BBC Radio Scotland host at Skye

REGION -- New England Celtic Arts will host Archie Fisher, host of the popular Radio Scotland “Traveling Folk” program at The Franco American Heritage Center in Lewiston on Tuesday, at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center in South Carthage on Wednesday, June 13, and at Unity College Centre for the Performing Arts in Unity on Thursday, June 14.

Curtain at the Franco Center and Skye is 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in Unity. Pre-show jam sessions at Skye and Unity start one hour prior to curtain.

An avid horseman and master guitarist, singer and songwriter Archie Fisher is Scotland’s foremost troubadour and is known throughout the country as the host of BBC Radio Scotland’s award-winning “Travelling Folk” show, which he has been presenting for over 25 years. Recognized for his contributions to Scottish folk music, he was inducted into the Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame and in 2006 was awarded an MBE (member of British Empire), a prestigious honor nominated by his peers and bestowed by Queen Elizabeth.

Archie was born in Glasgow into a large singing family, which yielded three professional singers -- Archie and his sisters, Ray and Cilla Fisher. Constant music combined with his father’s appreciation of many musical styles (opera, vaudeville, traditional ballads) proved to be a heavy influence on Archie’s music while his mother, a native Gaelic speaker from the Outer Hebrides, was a strong influence on the lyrical quality of his songwriting.

Archie first became interested in folk music through the Skiffle era of the late 1950’s under the influences of performers such as Lonnie Donegan and Johnny Duncan. Later, the recording of the Weavers at Carnegie Hall also had a profound effect on his approach to music and his political outlook. During the TV folk boom of the 1960’s and 70’s he appeared regularly with his younger sister Ray in magazine programs and the BBC Hootenanny series. He was based in Edinburgh at the time in the contemporary company of musicians such as Robin Williamson, Clive Palmer and Mike Heron (who together formed the original Incredible String Band) and was an early guitar colleague of Bert Jansch.

The Franco American Heritage Center is located on 46 Cedar Street in Lewiston, Skye Theater is located three miles West of East Dixfield village at 2 Highland Dr. off Winter Hill Road and Rt. 2 in South Carthage. UCCPA is at 42 Depot St. in Unity. Ticket price is $15 at the door. For reservations at The Franco Center and at Skye Theatre call 562-4445 or UCCPA at 948-7469. Reservations are strongly suggested at all three venues.