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Release date for Caithness fiddler Karen Steven's tune – Angel Boy – written in memory of two-year-old great nephew Iain Mackay


By Jean Gunn

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The CD-style cover for the Angel Boy tune.
The CD-style cover for the Angel Boy tune.

The new Angel Boy composition written by Caithness musician Karen Steven in memory of her great-nephew is set to be available for download from this Sunday.

Two-year-old Iain Mackay died following a car accident on the A99 at Occumster in August last year. The talented fiddler was devastated when she heard the tragic news about her great-nephew, who passed away in Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Sick Children three days after the two-car crash.

After putting 20 per cent of the proceeds from her previous CD – The Stroma Swelkie – to the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity (GCHC) she decided to write a tune as a fundraiser for the same charity.

Karen, who is from Caithness and is employed in the oil and gas service industry in Aberdeen, explained: "I really wanted this to be an inclusive project and enlist the support of professional as well as hobby musicians. I contacted friends and former students as well as some musicians lesser known to me, but whose playing I admire.

"It was important to me to give an opportunity to players who might perhaps not normally have the courage to take on this kind of project themselves.

"It's been a really great experience and now my composition, Angel Boy, is ready for going onto online platforms to raise awareness and funds for GCHC."

Her great-nephew died just 16 days before his third birthday. "Iain was a very precious great-nephew to me and so thoughts of Iain are also at the heart of this composition," said Karen.

Iain Mackay (2) died in a crash on the A99 at Occumster last August.
Iain Mackay (2) died in a crash on the A99 at Occumster last August.

The audio and split screen video recording has been produced featuring a total of 38 musicians and dancers from Scotland, Canada, Sweden and the US. Out of the 30 musicians from Scotland, 15 are from Caithness.

Karen first played the tune to local musician Addie Harper back in December 2021, then she turned to her good friend, musician and sound engineer, Alastair MacDonald, who is from Wick but now lives in Ontario, Canada. He agreed to take on mixing and arranging of the audio for the tune.

"In the end, I think there were about 60 different tracks on our one recording," she pointed out. "Some musicians play more than one instrument on the recording, while others play melody as well as harmony."

After the sound was mixed, fiddle player Gordon Gunn, also from Wick, took the time to master the recording before the project was handed over to Addie for the video edit.

Karen Steven wrote Angel Boy in memory of her great-nephew.
Karen Steven wrote Angel Boy in memory of her great-nephew.

Karen said: "I can’t thank Addie, Alastair and Gordon, enough for their valuable expertise, willingness and friendship in pulling this together, for a charity that has a very special place in my heart now and in memory of our family’s very precious little Iain Mackay.

"I would also like to thank all the amazing musicians and dancers who took the time and care to learn Angel Boy and support the project. It was clear to see that so many were affected by the story.

"It really doesn’t take much to think how any one of us might feel in these circumstances. I was humbled to witness the passion and compassion in the band’s playing, that you will see for yourselves when you watch the video."

The other local musicians involved in the recording are: Andrea Cormack, fiddle, John O'Groats; Alexa Paterson, banjo, Bower; Caitlin Forbes, fiddle, Latheron; Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz), drums, John O'Groats; Donald McNeill, electric bass, Thurso; Emily Morrison, fiddle,Wick; Grant Lyall, snare drum,Wick; Lexie Swanson, fiddle, Bower and Richard Smith, ukelele, Wick.

Karen is also indebted to Robert Cameron, Manson Grant and Brandon McPhee for conducting an interview which, along with the Angel Boy video, will be featured on the Brandon McPhee Hour that goes out live on Thursday, March 31.

As well as the video being available for download on Bandcamp – https://karensteven.bandcamp.com/ – from Sunday (March 27), the fundraising campaign will also be launched. The video will be released at the same time on a variety of social media platforms with a link to a JustGiving page.

A digital download of the track is being sold at £1 with an option to donate – all proceeds to GCHC.

Everyone involved in the project gave their services free of charge.


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