Karen Matheson

Widely recognised as the compelling vocals of Celtic super-group Capercaillie, Karen’s life in the limelight began with her performing as a child in her local village hall in Argyll on the West coast of Scotland, where she was brought up immersed in the deep well of traditional songs that have been her inspiration for over 35 years of recording and performing worldwide. She has shared the stage with Pete Seeger in New York and performed at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where her stunning ‘Ae fond kiss’ stole the show to a televised audience of over 600 million people. ‘’10 years ago I was working on a bunch of different tracks, unsure of what direction to go in when I found myself facing a number of personal challenges with the loss of both my parents. It felt right to concentrate on Gaelic songs of my childhood, in tribute to what had given true shape to my life, resulting in the purely Gaelic release of ‘Urram’ from 2015. We were then left with a body of work, waiting in the wings to be resurrected at a later date with my sore heart eased and my faith in humanity restored. Fast-forward a decade and while the world paused, bird song soared and banana bread baked “Still Time” was re-born. With the help of some familiar, brilliant musicians who could accommodate the ‘home-recording’ situation we worked through lockdown. Having time to reflect and consider music in a different way helped me finish the record and I am super proud of it!’’ KM