Celtic Music: Silly Wizard
Ranked #1,783 in Music, #45,844 overall | Donates to Squidoo Charity Fund
One of Scotland's Top Traditional Bands of the '70s and '80s
17 Great Years, 9 Great Albums
Silly Wizard started in Edinburgh in 1971 with Gordon Jones, Bob Thomas, and Johnny Cunningham. They didn't play too far from home early on because Johnny was still in school. Their first tour was in France in 1972, followed by touring around the UK with Maddy Taylor. The four recorded an album with Maddy, but then she left the group and the album was never released.The original three members joined with Andy M. Stewart on vocals and banjo. Alasdair Donaldson, Neil Adams, and Freeland Barbour worked with the band for a while, then Martin Hadden on bass and Johnny Cunningham's brother Phil joined with his acccordion after they left. They toured and recorded as a six-piece band for a while. Bob Thomas left before the group recorded So Many Partings as a five-piece group.
Johnny Cunningham left to live in the States, and Dougie MacLean joined for a short while, including the time Wild and Beautiful was recorded. They were a four-piece band for a while, then Johnny, who often sat in when the group was near his home, rejoined. Their ninth and final album, A Glint of Silver was recorded in 1986 and their final show was at one of Bill and Andy Spence's Old Songs events in Vooheesville, NY in April 1988.
Andy M. Stewart has gone on to a successful solo career, while Johnny also played solo and sometimes with Phil. Phil Cunningham has performed with many musicians, including releasing some albums with Shetland Islands fiddler Aly Bain, formerly with Boys of the Lough. Johnny died of a heart attack in December 2003.
Members of Silly Wizard performed with Phil Cunningham and Friends at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow in 2007 (photo, above right). An album of digitally remastered live recordings from the 1980s, Live Again, has been in the works, but no release date has been set.
Silly Wizard on Amazon
1978-1985
The CDs in this group were released in 1990. All are available as MP3 downloads. MP3 downloads, where indicated, are available in the United States only.
If you wish to order from Amazon.co.uk, please click on the appropriate text link in each CD's description. Clicking on the graphic or title of the CD links you to Amazon's US site.
Caledonia's Hardy Sons
Released in 1978 on Shanachie.
MP3: Caledonia's Hardy Sons
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Caledonia's Hardy Sons [German Import]
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 07/13/2009) 
So Many Partings
Released in 1980 on Shanachie. The cover illustrates the Highland Clearances, when landlords considered sheep more valuable than people.
MP3: So Many Partings
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: So Many Partings
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
Wild & Beautiful
Released in 1981 on Shanachie.
MP3: Wild & Beautiful
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Wild and Beautiful
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
Kiss the Tears Away
Released in 1983 on Shanachie.
MP3: Kiss The Tears Away
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Kiss the Tears Away
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
The Best of Silly Wizard
Released in 1985 on Shanachie.
MP3: The Best Of Silly Wizard
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: The Best of Silly Wizard
Amazon Price: $17.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
More Silly Wizard on Amazon
Glint of Silver
Released in 1986 on Green Linnet.
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: A Glint of Silver
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
Live Wizardry
Released in 1988 on Green Linnet.
Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Live Wizzardry
Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009)
Video: Silly Wizard's Phil & Johnny Cunningham
Phil and Johnny Cunningham
Phil and Johnny of Silly Wizard fame perform traditional Reels as a duet Live at Charlotte's Web. Edited from the original Oct. 1986 show.
Runtime: 6:41
19563 views
10 Comments:
Silly Wizard Links
- Silly Wizard history and info by Gordon Jones
- Gordon Jones, a founding member of Silly Wizard, provides a history of the group and links to websites for other members.
- Other Celtic music lenses by MobyD
- A lens to help you find similar lenses I've made.
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poddys wrote...
Very nice lens, I love the format of your Celtic Music lenses. 5*****
Posted November 19, 2008
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