BBC - Celtic Connections Festival 2012

Ray Fisher Tribute

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - Strathclyde Suite

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The Fisher family.

Richard Bull reports

As the main hall of Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall was hosting a tribute to Gerry Rafferty, the Strathclyde Suite upstairs was packed out in tribute to another Scottish musical great who died last year. Ray Fisher was one of the Fisher Family, who collectively captained Scotland in the folk revival of the 1960s. Throughout her life she championed folk song and inspired folk singers. This concert in her honour was the rarest of shows, featuring some of the finest performers from both sides of the Tweed.

Ray lived in the North East of England for most of her life, and the night began with the most eccentric of English folk traditions. Who could not love a concert that opened with a dance by the venerable High Spen Blue Diamonds Rapper Sword Dancers?

More humour followed, as Ray's brother-in-law Artie Trezise read one of her poems, with musical backing from Gary Coupland, who provided subtle support throughout the evening. (Artie, Gary and Cilla Fisher are, of course, well known to many as the Singing Kettle.)

Thereafter it was folk song all the way. One after another, ballads offering windows into our traditions and our hearts: songs you could live in.

It was kicked off by the "Younger Singer Section" featuring Emily Smith, Fiona Hunter, Siobhan Miller and Ewan Robertson. They all sang beautifully with minimal backing. Fiona's take on The Pressers, Ewan's Gin I were a Baron's Heir, Siobhan's Twa Corbies, Emily's The Shearing's no for you; all deeply moving, with inbuilt sadness and nostalgia. "The tradition's in safe hands," said our host, Ray's brother Archie (who also fronted BBC Radio Scotland's Travelling Folk for three decades).

Sheila Stewart was next. The last of the travelling family the Stewarts of Blair, Sheila was a friend and inspiration to Ray. She has a voice for the ages and is a raconteur without equal. No one could resist her invitation to join in on a rousing Jock Stewart.

None other than Martin Carthy took to the stage next, and described meeting Ray in 1960 in Hamish Imlach's home (which to Martin's recollection may have been a stable). Tonight he paid tribute with three of the enthralling, long and winding historical ballads that he shared with Ray.

Archie Fisher delivered a pair of poignant songs of remembering, before he was joined by four of his sisters, Cilla, Joyce, Cindy and Audrey: the group who, along with Ray, recorded the seminal LP 'Traditional and New Songs from Scotland' in 1966. Cilla jovially pointed out what they're missing now Ray is gone: "She was the rock, that woman. None of us remember the key we sang in."

All the performers had great stories about Ray, from highkicking in a tour-bus aisle to discovering her own voice in an audition for Ewan MacColl. A brilliantly put together collection of photographs were projected onto the back wall, allowing Ray to keep her bespectacled eyes on the action throughout.

For the last two songs the entire cast came onto the stage, plus more friends and relations. The audience joined in too, and it was a glass eye that didn't dampen. The power of song indeed.