JOY DUNLOP and musician colleagues, Ron Jappy on guitar and Charlie Stewart on fiddle, made a welcome return to perform for Bute Arts Society in the Isle of Bute Parish Church on Friday, November 7, in a beautifully decorated chancel ready
for the Armistice Day.
Despite the remnants of a bad seasonal cold that had kept Joy from her weather reporting work earlier in the week, she performed a full Gaelic programme from various Jig sets (Puirt à beul, or mouth music, with songs created for dancing), to love songs, working songs, (Waulking songs) traditionally sung by women while waulking the tweed cloth, ending with a beautifully sung ‘Ae Fond Kiss’.
Onlookers also enjoyed some Ceilidh music and a charming duet set from Ron & Charlie on the guitar and fiddle. Despite there being few Gaelic speakers in the audience, they still managed to teach everyone to ‘sing a long’ in Gaelic on two occasions during the evening.
This was a welcome return for Joy since her last appearance to perform for Bute Arts Society on the island in 2021, though she has since returned as the chieftain of the annual Bute Highland Games.
The society was fortunate she made the time to be on the island in a busy singing career that has led her all over the world; from major Celtic festivals, to touring the UK, Europe, Canada, USA, China, Japan and New Zealand. Many of course we will see her on the BBC Scotland television channel as one of the Weather Ladies and on Gaelic television.
Joy was ably accompanied by Ron Jappy on guitar, who hails from Findochty in the Moray Firth.
He is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and is an extremely accomplished musician, highly sought after as an arranger, guitarist, fiddle player, pianist and producer.
Joining them, in a change to advertised personnel, was the young fiddle and bass player from Glenfarg, Charlie Stewart, who was the winner of the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2017.
In heavy demand as a recording artist, Charlie has already appeared with over 30 musicians to date.
Highlights as a solo artist include a New Voices commission for Glasgow’s Celtic Connections and performing at Proms in the Park.
The evening ended with a step dance set which set the heather alight and ended with a standing ovation, followed by an invitation to return to perform on Bute.
