Runrig
Runrig is a six-piece band, originating mostly from the Western Isles of Scotland. It performs a mixture of Gaelic and English-spoken songs, almost all of which is written by the band. The music of Runrig is not as well known south-of-the-border as it might be, though in Scotland and in parts of continental Europe the band has a large and dedicated following.
The lead singer with the band, Bruce Guthro, is the only non-Scottish member, originating from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. After 19 years with the band, the previous lead singer Donnie Munro left to pursue other interest in the fields of arts and politics. Donnie left the band after a set of concerts which culminated in a major farewell event at Stirling Castle on 28th, 29th and 30th August. Needless to say the nights were all sell-outs, and the atmosphere on the final night was absolutely electric, and very emotional for all. Donnie will be sadly missed from the line-up, but the band will continue, and the new singer, Bruce, will ensure its success for the next twenty years....
The band took its name from a traditional method of land management, common in the Highlands until recent years. The Run Rig system involved narrow strips of land called ‘lazy beds’. The ‘run’ was derived from the way these strips were tortuously laid out. Run Rig has also been used to describe the small farming townships which managed these lazy-beds.
The strips of land were periodically reallocated to the people of the village, and as such were usually worked collectively. The reallocation also meant that each tenant would get their fair share of good and bad land, with no resentment of those with better land. The reallocation would often involve a six or seven year cycle.
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