Archives for January 2011

BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician of the Year took place last night, as part of Celtic Connections 2011. The programme presented by Mary Ann Kennedy, features some of Scotland's finest young traditional musicians.

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Miss Babs from the Get It On with Bryan Burnett team has been in touch to say that the theme of tonight's show has changed after the sad news of the death of John Barry. In honour of the great composer, tonight's theme is now 'Music at the Movies'. Send your requests to Bryan now via Facebook, Bryan's Blog or email.

Dame Shirley Bassey performing 'Goldfinger' in 2002, from the 1964 film of the same name.

Get It On is broadcast weekdays, 1810-2000.

Catriona Shearer stood in for Shereen Nanjiani on Sunday's show, poring over the Sunday papers, the issues which came up for debate included phone hacking, protests and Tommy Sheridan... A busy show.

She also chatted to Vicky Featherstone, Artistic and Executive Director of the National Theatre of Scotland. The National will be five years old next month and Catriona finds out about their celebratory plans for the year ahead:

The extended interview with Vicky Featherstone can be heard below and Sunday's show is available for 7 days in iPlayer.

Take the Floor at Celtic Connections 2011.

Last night as part of Celtic Connections 2011, Robbie Shepherd and the Take the Floor team produced a live show of Gaelic song and Ceilidh music from the historic Pearce Institute in Govan. With an audience packed with dancers and music from Darren MacLean, The Alistair McCulloch Trio and of course The Reel Thing Ceilidh Band, It proved to be a really tremendous shindig to remember.

Here's a few snaps of the evening below and of course the show is on again today at 1305 and available to listen again in iPlayer for the next 7 days.

Darren MacLean and Matthew Watson

Darren MacLean

The Alistair McCulloch Trio

The Reel Thing Ceilidh Band

Raul Malo on Another Country With Ricky Ross

Ricky Ross with Madison Violet, Raul Malo, Pete Molinari and Davie Scott

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Dollar on Top of the Pops, 1982

I'm rather glad to see the back of January to be honest - it's a shame really, but it's a month with a lot to answer for. I was never very good at sticking to either fiscal or food diets, but that's what the first month of the year forces the majority of us to do - in the hope that it'll assuage our guilt. This week's economic forecast didn't exactly help dispel the gloom, and unsurprisingly, the winter weather was blamed for poor sales figures. It's just a pity that the economy wasn't in tandem with the temperature which appears to be on the way up - days are getting longer, and there's a hint of optimism in the air.

To lighten the mood, how about your suggestions for songs about money or anything connected with currency. How about 80's band "Dollar" to get us going, and the very up-beat "Money's Too Tight to Mention" from Simply Red, or even "Pennies from Heaven"

That's just a few - I know there's more and it would be good to have your thoughts.

You can send your musical dedications to me at greetings@bbc.co.uk.

It was Brussels this week and straight into the heart of decision-making at the Parliament. But not high level interviews or big political stories. Instead I was giving the Toast to the Lassies at the EP's Burns Supper which raised money for the charity Mercy Corps. I thought I'd done enough to set a tough pace for my fellow diner the SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford who was replying on behalf of the Lassies but sadly she had an answer for everything and she managed to be charming and witty with it. Oh well, there's always next year.

I dropped into a drinks reception on Tuesday to be met by an avuncular, silver-haired bloke who said: "Welcome to Brussels. I'm the American Ambassador to London." And so he was. Louis B Susman was in town to join the US Ambassador to the EU Bill Kennard in a charm offensive with MEPs. Proof, if it were needed, that relations have been pretty low for too long.

We knocked about the issue of Megrahi's release before he said: "I love your whisky and your golf courses and my wife loves your jumpers. Let's call it a draw" I liked the Ambassadors' team of high-flying staffers straight from the West Wing. One was called Tweet! We played Spot the Spook and my money was on the broad-shouldered, crew-cut who had worked in the National Security Agency.

I also sat in on the fisheries committee and heard my host, the Tory MEP Struan Stevenson, who invited me to the Burns Night, tackle the Icelandic Ambassador on mackerel wars and Iceland's attempt to join the EU. The Ambassador is Stefan Johannesson who was on Newsweek last year. I button-holed him at the meeting and got him to agree to come on again this week when he gets home to Reykjavik from Brussels via Geneva. He's supposed to be painting his house on Saturday morning so he says his wife will kill him! I should have offered him my Toast to the Lassies to win her over. I think he likes Scotland too and his daughter is studying at Edinburgh University.

Meanwhile, we discuss the rolling movements in North Africa, especially Egypt which of course borders the Middle East theatre. We look back at the Greek tragedy of Tommy Sheridan's demise and disgrace and anything else Pauline the Producer has thought up while I was away. I'm off to sharpen the barbs in the Toast in case I get another go at the Lassies next year. Meanwhile my advice is: Don't tangle with Dr Eilidh Whiteford. I think even Rabbie would have been charmed into silence. Join me tomorrow at 8 am.

The next thing is to find some record of service.

Start at The National Archives, whose website has lots of useful guides on finding military ancestors. Then see what records are online - many are - or see whether you would need to visit. A useful starting point is the WW1 Medal Cards index, which will give regiment, medals won and sometimes a home address. There may also be a service record, or a pension record for those wounded or injured - but many of these WW1 records were lost during the blitz in WW2. TNA also has Prisoner of War records.

The services themselves can provide records from about 1920, available to next of kin and others under certain conditions. There is information at www.veterans-uk.info and click on Service Records, Medals & Badges. They can also help to get medals reissued if these have been lost or were never collected.

