Rab is Uig's Monday night musical delight

The Fife-born singer-songwriter has been touring to promote his recently-released double-CD ‘I’m walkin’ here’ and has included a return to Uig because of a local friendship there.

The album, which features many songs alongside some characteristically interestingly wide-ranging interpretations, was received with high praise in reviews and has attracted positive comment from audience and journalists alike.

His previous Uig appearance was greatly enjoyed and certainly justifies the journey from town.

There will be a local support act and bar provided by the Community Centre.

Last year was a bumpy one for Rab as he had health issues to deal with but the end of the year saw him on tour, on telly and radio as well being honoured by Nordoff-Robbins with a Tartan Clef award for Contribution to Music.

The previous year saw the CD release of two albums plus one EP.

The 40th anniversary of ‘Red Pump Special’ was issued, along with ‘Demos and Rarities Vol2 – adventures with Gerry Rafferty’. The EP ‘Reunited’, a performance-based clutch of songs with Barbara Dickson, is also now available.

A sold-out concert at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections featured the whole of the 1974 album ‘Red Pump Special’ in the first half followed by selections from his newer songs in the second.

Rab’s first fully-professional engagements were in 1967.

Almost 50 years and more than 20 albums later he remains a vital, popular, prolific and acclaimed songwriter and performer.

Rab is hard to pin down in terms of influences.

He is an accomplished songwriter whose songs reflect his lifelong interest in the popular song, in folk song and in songwriting.

Alongside his acclaimed performance skills as applied to his own compositions his celebrated interpretations feature songs from sources as diverse as Elizabeth Cotten to Beck Hansen.

His professional life embraces such activities as media production.

Current work-in-progress includes a set of songs related to 2015’s diagnosis and treatment.

They are far from gloomy though as they contain, wit, defiance, resilience and love available in the autumn.