Debbie Scott

Debbie Scott at stall exhibiting fiddle making during Women's Festival 1987.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.

Debbie Scott is a musician that was born on the island of Papa Stour, Shetland. She was taught fiddle by the late Dr. Tom Anderson from the age of eight until the age of fourteen. At this time she played with the Shetland Fiddlers' Society and could be seen on stage for the first time.

Later on (since the first Shetland Folk Festival, 1981) she played with the well known guitarist Peerie Willie Johnson (for whom she wrote The Bouster Boy). Together with Willie on a trip to the Orkney Folk Festival 1985 she was given the chance to record her first album, "The Selkies' Song" (MC-Ref: AT 07).

At this time she was also playing with the newly formed Garster's Dream Band with whom she subsequently toured the country. She also appeared at the Fairport Convention and in Ireland and Faroe.

She retired from public performance in the nineties to bring up her daughters. She celebrated her comeback with her second album Debbie Scott (CD-Ref: VKCD104) performing together with John Hutchison, Willie Johnston and Alan Clark.

Recordings

The Selkies' Song (MC)

Debbie Scott (fiddle), Willie Johnson (guitar), Jim Park (bass)

Side A

1. The Beggar Man – Slanty Gart
2. Muddy Roads – Stumbles
3. Naomi Jane's Reel – Nordraflür
4. Beeswing Hornpipe – Eugene Stratton
5. Cradle Hymn – Sandy Ower Da Lea – Minnie's Coo
6. New Fashion Habit – The Girl That Broke My Heart
7. Cotton Patch Rag

Side B

1. The Boys Of The Twenty Five – Dillon Brown
2. As I Went Down the Fiddichside – Drowsie Maggie
3. Kitchen Girl – New Rigged Ship
4. Da Hill o' Finnigirt – Da Burn o' Finnigirt
5. The Selkies' Song – Da Spirit o' Whisky
6. Lady Be Good
7. Big Sandy River - Katy Hill

Debbie Scott (CD)

Debbie Scott (fiddle), John Hutchison (guitar, double bass), Alan Clark (accordion)

1. Anne Grace Henderson, The Chief, Donnie Henderson's Reel
2. Donald Blue, Da Foula Reel
3. Magnus Hendrichson's Waltz, Astryd's Waltz
4. Bean A Ti Ar Lar
5. Bride's Reel
6. Killer Whale, The Trip To The Ve Skerries
7. Cluckin' Hen
8. Kaela's Jig, Gramp's Jig
9. The March In, The Trip, The Sword Dance
10. Island Boy
11. Bouster Boy, Brian's Box
12. Da Muckle Reel O' Finnigirt, Da Back Reel
13. Pionersk, Cutty Sark
14. Klink Hamar, October, Avunavara
15. Fiddle
16. The Fermentation
17. Limerick Lasses, The Mountain Road
18. David's Waltz
19. Holy Land, Unknown, Martin Rocheford's
20. Cradle Hymn.