The Teller and the Tale

Due to time restrictions, my interviews have to be edited to a little less than 30 minutes for broadcast on Blues and Roots Radio. However, I've cleaned up the audio file and shared the original unedited version of my interview with Scottish storyteller Eileen Budd. It comes in at about 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Storyteller, author, and artist Eileen Budd was raised in Perthshire in a family that treasured the art of oral storytelling. Eileen learned this art from her parents and grandparents and has gone on to become a much sought-after storyteller in schools, museums, and other public venues. She's a "story archaeologist" who uncovers the stories behind historical objects and customs. Eileen is also the author of Ossian Warrior Poet (Wide Open Sea publishers) a reworking of the poet's material for a twenty-first-century generation.

One of my early interviews, done while I was living in Forres, Scotland, with local storyteller and poet Margot Henderson.

Margot is a Scots Irish poet, storyteller, songwriter and community artist. I see my work as celebrating our connection to nature, place, community and heritage. I write and devise performance pieces for festivals, conferences and cultural events, includingIs This ItandTae Absent Friends. I have produced a number of poetry collections and CDs of poems, songs and stories.

As well as creating my own work, I lead workshops for people of all ages and abilities, cultures and ethnicities in a wide range of settings, including schools, museums galleries, prisons, hospitals, homeless shelters, theatres, festivals, fields, forests, beaches and conferences. (from https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/authors/margot-henderson)

Noa Baumis an award-winning storyteller, author, coach and public speaker presenting internationally for diverse audiences ranging from the World Bank, prestigious universities and congregations, to festivals, government agencies and schools.Born and raised in Jerusalem Noa offers a unique combination of performance art and practical workshops that focus on the power of stories to heal across the divides of identity and build bridges of peace. Photo courtesy of Sam Kittner (www.noabaum.com)

Paula Cowie is a storyteller and environmental activist. At the time of this recording (2015), Paula was the Development Manager for the Sustainable Communities Initiative and an Outdoor Facilitator for Wolf Ways, an initiative that offers children activities based in nature. She continues to work as a storyteller telling tales that integrate her passion for environmental education.

In this episode, I feature songs/stories from a unique CD featuring the villagers of the Scottish hamlets of Carlops and Nine Mile Burn, nestled against the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh. 

In this short episode, Intuitive Story Coach and host of the Teller and the Tale, Michael Williams reflects on the importance of incorporating the body into your storytelling.

This episode is my first "field recording". Scottish storyteller Tim Porteus and I were literally walking through a forest and across a field when I recorded our conversation. I loved the relaxed quality of the conversation and it seemed to allow for a genuine flow of storytelling from Tim. In this episode, Tim shares a "Broonie" tale and some rich anecdotes drawn from his life as a father.

Tim lives in Prestonpans in East Lothian, Scotland. The "Pans", as locals call it, is situated on the Firth of Forth, the waterway that reaches inland from the North Sea. The town has a rich history of fishing and mining, although sadly, much of that is gone. It's storytellers like Tim, however, who keep the history and stories alive, celebrating its people and pastimes. Tim has also been a regular contributor to the East Lothian Courier where you can find his "Tim's Tales" every week (https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/20603104.tims-tales-chest-stories/).

In this episode, host Michael Williams meets Scottish guitarist and composer Tom Richardson. He invites Tom to tell the story behind his new album "Beatrice by the Spey". Consisting of 15 guitar instrumentals, Tom draws on Scottish folk traditions of fiddle and bagpipe music. Yet he also exhibits his love of bluegrass and jazz genres. "Beatrice by the Spey" is a brilliant album from an eclectic and talented performer and composer; it is also a musical project rooted in Tom's response to being locked down during the COVID pandemic. Judging from this album, there's no doubt we'll be hearing from Tom again in the near future. A brilliant star in the constellation of Scottish folk music.

Celebrate Halloween with some scary tales from Scottish storyteller Calum Lykan. Learn more about Calum at https://calumlykanstorytelling.com/