Any Scottish soldier who died in conflict will be listed in The Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. You will need to visit, but they can be contacted via their website and do check with the National Archives of Scotland for Scottish soldier's wills, NAS also offer good guides on researching military history.

Finally, contact or visit the Regimental Museum. There are a list of these on the Ogilby Trust - www.armymuseums.org.uk website and do remember that these museums are not funded by the services or the government and need your support.

The more you know, regiment or unit, with service number if possible, dates of service and where you ancestor may have served the more likely you are to find the information you want.

This week's Take The Floor events guide, featuring the ceilidh dances, traditional and folk music events happening throughout Scotland over the next seven days.

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If you enjoy Another Country with Ricky Ross you might be interested to hear that tonight -January 26 - Ricky will be presenting the first of three shows featuring highlights from Celtic Connections 2011 for BBC Radio 2.

Ricky Ross and Mavis Staples backstage, Celtic Connections at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, January 2011

In the first programme Ricky talks to some of the artists from this year's event and brings you live music from Tom Jones, Mavis Staples, Justin Townes Earle, Dick Gaughan and Muntu Valdo.

Here's the full list of Ricky's programmes for BBC Radio 2:

Wednesday 26 February - Celtic Connections

Wednesday 2 February - Celtic Connections

Monday 7 February - Celtic Connections - Forever Young - A 70th Birthday Tribute to Bob Dylan.

And of course, back in his usual home on BBC Radio Scotland, Ricky's here with Another Country on Friday night live from Pacific Quay in Glasgow. There's a great line-up including Raul Malo, Pete Molinari and Madison Violet. Keep an eye out here on the Radio Scotland blog - I'll be taking photographs throughout the show and putting them up, so no matter where you're listening we can all join in the fun together.

Amidst all of the features about Robert Burns yesterday on air, on the Radio Scotland website and here on the blog was an animation featuring a talking haggis.

Here is the official line from the producer, Maragret-Anne Docherty:

Ode to a haggis as you have never seen it delivered by one of Burns' other favourite creatures The Moose. Enjoy John Gordon Sinclair's rendition of this classic poem as you watch the haggis squirm!

If you missed it fear not - here it is in all it's splendour. And let's not forget the Burns archive where you can listen to recordings of all his works.

The Culture Cafe, Burns special featuring Clare English, Susan Calman, Sir Kenneth Calman, Karen Dunbar, Lorraine McIntosh, Gerda Stevenson, Crawford Logan, Dick Gaughan, Jake Cogan and the Liberty Roses. Photographs by Alan Braidwood

To celebrate Burns Night, The Culture Café broadcast live from the foyer of BBC Scotland's headquarters in Glasgow, with a showcase of Burns' poems and songs. Clare English introduced performances from Karen Dunbar, Lorraine McIntosh, Gerda Stevenson and Crawford Logan.

We took these snaps at the event and the programme is available on BBC iPlayer.

Check out BBC Scotland's The Complete Burns site for more exclusive content from the National Bard, featuring many of Radio Scotland's presenters reciting works by Burns.

Ahead of the Burns programmes on BBC Radio Scotland on Tuesday 25 January, producer Esme Kennedy has written us a few lines about a project she produced called The Complete Burns.

The Complete Burns, by Esme Kennedy

"...and we'd like you to take over and record the remaining 539 poems and songs by Robert Burns" WHAT?!!

In the run up to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, my former colleague Dave Batchelor had the brilliant idea that BBC Scotland should record the Complete Works of Robert Burns for a permanent online audio archive using Scotland's best acting talent.

Robert Burns collaborators from left to right: HRH The Prince of Wales, Robert Carlyle, Robbie Coltrane and Susan Calman. Photographs by Alan Braidwood

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When Della, my producer, and I were discussing mid week what we'd put in the show we had our heads in our hands. "Nothing's happening! How are we going to fill an hour?" But as ever in news, stuff happens, and in politics, well, a week's a long time. By Friday we worrying about how we'd fit it all in: two resignations, allegations of a wife's affair with a bodyguard, further allegations of phone hacking, and a former Prime Minister being heckled at the Chilcot Inquiry. Plenty for my panel to get stuck into.

Joining me in the studio to make sense of it all were PR man Martin Raymond, writer Kirsty Scott, and Magnus Gardham, political editor of the Daily Record. Magnus was in his element with all the political intrigue.

Later we took a break from the politics to hear from my special guest, the Irish Jazz Blues singer Mary Coughlan. Mary's is an extraordinary story of survival and forgiveness. Having suffered years of sexual abuse as a child, she went off the rails big time: alcoholism, drug addiction, but in the middle of it all she managed to hold down a hugely successful career and a raise a family. She almost lost it all and spoke movingly about the effect her alcoholism had on her children. Eventually she pulled herself out of her downward spiral and conquered her demons. She talks with a remarkable lack of self pity considering what she's been through. When I put that to her she told me her counsellor used to tell her "Ach Mary, will you get of the f***ing cross!" The Irish approach to healing perhaps, but it worked.

Finally on the show we had an argument about whether Ricky Gervais went too far with his jokes when he hosted the Golden Globe Awards. Kirsty and Magnus couldn't agree on this one. Listen to one of his riskier one liners and see what you think. Personally I predict he'll be back doing it again next year.

As we approach the start of the final week of the Celtic Connections festival, it's time for a quick round up of our ever expanding collection of content from Glasgow's largest music event.

The BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay have already played host to two foyer shows (one each from Travelling Folk and Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering) while the BBC Scotland audio team have been out recording concerts and the online team have been busy filming acoustic sessions.

