Aly Bain

by John BushRenowned for his Shetland style of fiddle playing, Aly Bain was born in the Shetland town of Lerwick in 1946. He began learning the fiddle at the age of 11, and earned money playing around the local area. He recorded two albums in the mid-70s with his mentor Tom Anderson, and has also recorded with Richard Thompson and Bert Jansch. Bain is well-known in England as a TV presenter for his series Down Home (and its accompanying albums), which examined the spread of fiddle and folk music from the British Isles to North America. His first solo album appeared in 1985, and the many follow-ups also explore common roots, including not only Scottish folk, but songs from France, Ireland, Canada, and on Aly Meets the Cajuns (1988), the music of Louisiana. Bain joined the Boys of the Lough in 1988, and has hosted two other English series, Push the Boat Out and The Shetland Set. The solo Ruby followed in 1998. Another Gem, which featured an incredible collaboration with Scottish accordionist Phil Cunningham, was issued on Compass Records in spring 2001.