Maggie MacInnes sings and plays the clarsach. She was born in Glasgow and now lives in Ayrshire.She comes from a long line of Gaelic singers from the small island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and learns most of her songs from her mother the highly acclaimed traditional singer, Flora MacNeil M.B.E.

Maggie has performed in various groups over the years such as Ossian, Fuaim,Eclipse First and The Maggie MacInnes Band and she has travelled widely with her music touring in many parts of Europe, U.S.A. and Canada. She also appears frequently on Radio and Television both at home and abroad.

Since being given a Celtic Connections New Voices Commission which she entitled
"Oran na Mna" (A Woman's Song),Maggie has gone on to compose lots of new music and song.She has written music for two BBC documentaries both produced by MNE Media.The first was called "An Traigh Mhor" and was all about the Airport on Barra which is a beautiful big sandy beach.The second was all about the island of Mingulay and was entitled "A Fagail Mhiughalaidh".The music from the Celtic Connections commissioned piece and the Mingulay documentary can be heard on Maggie's last two CD releases.

She has recorded Five solo CDs and continues to appear solo or with many of Scotland's top musicians.Most recently she has been touring with her Trio which includes Brian McAlpine on Keyboards and Accordian and Anna Massie on Guitar and Fiddle.

In 2004 Maggie was voted Best Gaelic Singer of the Year in the BBC Scots Trad Music Awards.

Quotes/Reviews;-
Maggie MacInnes Trio's performance at An Lanntair,Stornoway on 21st May,2009,for Hi-Arts.Read whole review at
htpp://www.hi-arts.co.uk ;-

"Performances by Maggie MacInnes have for this writer always had something of a qualitative difference from those of other singers performing songs from the Scottish Gaelic tradtion.The difference stems entirely from Maggie's direct family relationship to a tradition of song which evolved in the islands of Barra,Vatersay,Mingulay Eriskay and South Uist and which stretches back for more than three centuries...........this brings to her performance an uncontrived naturalness and at times a raw heartfeltness that is nothing short of captivating."(Peter Urpeth,May2009)

"Maggie MacInnes is at the forefront of the new wave of singers taking Scotland's Gaelic song tradition to its rightful place in the musical world. Her commitment to both tradition and innovation is an example I hope to see widely followed." (Brian McNeill, Head of Scottish Music, RSAMD)

"her singing was such that no translations were necessary"
"her voice was haunting and angelic;and her chilling unaccompanied vocal on a Scottish lament earned the show's longest ovation from the sell-out crowd"
(Boston Globe, U.S.A.)

"one of the brightest singers of traditional Gaelic music in Scotland." (A.F.I.M.---Association of Independent Music )June1999

"a display of singing confidence,background authority and unshowy musicality that bodes well indeed." (Rob Adams, Glasgow Herald)25Jan2000

".the finest live performer in Gaelic music today" (Folk Roots Magazine,July,2001)

"it also takes a performer of unusual talent to unlock the soul and to place therein this music and these poems. And Maggie MacInnes is certainly one such performer (Living Tradition Magazine, Summer 2001).