Over at our Celtic Connections site you'll find exclusive video sessions from Spiers & Boden, The Burns Unit, Lau, Eduardo Niebla, Malinky, Henrik Jansberg, Simon Thoumire & Ian Carr, Ewan McLennan and A.J.Roach, audio clips from India Alba, Emily Smith, Yasmin Levy and Muntu Valdo and if that wasn't enough there's also a small but ample collection of photo galleries and gig reviews.

With more Pacific Quay foyer shows to come along with Celtic Connections shows on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and on BBC Two Scotland, you can use our TV & Radio guide to keep up with all the coverage and keep an eye on the site for video and audio clips from all those shows alongside some more exclusive online only content.

Burns' songs and poems are acknowledged globally and are among some of the most beautiful we have, and while I paid scant attention to any of them while growing up - and regret that gap in my literary education - I have come to appreciate their relevance and resonance almost 250 years later.

I suppose we all have our favourites, and when it comes to his songs, without hesitation mine is Ae Fond Kiss - such a heart-felt love song, written for Clarinda. Eddie Reader has a fabulous version of the song. What's your favourite Burns song and why? Get in touch and we'll include it in the show.

I've spent part of the week wondering about the increasing sense of anger people feel about the way things are just now. It can be hard to put your finger on it exactly but you only have to say "banker" to get the idea. Their fecklessness and greed followed by their apparent disdain for their rescue and immediate return to lottery-sized bonuses seems to embody what has gone wrong.

And when you think about it, the implication is that something fudamental is at fault... systems of government? Quality of political decision-making? Is the re-ordering of society needed?The big decisions on macro economics will be made in London of course, but this will also be the arena in which our MSPs argue in the May election. How are our noble representatives bearing up?

The ongoing squabble about the case for fiscal autonomy doesn't seem to augur too well. The minutaie are hardly enough to grab public imagination. Would more tax powers allow a marginal increase in GDP? It seems fairly obvious that it could do, if the right economic policies were pursued and equally, that if the policies were misguided then more powers could still lead to less output. Are they dancing on the head of a pin?

We're interested this week, in our perceived inability to see the bigger picture. And is there another place where the media would exult in apparently proving their own country was uniquely too weak to stand alone, even if it wanted to? Murray Leith of West of Scotland University knows a lot about Quebec so my bet is he'll tell us it's sometimes the same there. He debates with Carol Craig who wrote 'the Scots' crisis of confidence'.

We'll debate the London end of politics covering Coulson, Blair and Johnson not to mention the baleful presence of Ed Balls as shadow Chancellor.

We go overseas to Tunisia and Ireland and, as I prepare my Toast to the Lassies for next week, we're in Alloway at the auld clay biggin that was home to the Bard. It has reopened after a £20million renovation and gives new inspiration to memory of Burns. Now that's a big idea. Join me tomorrow at 8.

That gag will only be suitable to those of you, who like me, can remember the 60s with some clarity!

Mr Murdoch and myself are back with you and a new series of Another Country. In truth we've been back since the start of the year and I hope you enjoyed the chance to reacquaint yourselves with Randy Newman and Tom Jones.

Ryan Bingham and Ricky Ross

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Somehow, we got onto the subject of Morris Minor vans, preferably ones that had previously been used by the GPO...this came in from Stefan. Love the purple shagpile carpet!

Sitting here nursing a broken arm after the ice n snow. Good show. Love the stories.

Amused by the Morris 1000 stories. I bought mine (first car an ex-GPO post office van,) after leaving the army in 1975. It cost me £30 at Kinross market and I had it for 3 years without much hassle... and sold it for £40 at the end. I kept the yellow original yellow paint job (with the queen's crown on the side and the ladder rack on top!) and kitted out in back with purple shagpile carpet.

Never had any bother parking on double yellows or other prohibited parking spaces either!

One episode I remember, my mate and I heading for Cambridge via the Lake district when we were up a narrow mountain road.

We were flashed by a convoy of cars some miles away on the other side of the valley. In case we were on an unsafe road, we waited some 20 minutes until the first car came up to us. This well-dressed guy in amorning suit got out and asked us if we could go to a distant farmhouse some miles away and restore the phone line there as what turned out to be a funeral cortege in the distance was missing some family members and was being delayed. Of course, we had to refuse! The van also doubled as our wee gig van for our first band trio.

( Factoid: the Morris foot dipswitches could be and were, built into home-made footpedals for the amps as money was very tight in them day)s. Took us all over the Highlands and most of England in the three years that I had it. Ah...memories!

Stef

Falkirk

Take The Floor events guide features the latest traditional music, Scottish country dances and folk music events throughout Scotland over the next seven days.

FRIDAY 21ST JANUARYCeltic Connections

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas - 7:30pm

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Foulden - Village Hall - Ewan Galloway - 8pm-12am - *Tickets £5*

Scottish Country Dances

Stirling - Albert Halls - Marian Anderson - 7:30pm

SATURDAY 22ND JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Uist & Benbecula Accordion & Fiddle Club - Benbecula - Church Of Scotland Hall - 8pm

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Kinellar - Community Hall - Gordon Pattullo

Scottish Country Dances

Bridge Of Allan - Keir St Hall - David Cunningham - 7:30pm - *Tickets £6*

Celtic Connections

Glasgow - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - Highland Sessions - Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas

Celtic Connections Fiddle Village

Glasgow - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - Highland Sessions - Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas

