Beginning his career in the 1970s with the traditional group The Tannahill Weavers, Dougie MacLean has since come to be respected as one of the finest purveyors of Scottish folk music. After branching out to explore a solo career toward the end of the decade, he bounced back and forth between Scotland and Germany, honing his skills on guitar, harp, banjo, bagpipes and fiddle in the process. He released Caledonia, his debut solo album, in 1979, garnering attention for his rich vocals and adherence to traditionalist Scottish elements. In addition to penning beloved ballads and accessible folk fare, MacLean is known to use his songs to speak his mind on a variety of current events, including hot button political issues and standing up for the rights of Native Americans and aborigines tribes.
