Old Blind Dogs is a Scottish musical group which plays traditional Scottish folk music and Celtic music, with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues, and Middle Eastern music rhythms.
Background The three founding members of the band (Ian F. Benzie, Buzzby McMillan and Jonny Hardie) first met during a so-called "buskers' holiday" in the Scottish Highlands in 1990, and after playing together for the summer decided to call themselves "Old Blind Dogs". Dave Francis and Carmen Higgins joined the band soon afterwards, but left in 1992 before the recording of the first album, New Tricks. Since that time, the line-up of the band has changed frequently, with only Jonny Hardie remaining from the original group.
The Old Blind Dogs were named "Folk Band of the Year" at the Scots Trad Music Awards. Also in 2004, Jim Malcolm was named Songwriter of the Year. In 2001, the UK's Association of Independent Music selected their album Fit? as a finalist for the Celtic Album of the Year award.
The band have toured extensively, performing in Britain, the US, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, and Russia.
Discography New Tricks (1992) Close to the Bone (1993) Tall Tails (1994) Legacy (1995) Five (1997) Live (1999) The World's Room (1999) Fit? (2001) The Gab o' Mey (2003) Play Live (2004) Four on the Floor (2007) Wherever Yet May Be (2010) Room with a View (2017) Knucklehead Circus (2021)
Band members
1990–92 Ian F. Benzie (guitar, vocals) Jonny Hardie (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, backing vocals) Buzzby McMillan (cittern, bass) Carmen Higgins (fiddle) Dave Francis (percussion) Davy Cattanach (percussion) joined 1991
1992–96 Ian F. Benzie Jonny Hardie Buzzby McMillan Davy Cattanach
1996–97 Ian F. Benzie Jonny Hardie Buzzby McMillan Fraser Fifield (small pipes, saxophone) Davy Cattanach
1997–99 Ian F. Benzie Fraser Fifield Graham Youngson (percussion) Jonny Hardie Buzzby McMillan
1999–2003 Jim Malcolm (guitar, harmonica, lead vocals) Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, backing vocals) Buzzby McMillan Rory Campbell (whistle, border pipes, guitar, harmonica, backing vocals) Paul Jennings (percussion) left 2002
2003–2006 Jim Malcolm Jonny Hardie Rory Campbell Fraser Stone (drums, percussion) Aaron Jones (bouzouki, bass, backing vocals)
2007–2008 Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals) Rory Campbell (border pipes, whistles, vocals) Fraser Stone (percussion) Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)
2008–2016 Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals) Ali Hutton (border pipes, whistles) Fraser Stone (percussion) Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)
2016–2021 Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals) Ali Hutton (Great Highland bagpipe, border pipes, whistles) Donald Hay (percussion) Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)
2021-
Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar, vocals) Mike Katz (UK/Europe: pipes, whistles) Elias Alexander (USA: pipes, whistles) Donald Hay (percussion) Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals)
In the following table, please note that although "Live" was released in 1999, the performers are those from the 1992–1996 line-up (Benzie, Hardie, McMillan, and Cattenach) and not those from "The World's Room" (a studio release from the same year).
Old Blind Dogs member timeline, 1990 – present Name 1990s 2000s 2010s012345678901234567890161718192021 Releases New Tricks Close to the Bone Tall Tails Legacy Five Live, The World's Room Fit? The Gab o Mey Play Live Four on the Floor Wherever Yet May Be Room With a View Knucklehead Circus Ian F. Benzie guitar, vocals Jonny Hardie fiddle, mandolin, guitar, backing vocals fiddle, guitar, backing vocals fiddle, guitar, vocals Buzzby McMillan cittern, bass Carmen Higgins fiddle Dave Francis percussion Davy Cattanach percussion Fraser Fifield small pipes, saxophone Graham Youngson percussion Jim Malcolm guitar, harmonica, lead vocals Rory Campbell border pipes, whistles, vocals Paul Jennings percussion Fraser Stone drums, percussion percussion Aaron Jones bouzouki, bass, backing vocals bouzouki, guitar, vocals Ali Hutton border pipes, whistles Great Highland bagpipes, border pipes, whistles Donald Hay percussion Mike KatzUK/Europe: pipes, whistles Elias AlexanderUSA: pipes, whistles
References
External links
Compass Records, Old Blind Dogs' former record label