It’s been a busy start to the year for Scots folk star Hannah Rarity.
The former Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award winner ushered in 2023 on BBC Alba’s Hogmanay show, before heading out for a series of high-profile live appearances.
Big breakthrough
That New Year’s outing was something of an echo – thankfully in more joyous circumstances – of her big breakthrough exactly two years earlier.
That was when she sang for the nation on BBC Scotland as pandemic restrictions prevented in-person celebrations from taking place.
Hannah also had the honour of hosting the ever-popular late sessions at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections last month.
This as as well as supporting Men At Work frontman Colin Hay at the city’s Old Fruitmarket and playing a major role in an all-star festival session to mark 25 years of Mull’s influential An Tobar venue.
Jazz, blues and country
The West Lothian singer’s just overseen a reprint of her 2018 debut opus Neath The Gloaming Star, which earned her a best album nomination at the following year’s Scots Trad Music Awards.
Now she’s set to belatedly perform songs from its jazz, blues and country-influenced follow-up To Have You Near for fans in West Perthshire at Crieff’s Strathearn Arts on Thursday.
It’s a rearranged gig for Hannah after her scheduled appearance at the venue last September suffered a late postponement.
Hannah Rarity Duo, February 23, strathearnarts.org
