Sacred Spaces, Secular Sounds

We are really pleased to be able to bring more excellent folk music to Chapel FM with Stewart Hardy and Frank McLaughlin with support from NIDD.

Fiddle virtuoso Stewart Hardy and superb Scottish guitarist Frank McLaughlin possess a rare musical kinship, holding listeners spellbound with their interplay as they explore music rooted in the traditions of Scotland, the Borders and Northumberland. As a duo they perform traditional and contemporary tunes stripped back to the bare essentials of fiddle and guitar. Their long-term collaboration has led to a deep and instinctive understanding of each other’s musical interpretations resulting in uplifting and joyous performances.

In their July tour "Sacred Spaces, Secular Sounds" Stewart & Frank will perform traditional and self-penned material from their new album The Gift alongside tunes from their critically acclaimed debut duo album Root2, exemplifying the very best of partnerships between fiddle and guitar.

"Hardy and McLaughlin show themselves to be players of immense empathy and spirit.” Oz Hardwick, R2

"Hardy brings a terrific range of colourful expression to his playing… and McLaughlin is both an imaginative accompanist and an assured tunesmith… All in all, Root2 is a treasure chest of traditional music making, with every listen revealing new riches.” Rob Adams, Herald Scotland

“North-East England fiddler Stewart Hardy and Scots guitarist and piper Frank McLaughlin take an unhurried yet masterly approach in this sweet-sounding album of traditional and self-composed tunes…" Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman.