name, no PA system and no folk enthusiasts in the audience other than one elderly drunken gentleman holding the end of the bar up. His first band was called Spinning Wheel and included the now renowned guitar maestro Tony McManus who regularly plays at Celtic Connections, the recently bereaved Eddie McLaughlin and Eileen Flynn. They were regulars at the Paisley Folk Club.
The middle bit - After many years out of the folk music scene due to family commitments, Bob who was now accomplished on guitar, whistles, harmonica, bohdran and a strong vocalist, formed a band called The Indigenous Citizens who were anything from a five to a nine piece depending on who turned up for the gig. His next band was Beggars Row whose initial line up broke up after a short while but in 1998 Bob and Ian Raymond formed a new Beggars Row which has toured continually to this day. In 2002 Bob and another member of Beggars Row, Neil Nicholson, formed a duo called Celtic Horizon.
Now - Bob regularly tours the UK and Europe with both Celtic Horizon and Beggars Row. Over the years with his bands he has shared the bill with Runrig, the Dubliners and a host of top acts from around the Celtic scene worldwide at festivals, theatres and Celtic nights. He has appeared on radio and TV. On Moscow TV after performing on a 30 minute show the switchboards were jammed for the first time in the stations history with callers wanting to see the show again. Bob has also added a slight variation to some of his Celtic Horizon tours in Holland with the addition of two female singer musicians and come under the name of Celtic Hearts. Watch out for them in 2009. Bob is now also keen to actively pursue his solo career. How does he fit it all in!