SUNDAY 23RD JANUARY

Arbroath Accordion & Fiddle Club

Fife - Old Parish Church Hall - Kirk Wynd - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 2-5pm - *Tickets £3*

East Kilbride - Girl Guide Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Button-Keys (Windygates) - Windygates - Greig Institute - Shand Morino Gathering - 1-5pm

Haddington Accordion & Fiddle Club - Railway Hotel - The Gold Brothers

Glasgow - St Andrew's In The Square - The Big Orkney Song Project - 7:30pm

Celtic Connections Fiddle Village

Glasgow - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - Highland Sessions - Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas

Celtic Connections Fiddle Village

Glasgow - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - Alasdair Fraser, Ian McFarlane, Duncan Chisolm, Bruce MacGregor, Greg Lawson, Allan Henderson and Aonghas Grant

MONDAY 24TH JANUARY

St Andrews, SCD Club - live music from Dierdre Adamson on Accordion (learners welcome) - 7:30pm

Pitlochry, Recreational Grounds (Town Hall if wet) - Highland Nights

Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Strathleven Place - Ceilidh & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm

Fintry Accordion & Fiddle Club - Sports Centre - Mhairi Coutts - 7:30pm

Lanark Accordion & Fiddle Club - Ravenstruther - Ravenstruther Hall - David Oswald

Glasgow - St Columba Church Guild - Scots Night with meal of Traditional Scots Fare - 7:30pm

Scottish Country Dances

Stirling - Albert Hall - Lothian - 7:30pm - *Tickets £5*

TUESDAY 25TH JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Scots Song - suitable for beginners - 2pm

Westerton Summer Dancing - Bearsden, Westerton Village Hall, Maxwell Avenue, Westerton - Musicians John Renton and Rickie Francie - 7:30-10:30pm

Humbie - Village Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time Club & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Aberdeen Accordion & Fiddle Club - Balgownie - Old Machar British Legion - Neil Angus McNeil Ceilidh Band

Lockerbie Accordion & Fiddle Club - The Queens Hotel - Alan Roy

Edinburgh - Lauriston Hall - Burns Night with Willie Fraser & Ken Gourlay - 8pm - *Tickets £10/£8/£6*

WEDNESDAY 26TH JANUARY

Carnoustie Scottish Country Dance Club - Carnoustie, Beach Hall, Links Parade - Various Bands - 8-11pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Bonnie Rideout with Allan MacDonald and Friends - 7:30pm

Midlem - Village Hall - Live Music - Old Time Class (GB Scott) - 8-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Banff & District Accordion & Fiddle Club - Banff Springs Hotel - Iain MacDonald SDB

Kelso Accordion & Fiddle Club - Cross Keys Hotel - Bon Accords - 7pm

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Dufftown - Memorial Hall - 7:30-10pm -

THURSDAY 27TH JANUARY

RSCDS - Alva, Summer Dance, Cochrane Hall, West Stirling Street - various musicians - 7:30-10:30pm

Penicuick - Town Hall - Ceilidh Class - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £2.90/£1.50*

Newburgh Accordion & Fiddle Club - Ship Inn - Iain Anderson SDB

Glendale Accordion & Fiddle Club - Glendale Hall - Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross - 7:30pm

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - New Tradition with Ewan McLennan, Lucy Pringle and Chris Wright and Sean Taylor - 7:30pm

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Windygates - Greig Institute - Bruce Lindsay - 7:30-10:30pm - *Tickets £3.50*

13TH - 30TH JANUARY - CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2011

300 events over 18 days across 14 venues in Glasgow with artists such as Sir Tom Jones, Mavis Staples, The Blind Boys Of Alabama and Bettye LaVette and festival highlights including The Waterboys, Grant Lee Buffalo and Rosanne Cash

As part of Celtic Connections 2011Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering held a live floor show from the foyer of Pacific Quay and I was jammy enough to blag myself some standing room at the event, on the condition that I take a few photies for the website.

Mary Ann Kennedy's Global Gathering

And lucky I was indeed, it was an outstanding show which included flamenco guitar legend Eduardo Niebla, who had performed an emotional rendition of his song Rosie, for The Review Show the week before.

Cameroonian jazz guitarist Muntu Valdo ... who rather than be supported by a band, played the guitar, harmonica, drums and created his backing vocals, by sampling and playing out loops live in his songs, multi-tasking with bags full of presence .... a one man band who has to be seen (or heard ) to be believed.

The show also included Emily Smith whose songs feature regularly on the Iain Anderson Show, Travelling Folk and Take the Floor where her album Traiveller's Joy has been featured as album of the week at various points and rightly so. The whole band which included her husband Jamie McLennan, Anna Massie, Duncan Lyall, Claire Mann and Signy Jakobsdottir on percussion, had a fair few toes tapping in the audience.

Last but by no way least was India Alba I can only be describe as footstomping Indo-Scottish fusion ....fun fun fun, beautiful beats and earthy sounds.

If you missed the show I'd recommend listening again on iPlayer and keep up to date with all the highlights on BBC Scotland Celtic Connections 2011.

Ricardo Garcia, Eduardo Niebla & Dharmesh Parmar

Jamie McClennan, Emily Smith & Claire Mann

Muntu Valdo in performance

India Alba:Ross Ainslie, Gyan Singh, Sharat Srivastava, & Nigel Richard

India Alba:Gyan Singh, Sharat Srivastava, Ross Ainslie & Nigel Richard

What a joy to leave the house at 6am and not have to spend twenty minutes scraping snow and ice off the windscreen, the first time that's happened to me on a Sunday since the end of November. I'm also back, at last, in my natty rear wheel drive sports car, though I fear our love affair is coming to an end. Come the summer I think I'll be trading in "Bambi" (so called because of its uselessness on icy roads) for a more sensible option. I'm waiting till summer because I'm told there's a waiting list for 4WDs at the moment. Hopefully by then memories of this winter will have faded and someone will be in the market for a spot of open top driving in a hot (!) Scottish summer.

