Her Story
Celtic/Country Artist and musician Laura McGhee was born in Monifieth, Scotland and raised on classical and celtic fiddle. She successfully competed in fiddle contests in her teens, and graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music with an honors degree and post graduate diploma winning the Robert Highgate scholarship in her third year. On graduating college Laura made her way into the industry working with many of her idols along the way. She performed with Shane MacGowan and the Pogues, Echo and the Bunnymen, and her first ever show in America was alongside folk icon Pete Seeger. Her song "Commemoration" was adopted by Prince Charles's Charity the September concerts, and the British memorial garden in New York, as a tribute to the 911 attacks. This song was a featured track on the single Dirty Old Town recorded by Simple Minds in 2004.
Laura went on to perform with Celtic Rock band Runrig, featuring on their #1 selling DVD Year of the Flood which was filmed and record at Loch Ness for 17,000 people. Laura also toured with Runrig on their 2008 UK winter tour, and performed with them at Edinburgh Castle. In 2007 Laura was part of a tribute show for the great Odetta in DC, performing alongside many of her idols such as Janis Ian, Madeleine Peyroux, David Amram and Josh White jr and Odetta herself. In 2008 Laura focused on the writing of her celtic suite tracing Scotland's history from 1320 to the present day, which she performed later with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in a co-billed performance with violin star Nicola Benedetti. Laura has also had the great opportunity of collaborating with Jim Lauderdale on a Celtic Connections sell out show called Tayside tae Tennessee, exploring the links between celtic/bluegrass and gospel music.
In 2010 Laura performed a show sponsored by the Scottish minister for culture at the Country music hall of fame. Laura presented the show featuring guests Rodney Crowell, Jack Clement, Jim Lauderdale, and a special presentation to John Carter Cash on behalf of the Cash family to acknowledge their Scottish heritage. That same year Laura's first USA release "Cetlicana" was released and reached the top 40 of the Americana chart, unprecedented for a Scottish artist. The following year Laura was a featured artist on a BBC TV show Robert Burns and the Nashville Lassies, also featuring Suzy Boguss, Beth Neilson Chapman, The McCarter twins and gaelic singer Catherine-Ann Macphee. Laura has also been featured on BBC documentaries Scotland's Music hosted by Phil Cunningham, and Auld Lang Syne, tracing the history of the worldwide classic New Year song by Robert Burns.
Laura has toured all over the USA with John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt band) & John Carter Cash, performing songs from the grammy award winning album Will the Circle be Unbroken, as well as taking her solo act out on the road to Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Laura also did a Winter coast to coast tour with PBS hit tv show Christmas with the Celts and the newly launched Nashville Celts show "Celtic Roots" which made an appearance on the legendary "Grand Ole Opry" WSM.
Since returning to Scotland Laura has performed with Runrig at their finale performances “The Last Dance” at Stirling Castle, which was filmed live for a DVD release and public broadcast.
Laura’s EP “How Leaving Feels" is available to download here on www.lauramcghee.net, also available on itunes, and you can subscribe to her youtube channel and follow her on FaceBook. Also available to download is Laura’s album “Life is Bigger than a Dream” available on iTunes.
Laura’s most recent recording project recorded at Seagate Studios in Dundee is available to stream & download on BandCamp.com. This is an instrumental album of original Jigs, Reels and laments written & performed by Laura & featuring Grame Watt on keys and Robbie Ward on acoustic guitar. Most recently Laura has been collaborating with Cosmic Rough Riders guitarist and songwriter Paul Docherty.