Rory MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Roderick Macdonald (Scottish Gaelic: Ruaraidh MacDhomhnaill; born 27 July 1949, Dornoch
, Sutherland
) is the bassist
of the Scottish
Celtic rock
band
Runrig
, as well as their primary songwriter
with his younger brother
, Calum Macdonald. Rory tends to write the melody, and Calum the lyrics. Since former lead singer Donnie Munro
left the band in 1997, Rory has taken lead vocal duties on song
s in the band's catalogue written in the Scots Gaelic language
, as the band's new lead singer, Bruce Guthro
, is not a Gaelic speaker.
In the mid to the late 1960s, Macdonald was a part of a band called The Skyvers.
Macdonald previously attended the Glasgow School of Art
and had a promising career as a graphic design
er until Runrig went 'professional'. Later putting these skills into practise, he designed the sleeve notes for Runrig's Recovery
and Heartland
albums.
, Sutherland
. His father, Donald John MacDonald of Scalpay
, was a World War II
veteran. The family moved to North Uist
, when Rory was about four years old. On arrival in Lochmaddy
, his younger brother Calum was born.
During the Second World War, Macdonald's father, Donald, and his unit were ambushed in Normandy
. He witnessed the death of his best friend, Sandy MacIntyre. After this, Donald used to visit Sandy's family. On one such occasion, when Rory was eight, he was taken along to Sandy's old home. There, Sandy's parents gave him his old accordion
. Back home, he began practising, playing at school concerts. On this accordion he wrote his first ever tune: a Scottish dance march called "Sandy MacIntyre". This experience partly inspired the 1985 song "The Everlasting Gun", featured on the Heartland
album, along with news of the Falklands War
.
Dornoch
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
, Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
) is the bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
of the Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Celtic rock
Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock and a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
, as well as their primary songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
with his younger brother
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
, Calum Macdonald. Rory tends to write the melody, and Calum the lyrics. Since former lead singer Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro
Donnie Munro is a Scottish musician, and former lead singer of the band Runrig.A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.-Early life:...
left the band in 1997, Rory has taken lead vocal duties on song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s in the band's catalogue written in the Scots Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
, as the band's new lead singer, Bruce Guthro
Bruce Guthro
Bruce Guthro is a Canadian singer / songwriter, from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Guthro has recorded as a solo artist, and in 1998 also joined Scottish folk rock band Runrig, whilst still pursuing his solo career...
, is not a Gaelic speaker.
In the mid to the late 1960s, Macdonald was a part of a band called The Skyvers.
Macdonald previously attended the Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
and had a promising career as a graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
er until Runrig went 'professional'. Later putting these skills into practise, he designed the sleeve notes for Runrig's Recovery
Recovery (Runrig album)
Recovery is the third album by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig, released in 1981. The album deals with the social history of the Scottish Gàidhealtachd, mirroring a renewed sense of cultural and political identity within the Gaelic community....
and Heartland
Heartland (Runrig album)
Heartland is the fourth album by Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1985, and was their first output in which English songs exceeded the number of Gaelic ones.-Track listing:# "O Cho Meallt" - 3:04...
albums.
Early life
Macdonald was born in DornochDornoch
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
, Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
. His father, Donald John MacDonald of Scalpay
Scalpay, Outer Hebrides
Scalpay to distinguish it from the other Scalpay) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:Scalpay is around 2.5 miles long and rises to a height of 341 ft at Beinn Scorabhaig. Scalpay's nearest neighbour, Harris is just 330 yds away over narrow Caolas...
, was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran. The family moved to North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
, when Rory was about four years old. On arrival in Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy
Lochmaddy is the administrative centre of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland...
, his younger brother Calum was born.
During the Second World War, Macdonald's father, Donald, and his unit were ambushed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He witnessed the death of his best friend, Sandy MacIntyre. After this, Donald used to visit Sandy's family. On one such occasion, when Rory was eight, he was taken along to Sandy's old home. There, Sandy's parents gave him his old accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. Back home, he began practising, playing at school concerts. On this accordion he wrote his first ever tune: a Scottish dance march called "Sandy MacIntyre". This experience partly inspired the 1985 song "The Everlasting Gun", featured on the Heartland
Heartland (Runrig album)
Heartland is the fourth album by Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1985, and was their first output in which English songs exceeded the number of Gaelic ones.-Track listing:# "O Cho Meallt" - 3:04...
album, along with news of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
.