The other joy for me now that the snow's gone is it doesn't take so long to get ready in the morning. The layers of armour were becoming rather tedious: hats, gloves, scarves, socks, thermal under-garments. It has meant that we've finally become a lot better equipped and more self sufficient in our defences against cold weather. I had got path clearing down to a fine art and now have a huge supply of rock salt in readiness for the next cold snap, which is almost certain to guarantee mild weather through till next year. And I've noticed that even teenagers who prefer to go out in all weathers in the flimsiest t shirts and micro miniskirts have suddenly learned to covet things like fleece wellie liners. Once my twenty year old step-daughter realised that cold weather could be another fashion opportunity she embraced it in the manner of a true shopaholic in the making and is now almost disappointed that it's too mild for her faux fur coat and Hunter wellies.

She has found consolation in the fact that she can now wear the impossibly high platform shoes she got for Christmas. Ah, heels! Welcome back, I've missed you! I am of course aware that it's only mid January and the sensible accessories may have to be dragged out again soon. But I'm enjoying the respite.

For fear that this is all making me sound rather shallow let me tell you about this week's programme, which I can assure you was anything but. This week's special guest was American science writer David Shenk who had some fascinating insights on the nature versus nurture debate. His contention is that there's no such thing as "innate" talent or intelligence, that there's genius in all of us if we can find the environmental factors to unlock it. We can even up our IQ scores. And, he says, the science proves it.

In the studio with me were politics professor Sarah Oates, political biographer David Torrance, and Paul McNamee, the Editor of the Big Issue in Scotland. Topics up for discussion this week: President Obama's speech in the wake of the Arizona shootings, the undercover cop who went "rogue", and the TV presenter who won her age discrimination case against the BBC. Hope you enjoy it.

Listen to the extended interview with David Shenk below and listen again to the programme on iPlayer.

When I was told that Fred MacAulay was climbing Kilimanjaro for charity and they needed a replacement on MacAulay And Co for three weeks I jumped at the chance to do what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite jobs. I knew that during that time no two shows would be the same, the guests would be varied and wonderful, and that the production team would be a delight to work with.

For those of you not familiar with my background I worked as a lawyer for 7 years, I've gigged in some of the toughest and roughest clubs in the country as a stand up but even I can't think of anything more intimidating than an hour and a half of live radio. It's exciting, unpredictable but ultimately terrifying. Every morning I sit in the presenters chair, watching the clock as the time ticks up to 10.30am frantically re-reading material before the show starts. I listen to the last 5 minutes of Call Kaye waiting for her cheery tones to wish me well before we're off. And once we start it's full on until midday when I can breathe a sigh of relief at a job (hopefully) well done.

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It's a fascinating question - but are people without formal musical training just as gifted, in musical terms, as those who have. It's definitely an art form and I can assure you that even if you can sing in tune, it doesn't mean you'll be a dab hand on a musical instrument.

Okay that last bit of research was based on the experience of one person - me. I started singing when I was as young as eight - not unusual in the Gaelic speaking communities where participating in the local and ultimately national Mod singing competitions, was more or less, a rite of passage.

Thanks to some great teachers, I could hold a note, but when it came to learning to play the piano, I was a disaster. In fact, curiously, and perhaps not surprisingly, I was just as inept when it came to typing - it was all in the fingers - or not in my case.

I wasn't much better on the recorder either, and then, realising my limits and in an effort to field off future disappointment, I gave up, preferring instead to listen to people who really could sing or play musical instruments. From Aly Bain to Phil Cunningham, to Mark Knopfler and Robert Plant - good mix there.

Who is your musical genius, who has the talent it takes - let me know

greetings@bbc.co.uk

I've been on jury duty most of the week. To be accurate, I've been in the courts for four days waiting to do jury duty. After three days of nothing happening except being shunted en masse from one courtroom to another, a trial finally started but my name stayed firmly in the glass jar. To be honest, by the time it got to Thursday some of our number were grumbling that if they did end up on a jury they were likely to recommend somebody be taken to Glasgow Green and publicly hanged as used to happen.

I understand the need to do my civic duty - it's not the first time I've been on a jury - but it felt as if everybody in the system was treated with a little more regard than the public.

At least we have an independent judicial system. How some people in China would like that. Is our attitude towards human rights abuses like forced homelessness and detention and public executions being compromised by our desire to trade?

The EU is moving towards ending the arms embargo on China, Greece has welcomed China buying up their low grade bonds and they are a force in European economies. Scotland has done renewables business with them this week. How could we not after winning two pandas?

We hear from a contemporary China watcher in Brussels. We're examining the psychology of guns after the latest American shooting. It's interesting that many other countries have very open policies on gun availability but don't have anything like the same gun crime as does the US.

Our man Huw Williams has been in Haiti a year after the catastrophe there. He has no good news for us, I'm afraid.

And we have a political debate on life inside the SNP government. Are they really getting everything wrong, or is the opposition just better at painting it that way? And is the Scottish media falling into the trap of assuming all they touch will turn to dust just as they used to think it all turned to gold? The Tesco tax, Calman and school closures have been to the fore with the Nats getting a roasting. Has the tide turned irrevocably or has the golden touch temporarily deserted the Salmond administration?

