15 November, 2019
The Waverley, St Mary’s Street, Edinburgh
To commemorate the decade that has passed since the death of Stanley Robertson’s, one of the great traveller singers and storytellers, The World’s Room this month features two singers who have been directly and indirectly influenced by him.
Janice Clark was born and brought up in Aberdeen and from a very early age, took an interest in the traditional music and song of the North East of Scotland. Her ballad singing style was heavily influenced by some of the great local source singers like Stanley and his near relations, Jeannie Robertson and her daughter, Lizzie Higgins . Janice began singing at Folk Clubs and Festivals in her early teens and travelled and recorded with bands such as Iolair, Lang Johnnie Moore and Highland Connection.
Janice began teaching singing workshops at Folk Festivals throughout Scotland. She now tutors for SC&T in Aberdeen as musical director of the SC&T Choir and is interested in helping experienced singers build a repertoire, develop their individual style and gain performance skills for solo and group singing.
Iona Fyfe is gaining recognition as one of Scotland’s finest young folk singers. Although she never met Stanley Robertson she regards herself as being rooted deeply in the singing traditions of the North East of Scotland which he embodied. The youngest ever winner of Scots Singer of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2018, she has been described as “one of the best Scotland has to offer” (Global-Music.de) and as “a Scottish folksinger, magical and charismatic” by no less than Rolling Stone magazine.
