John Carnie - Scottish Traditional Guitar - Blues, Jazz and Beyond

A warm welcome to the Scottish acoustic guitar site. John Carnie is a guitarist and singer who plays Scottish traditional music on guitar. He is also known for his strong blues guitar playing and singing and mixing of the two genres. He is currently writing the Scottish Traditional Guitar Tutor Book. His CD Far From Home - ("An exposition of fleetfingered flatpicking" - Scotland on Sunday) showcases Scottish jigs and reels, many with a bluesy twist, that come from the treasure trove of Scotland's musical heritage. 

Check out some flatpicking guitar video clips "Music for a Found Harmonium" on youtube  and John playing Neal Slessor Thompson and the West Coaster

Currently in production is a tutor book on playing Scottish traditional tunes on the acoustic guitar. This features a wide selection of popular fiddle tunes in easy to read tablature as well as notation. There will be an instructional cd and on line video clips. The book will have an emphasis on flatpicking the tunes in standard tuning. The Scottish Guitar Tutor Book is being published by

Taigh na Teud Ltd in April 2012. 

"Swings like a cat" - The Scotsman 

"It is a box of delights ... a wonderful album" -BBC Radio Scotland 

"Far from Home is a delight" - BBC Radio Nan Gael

"An exposition of fleet-fingered flatpicking" - Scotland on Sunday

John's recent live shows have included an Edinburgh Festival Rory Gallagher Acoustic Tribute show (with Dave Moir), Arran Folk Festival, The Lemon Tree Aberdeen, the Carrying Stream Festival in Edinburgh and the Cavern Club in Liverpool where he played the acoustic set as part of the 14th Rory Gallagher UK tribute show.

Far from Home was "CD of the Week" in September 2009 on Celtic Music Radio and it features the jazzy double bass playing of Brian Shiels and some bluesy twists of Dave Moir & Spider Mackenzie. It is the first album of its type to feature Scottish tunes flatpicked on the acoustic guitar and is a delight to listen to. Recorded at the prestigious Castlesound Studios near Edinburgh, it covers the entire spectrum of Scottish  traditional tunes from Shetland reels through to Borders jigs and from West Highland harp tunes to swingy East Coast hornpipes. There are new tunes such as Rory Gallagher's Jig and also tunes that are hundreds of years old. It is a treat for all fans of the acoustic guitar and also fans of Irish, traditional, blues and bluegrass music. The album has been getting great reviews and has had over dozen plays on the BBC Scotland Iain Anderson Show alone.

John has been involved in the award winning 'People and Songs of the Sea' CD released on the Greentrax lable in June 2009. One of his tracks 'The Shaalds of Foulla" has been included on the album. The CD reflects the rich cultural heritage of Scotland's fishing communities, with recordings from a fine list of artists including:  Archie Fisher, The Corries, Gerry OConner, The Cast, The McCalmans and Shona McMillan.  www.musicscotland.com/cd/people-and-songs-of-the-sea.html  

"Scottish label supreme, Greentrax scores yet again with a brilliant piece of work.....make no mistake this is a gorgeous album.... Bottom line and inarguable this is a brilliant album of tunes and songs" - LiveIreland.com