I'll let you be the judge. I'm fed up being the jury. Join me at 8.

1. I suppose the question I'm asked most often is: "Am I descended from Robert the Bruce?"

And the answer is usually "Absolutely - because we all are." He had 12 children and just on statistics, if each of them had 2 children and so on down the generations that's a potential 3.2 billion people alive today. Take out India and China and that's almost everyone else on the planet! Ultimately, we're all related at some level, right back to the first tribe who walked out of S. Africa. But the real question should be "Can I prove I'm descended from Robert the Bruce (or William Wallace, Henry II, Charlemagne etc.) and is there any documentary proof?" Not usually, no.

2. "We came over with William the Conqueror."

Oh really? Not many did, and we don't know who most of them were. The various lists of Norman knights who fought at Hastings are largely inventions. More likely is descent from one of the many Normans who were given land in England in the years after conquest - but remember that William never conquered Scotland, although many Anglo-Normans were brought up here by David I in the next century. However, again documentary proof may be hard to come by.

3. "Here's a photo of your Gran-dad and he looks just like King George - one of our ancestors was a chambermaid who got pregnant by Edward VII (or someone)."

Well, I'm not saying it didn't happen, but if every royal by-blow I've been told about was real, the various Princes must have had a busy time of it. Really, for a while EVERYBODY tried to look like Edward VII, George V and so on - it was the fashion for the familiar beard at that time.

4. Don't ignore family stories - but don't take them as gospel either.

Use them as a starting point for proper research. Often the real story is better than the one you've heard.

Why do families have these stories and myths? It isn't that they make up lies, and often there's a grain of something that really happened buried in the myth. Humans are natural story-tellers, and stories help to differentiate one family from others, drawing the family together by creating what oral history researchers call a community of memory. Where family stories are absent, it can be hard for parents to help children establish their place in the complex intergenerational mix of the family and the wider world outside the intimate circle. So "Your great-great-grandfather was a pirate/highwayman/sheep-stealer" is a natural response to that.

When I was young, I was told: "Years ago, we used to own all the land around here". It turned to be more or less the case, but not exactly!

As marmalade allegedly slips in the nation's affections, the Tom Morton Show unearths a superb recipe for the home made variety, from Wendy de Rusett, in Findochty, of the organisation Traditional Arts for School & Community (TASC).

Along with many other wonderful traditional things marmalade is less and less made and tasted by people. It is not too chewy if the orange peel is well cooked. I use about 20 oranges at a time, in my big jam pan which makes three batches. It is so easy to make. I use my mother's recipe.You just cover the oranges with water and boil them for a couple of hours until they are soft. Keep the water. Let them cool, cut each orange as thin or thick as you want. Keep the pips in till last because they produce pectin, the setting agent. Add a bit more water. Measure the mixture and for 1 pint of it, add 1 lb of jam sugar, just like jams and jellies. Boil until it sets on a cold spoon. Thiscan take (for me) about 40 minutes.

If in doubt, I leave it overnight and see if it sets, then boil it up again briefly to put into preheated jars. I make my own labels.

I look forward to January when the Seville oranges come in, some supermarkets don't stock them. Shame worse than that, they stock rows of marmalade which is not made from the bitter Seville oranges which just does not have THAT MARVELLOUS TANG AND AFTERTASTE.

You can hear Tom Morton's daily top tales on the Tom Morton show, Monday-Friday 1400-1530 (Fri -1600).

Take a look at the latest BBC Radio Scotland Take The Floor events guide featuring traditional music, Scottish country dances and folk music events throughout Scotland over the next seven days.

FRIDAY 14TH JANUARY

Oban Accordion & Fiddle Club - Argyllshire Gathering - Dance with Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio - 7:30pm

Comunn An Taobh - Glasgow - Milngavie Town Hall - Annual Highland Ball

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Penicuik - St Mungo's Church Hall - James Coutts - 7:30-11:30pm - *Tickets £5*

Banchory - British Legion - Johnny Duncan

Carluke - Masonic Hall - Keith Robertson - 7:30-11:15pm - *Tickets £6*

Scottish Country Dances

Erskine - Bridge Hotel - Ian Muir Sound - 7:30pm

SATURDAY 15TH JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Beauly - Phipps Hall - Colin Donaldson's Band - 7:30pm - *Tickets £5.50*

Glasgow - Woodside Halls - Glenfarg Street - The 12th Jimmy McHugh Memorial Concert - 8pm - *Tickets £10*

Edinburgh - Trinity SCD Club - Edinburgh Academy Jnr School - Colin Dewar - 7:30-10:30pm - *Tickets £8/£6*

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Tranent - Tranmare Hotel - George King - 8-11pm - *Tickets £2.50*

Strathaven - Ballgreen Hall - Jimmy Lindsay - 7-11pm - *Tickets £8*

Glasgow - Partick Burgh Hall - Susan MacFadyen - 8-11:30pm - *Tickets £7*

Scottish Country Dances

Edinburgh - Academy Jnr School - Colin Dewar - 7:30pm - *Tickets £8/£6*

SUNDAY 16TH JANUARY

Fife - Old Parish Church Hall - Kirk Wynd - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 2-5pm - *Tickets £3*

East Kilbride - Girl Guide Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Annan St Andrew Accordion & Fiddle Club - St Andrew's Social Club - Border Reivers

Balloch Accordion & Fiddle Club - St Kessog's Hall - Iain Anderson Trio - 7:30pm

Haddington - The Railway Hotel - Koda - 2pm - *Tickets £3*

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Montrose - Park Hotel - Ian McCallum - 2-5pm

