Bain was born in the town of Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. In the early years of his career, he was—briefly and unofficially—part of the band The Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty, Billy Connolly and Tam Harvey.[2] He was one of the members of the band "Gordon Hank and the Country Ramblers", which also included Gordon Smith, Ian Stewart and Jack Robertson in 1967 and was based in Shetland.[3][4]
He became nationally prominent as a founding member of The Boys of the Lough,[5] a Scots-Irish folk group, with whom he played for over 30 years.
Simultaneously, Bain pursued a solo career in collaborative and television projects with Pelicula Films director Mike Alexander and producer Douglas Eadie, working on several international television series: The Down home Recordings (which described how fiddling music spread from Scotland and Ireland to America[6]), The Shetland Sessions (recorded at the Shetland folk festival in 1991[6]), Aly Meets The Cajuns, and six series of the Transatlantic Sessions.[7]
In 2000, Bain played at the funeral of the Scottish first minister Donald Dewar.[9]
In 2006, a television programme celebrating Bain's 60th birthday was broadcast by the BBC, documenting his life and works.[1] The same year, Bain was inducted into the Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame.
In 2009, Bain collaborated with Nicola Benedetti to create a television programme for BBC Scotland: When Nicola Benedetti Met Aly Bain, broadcast the same year.[10]
In 2010, Bain made a further hour-long television programme for BBC with Pelicula Films and Billy Connolly: Fishing for Poetry, celebrating the life and works of the Scottish Poet Norman MacCaig.[11]
In 2012, Bain and Cunningham celebrated their 25th anniversary of touring as a fiddle and accordion duo. Bain also tours with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ale Möller (with whom he has recorded two albums) and with American old-time fiddler, singer, guitarist and banjo player Bruce Molsky; as a trio, they released their first album in 2013.
Honours and awards
Bain has received many honours for his services to music.
In 1989, he received a Silver Disc from the Record Industry Association for his Aly Meets the Cajuns recording. A further Silver Disc followed in 1991 for The Pearl, recorded on his own Edinburgh Record Label, Whirlie Records.[7]
In 1994, he was awarded the MBE for his musical accomplishments.[12]
On 27 November 2007, Bain and Cunningham were awarded Doctor of Letters from Glasgow Caledonian University for their contributions to music and to the education and encouragement of young musicians.[18]
In 2009 Paidriag O'Keefe's/Con Cassidy's from In The Tradition was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten as track fourteen on the third CD.
With Tom Anderson
The Silver Bow (1995) (2008)
In 2009 Soldier's Joy from The Silver Bow was also included in Three Score and Ten as track seven on the fourth CD.
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