Clif began piping in 1999, in Houston Texas with the Hamilton School of Piping; he was a member of the former Houston Police Pipe Band in 2001. He has been the Company Piper for Scarborough Renaissance Festival.  In 2001, Clif moved to Scotland and joined the Williamwood Pipe Band based in the south part of Glasgow.
While on a university exchange program, he played for about 5 months with the Robert Malcolm Memorial Alumni Pipe Band  in Vancouver, Canada.
In 2004, he co-founded the University of Strathclyde Pipe Band Band and was Band Manager until his departure in 2006.
 

ECHOES OF LOVE Stacie & Lori Jones (Bryan, Texas)

SIA BEATON

She continues her interest as a founder of the Texas Scottish Heritage Society (www.txscot.com), an organization dedicated to the research of early Texas pioneers, a majority of whom were of Scottish descent, and has been named as the official spokeswoman for the Texas Bluebonnet Tartan. Her songs reflect her love of the Celtic and American history and culture. With a distinctly hopeful, inspiring outlook, she weaves the two cultures into seamless art.

She is also spokeswoman for the Texas Bluebonnet Tartan.

In August 1999, Sia completed her "Never Been to Scotland" tour of Scotland, which included 9 radio stations, a live television broadcast, as well as several live performances. The highlight of her tour was when her song, "Never Been to Scotland" played over the loudspeaker for more than 8,000 people at the Tatoo in Edinburgh. She has been featured twice on the TV Channel 8 Weeknight Edition program. In 1998, Sia wrote and performed original music for the St. Luke’s Methodist Winter Solstice Celebration in Houston, Texas featured on TV Channel 2. Well known on the Celtic/Scottish/pioneer/folk festivals throughout Texas and Oklahoma, she performs at coffee houses, clubs, schools, fundraisers, bookstores, and other events and is actively involved in the Texas Scottish Heritage Society. Sia is a member of the Clans MacLeod, MacGregor, and Ross; and has family members in Clan Gordon.

Sia's self-titled debut CD offers a great deal of variety as well as originality, while retaining a link with the traditional.  Sia's vocals and rhythm guitar are accompanied by fiddle, harp and extensive percussion on tracks including Never Been to Scotland, Bonnie Scottish Lad, Remember Me, and Flowers of the Heartland. Remember Me was written and performed for the Dedication Ceremony of the Texas State Historical Marker placed at Clapp Cemetery in Trinity, Texas.

Her original song Flowers of the Heartland was written to the tune of "Flowers of the Forest" as a tribute to the bombing tragedy in Oklahoma City and has been placed in the archives of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. Sia was an invited guest of the Murrah Bldg. Survivors & Families Association at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

To order a CD:  www.cdbaby.com/sialabelle

KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL DANCERS (KIDS)
Led by instructor C J Gilson

KIDs are dedicated to community service through traditional cultural dancing as well as the modern styles popularized by the Riverdance performances. They perform primarily to Irish, Scottish, and English dances at nursing homes, school festivals, and cultural events throughout the year. Dancers must commit to at least once performance each semester in order to return to class the following session. Adults, teens, and children over 9 years old are welcome to participate in classes and performances.

Unlike competitive Irish or Scottish dancers, KIDs are interested in the Celtic dances as they may have been danced "by the masses" prior to conservative influences from the Church in the 1800s. This includes liberal use of arms and a variety of formations that have been lost from An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha dances. It is not unusual to see them perform dances that originated in Europe or America but later became popular in the Isles, or Irish and Scottish dances adopted by other countries.

Call the studio at 281-480-8414 and ask for CJ to schedule a performance.

CONSTANT BILLY

“A new day has dawned. There's a new band in the neighborhood, Constant Billy.” Take the traditional music of Britain and Ireland. Shake and stir in a little Rock, Classical and Swing using “an incredible, eclectic repertoire of intricate harmonies” from “probably the best all-around folk a-cappella singers in Houston.” Add in the accompaniment of Bodhran, guitar, tin whistle, recorder and bouzouki to create “stuff you just don't hear every day.” Add a dash of “hilarious between-songs banter,” and you have a duo that will leave you reeling. Constant Billy is Today's Trad.

Emily Standish - vocals, tin whistle, recorder and percussion. After years with Houston Symphony Chorus, and as featured soloist with several theater groups including Houston Revels and Trinity Opera Theater, Emily began singing with smaller ensembles in 1997. Has worked with the popular folk group Furagh Larq and the Early Music a cappella group Voces Dei. A powerful and passionate performer, Emily “sings with a purity of sound that is a joy to hear" and has "A voice like honey melted into crystal."

Bill Galbraith - vocals, guitars, and bouzouki. Began playing in a rock group at 12, switched to Trad in 1977 as a founder of Freeborn, the first professional Celtic band in Texas. Moved on to the folk-rock group Four Bricks out of Hadrian’s Wall and sang doo-wop in Dr. T and the Tuxtones. Later worked with the a cappella band Nobody’s Reel. Has performed at festivals and clubs in Britain and America, and has extensive TV and radio credits including appearances on National Public Radio's All Things Considered and live internet performance.

Constant Billy's NEW CD"Let Me In"

For sale NOW at CDBaby!

"Let Me In, the long awaited CD by Constant Billy, that dynamic duo of Bill Galbraith & Emily Standish, is finally here! and worth the wait. 15 great tracks and about 45 minutes of wonderful music!" -Scottish Country Dancing and More

Click here to listen to all the music samples

Click here to see the lyrics to all the songs on "Let Me In"

CELTIC CHORUS OF HOUSTON

The Chorus currently meets on Tuesdays in Houston at Griff's Pub; it's mission statement reads in part: to provide a community meeting place for those interested in the Celtic heritages. MEET OUR MEMBERS!  They are also ready to welcome new members and visiting singers.  JULIAN TRIBE leads the Chorus on guitar.

Ceilidh (Saturday evening)

"Ceilidh" is a Gaelic word that means a party! 

Host Doug Beaton writes:

KIRKIN OF THE TARTANS

A Kirk is a Scottish word for Church and a Tartan is the traditional pattern of unevenly spaced stripes crossing at right angles woven into a woolen fabric that distinguishes the various Scottish Clans. Thus, the Kirkin' o' the Tartans is the traditional blessing of the tartans by the Clergy.

From "Clans of Scotland, USA"

SEEDS OF YESTERDAY

A trio composed of Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni (harp and accordion), Joe Castiglioni (clarinet), and Renata Myers (guitar). 

Note:  Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni will also be playing Scottish harp and accordion in the Sam Houston Museum from 1-4:30 with the band Jalapeno Honey.

DAVE HUTTON

Dave, who is working in Houston for a year, is originally from Scotland and a talented singer of traditional Scottish songs!

ED & MIM FREITER:  Ed on fiddle, and Mim on harp and whistle play with the Session at the Kelvin Arms Pub in Houston 1st and 3rd Thursdays each month, as well as with enough of other musical groups/events.