MONDAY 17TH JANUARY

St Andrews, SCD Club - live music from Dierdre Adamson on Accordion (learners welcome) - 7:30pm

Pitlochry, Recreational Grounds (Town Hall if wet) - Highland Nights

Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Strathleven Place - Ceilidh & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm

Beith Accordion & Fiddle Club - Beith Bowling Club - Neil Caul SDB

Duns Accordion & Fiddle Club - Royal British Legion - Andy Kain Band - 7:30pm

Highland Accordion & Fiddle Club - Inverness - Waterside Hotel - Lynn Gould Trio - 7:30pm

Perth - Glenfarg - Glenfarg Village Folk Club - Glenfarg Hotel - Ian Davison and Carissa Bovill - 8:30pm - *Tickets £8/£5*

TUESDAY 18TH JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Scots Song - suitable for beginners - 2pm

Westerton Summer Dancing - Bearsden, Westerton Village Hall, Maxwell Avenue, Westerton - Musicians John Renton and Rickie Francie - 7:30-10:30pm

Humbie - Village Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time Club & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Castle Douglas Accordion & Fiddle Club - Urr Valley Hotel - Susan MacFadyen Trio - 7:30pm

Livingston Accordion & Fiddle Club - Whitburn - Hilcroft Hotel - Pentlands Ceilidh Band

Mauchline Accordion & Fiddle Club - Mauchline & District KFC Supporters Club - Kenny Thomson SDB

Perth Accordion & Fiddle Club - Salutation Hotel - Wayne Robertson Trio - 8pm

Wick Accordion & Fiddle Club - MacKay's Hotel - Local Bands Night + Guest Artiste

WEDNESDAY 19TH JANUARY

Carnoustie Scottish Country Dance Club - Carnoustie, Beach Hall, Links Parade - Various Bands - 8-11pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £5*

Midlem - Village Hall - Live Music - Old Time Class (GB Scott) - 8-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Dunblane Accordion & Fiddle Club - Victoria Hall - Players Night - 7:15pm

THURSDAY 20TH JANUARY

RSCDS - Alva, Summer Dance, Cochrane Hall, West Stirling Street - various musicians - 7:30-10:30pm

Penicuick - Town Hall - Ceilidh Class - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £2.90/£1.50*

Coalburn Accordion & Fiddle Club - Coalburn Miners Welfare - Alan Gardiner Trio - 7:30pm

Celtic Connections

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas with Mary Ann Kennedy and The Campbells - 7:30pm

13TH - 30TH JANUARY - CELTIC CONNECTIONS 2011

300 events over 18days across 14venues in Glasgow with artists such as Sir Tom Jones, Mavis Staples, The Blind Boys Of Alabama and Bettye LaVette and festival highlights including The Waterboys, Grant Lee Buffalo and Rosanne Cash

BBC Radio Scotland's Take the Floor Saturdays 1906, Sundays at 1305 and available to listen again on BBC Radio Scotland iPlayer.

New Year, new resolutions? In my case it's more a continuation of those I started with the first heavy fall of snow at the end of November. Given that my car was snowbound in our drive - that's country living for you - I was forced to walk a lot more than normal.

For around five weeks I must have been putting in at least 4 miles per day getting to and from work, but I was pleased with the results. I felt fitter, sharper and much more positive despite the sub-zero temperatures outside. The other bonus was that instead of gaining weight over the festive season I just went back to my normal weight. Disappointing though that may be, at least it proved to me that even brisk walking can make a difference, and sometimes it takes forced circumstances to provide you with that lightbulb moment.

Instead of listening to music as I walked I kept my eyes firmly on the pavements to avoid disappearing under an avalanche of snow, but now that it's gone - at least I hope it is - I can continue my regime but maybe I should give some thought to the kinds of songs that would put a spring in my step, and take my mind off the miles. "Walking back to happiness" is an obvious one, Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are made for Walking.." another - and The Spencer Davis Group's Keep on Running. What would lighten your step and put you in the mood for a brisk walk? Send me your suggestions and we'll play them on the show.

The Greetings Programme, Sundays 0705 on BBC Radio Scotland and available to listen again on iPlayer.

In the last few minutes we've just launched some new-look pages which present all our local News bulletins as well as programmes from Orkney and Shetland together.

It's taken us a little bit of time to try and get everything working so they play the audio and look better.

If you're curious and would like to look or have a listen you'll find them here: bbc.co.uk/radioscotland/news

The new News page on the BBC Radio Scotland website

Around Orkney's new-look page

Richard Holloway, presents his Sunday morning programme which includes conversation with some of Scotland's most interesting and creative artists, poets, writers, musicians and thinkers.

Coming up you can expect to hear interviews from (amongst others) psychologist, Professor Susan Blackmore, author and philosopher, Mary Warnock, musician and composer, Phil Cunningham, architect Malcolm Fraser and community activist and author, Bob Holman.

Richard has recorded an introduction to his series below, and last Sunday's first episode of the series, which included an interview with the prolific Scottish artist Peter Howson is still available to listen again on BBC Radio Scotland iPlayer.

Sunday Morning with Richard Holloway, Sunday's at 0805 and available to listen again on iPlayer.

In the days leading up to Christmas I posted a note on the blog about BBC Radio Scotland's local news bulletins and programmes from Orkney and Shetland.

Work has been going on to try and develop a new way to offer the audio which a) works better and b) looks better.

Over the past few weeks the new pages and the system behind the pages have been tested and the plan is to publish them tomorrow - Wednesday, January 12.

