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Sheena Wellington - Singer/Songwriter
Sheena is a Scottish folk singer who sung at the Opening of the Scottish Parliament. Sheena is from Dundee."The traditional arts of Scotland are unique and of a high quality. More than this they are that part of the heritage of all humanity, our special responsibility."
a) Top of the Law in Dundee to enjoy one of the most spectacular, and seriously underrated,
views in the world. On a clear day you can see to Schiehallion, over to St Andrews and the Lomonds
and across the lovely Angus countryside. Second to none!
b) To the Ceilidh Place in Ullapool to enjoy the fabulous seafood and gorgeous puddings of my
favourite hotel, to take in the excellent entertainment in the Clubhouse and to relax afterwards
in the upstairs lounge with friends old and new, good conversation, a wee refreshment and a
lovely view over Loch Broome.
c) To the East Neuk of Fife to enjoy the lovely old
harbours, the distinctive architecture, the feel of
a place that has more poets, painters, musicians, writers,
sculptors than you can count and to enjoy the freshest
and finest fish supper in the world!
Well, I thought Susan Stewart, First Secretary for Scottish Affairs at the British Embassy in Washington did a fabulous job as our real ambassador! Now that she has left, I think broadcaster Sheena MacDonald is a great representative.
The traditional arts of Scotland are the music, poetry, dance, crafts, literature, drama, which grew from our soil.
We have always been open to other influences, swapping, and borrowing from those who have come to our shores and form those we have visited, transmuting instruments, dances, ballads to our own needs.
Why are they important? Well, they are ours, they are unique and often of a very high quality but more than this they are that part of the heritage of all humanity that is our special responsibility.
It has to be standing, trembling, in the Assembly Hall on 1st July 1999 singing at the Opening of the 1st Scottish Parliament in 300 years and the 1st ever to be democratically elected.
I've been very lucky to have been given lots of awards - an honorary doctorate, the Herald
Archangel, the Heritage of Scotland Award - but the one which touched me most was Honorary Life
Membership of the traditional Music & Song Association of Scotland.
It was a gift of people who really know their traditional music & song and put me on a Roll
of Honour which includes all the truly great names of Scottish Music - Jeannie Robertson, Jimmy
Shand, The Stewarts of Blair, Hamish Henderson and others.
The Concert for Lockerbie held in St Joseph's School Hall, Dumfries in January 1989. It was a fund-raiser but also the first time that most people from the town had come out for an evening since the outrage. The atmosphere was unbelievable. It was televised but the master tape seems to have been lost which is a great shame.
Quite a few do but Karine Polwart's "Whaur Dae Ye Lie" about the Srebrenica massacre and the Violet Jacob/Jim Reid "Halloween" always bring a lump to the throat.
1st July 1999 (see above).
"The neighbours are no keeping us - they can think what the hell they like!" from my granny, a feisty clever working class woman who had strong notions of right and wrong coupled with a great deal of compassion and common sense.
If you had to pick any female musician to collaborate with - who would it be,
what song would you choose?
I'd like to work with Eddi
Reader - probably on "Women O Dundee".
It would be CHAS, the Children's Hospice Association of Scotland - all the royalties from my singing of "A Man's A Man" go to them - because they do such important work for terminally ill children and their families.
I would love to play the fiddle!
Varies from day to day but I really love the Scots Women double CD. Almost all my favourite women singers and great memories of a wonderful concert.
To find out more about Sheena please see www.sheena-wellington.co.uk
Go to main inspirational women page