I wanted to give you some warning and I'll post the new URL here on blog when it goes live.

As ever, any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

When I told my Mum that this week's special guest was wildlife cameraman and presenter Gordon Buchanan, she could barely contain herself. She's an avid viewer of BBC's Autumnwatch and it seems Gordon has become a bit of a heart throb.

When he came into the studios at Pacific Quay I noticed a lot of hair flicking going on and not just from the female members of staff. I swiftly whisked him away to the studio so we could be alone, for professional reasons, you understand.

If you, like me, were entranced by his latest BBC 2 series "The Bear Family and Me" then listen to the interview to find out what happened to the black bears Lily and Hope after the cameras left.

Gordon's own life story's an interesting one too. Like so many people I've interviewed, he stumbled into his career by accident. One minute he was a seventeen year old with no qualifications washing dishes in a restaurant, the next he was in Sierra Leona negotiating with tribal leaders to film their villages.

In the last twenty years he's travelled to the remotest, most unforgiving landscapes, chasing bears, whales, and volcanoes. But he tells me he still finds Glasgow on a Saturday night more dangerous! As you're reading this he's setting off on his travels again, this time to India, you can still listen to the extended interview below.

Joining me in the studio this week were Bill Leckie, Jane Graham, and Severin Carrell, always a combustible combination. They gave their verdict on the new look Sunday Herald, Bankers' bonuses, and the Eastenders cot death storyline. Needless to say they don't always agree and that's the way I like it.

I'm suffering muscle spasms this week after being forced from the matrimonial bed by the children and trying to curl up in a four-year-old's bed. It was like that ancient torture of a cage that I think I saw at Madame Tussauds and which is just too small to allow you to sit, lie or crouch with any degree of comfort. I moved to the sofa and watched the Ashes cricket from Sydney - well done, England - before demanding my place back in my own bed. I secured a foot-wide sliver of mattress and barely slept. Then I've got to come in here to work.

So I didn't expect to have much inspiration but luckily the producer has been awake and alert and has got on without me. Thus we have an uncomfortable look at the story of Asian men organising to groom white girls for exploitation. It takes place in northern and midland England but it is also a tale of how one culture can view people from another differently - the very basis of discrimination. We have a forthright interview with the Ramadhan Foundation on sexual attitudes among some muslim men and how it plays into the hands of the racists.

There's a strong muslim strain in our look at the Middle East with Rosemary Hollis of City of London University. The so-called peace process is 19 years old and failing. Obama is part of the failure. His envoy has achieved nothing. The participants see no point. Tony Blair may be the only optimist left. Are we heading for war?

Some good news from ravaged Sudan. After the horrors of the Janjaweed, the people are voting to create their own country. We discuss the chances of succcess with David Anderson of Oxford University.

And if Video Killed the Radio Star, did the iPod kill the record player? HMV is closing stores having already swallowed FOPP. A friend says the specialist music shops selling sheet music are in decline and is there anywhere left to go to sample classical music before you buy? One HMV store I know closed their classical area and stocked it with computer games for the acne generation.

In the week Gerry Rafferty's memory hovered like the haunting sax notes on Baker Street, music nut John Cavanagh looks at changes in the music business. And just to be clear, I do mean music nut. He knows so much about music, he's like a mobile juke box in a floral shirt. That reminds me... think I'll wear mine in the morning. Join me at 8.

Dr Bruce Durie, Course Director, Genealogical Studies at the University of Strathclyde and presenter of Digging Up Your Roots, shares his top tips to help you get started tracing your family ancestry.

1. Decide what you want to achieve.

Do you want to find every ancestor in all lines? Concentrate on one line only? Research one surname? Explore a family story or legend? Start with that, and stick to it without diversions until you decide to pursue something else.

2. Start with someone who was alive around 1910.

Birth, marriage, death and census information is readily available back from that date, and it's close enough to be able to check details within the living family.

3. Work backwards.

It's a lot easier to track a line of ancestors than starting in the past and working all the lines forward. Someone born in 1700 will have perhaps 4,000 descendants - which lines will you chase?

4. Talk to your oldest living relatives...

...but don't necessarily believe everything they say! Over the years, stories get spun, expanded, changed and in many cases suppressed. But it's a starting point, from which you can seek out actual evidence.

5. Start from a census.

This is a snapshot of a family at one place and time. Work from that back to marriages, births and other details.

6. Never guess and trust nothing!

The ONLY worthwhile evidence is documentary evidence. Do not trust second-hand stories, published genealogies, websites or hearsay. Many family trees on the internet are merely copies of each other - mistakes, invention and all. Look for actual documents.

7. Names are not fixed.

Surname spellings can change from one generation to the next, and were not fixed until fairly recently. There is no point researching McLaren and not MacLaren. Remember too that in Scotland it's typical to call someone by a second or third forename, or by a diminutive - so the person you know as "Sandy Brown" may have been christened "John Alexander Brown".

8. Think laterally.

There is birth information in marriage and death records, and don't forget wills and testaments, land transfers, court records and so on.

9. Never despair!

You are at the bottom of a very tall mountain, and sometimes it's hard going. If you hit a log-jam, shelve it and work on another aspect, such as cousins. You'll be amazed how often that one piece of vital information comes from an unexpected direction.

10. Join a Family History Society.

Even if it isn't local to you, having experts in a particular locality with access to resources can help break down brick walls. They will also have details of courses you can take to get you started.

The New series of Digging Up your Roots starts, Sunday at 0805. Email the team with your genealogical queries and if you miss the programme you can listen again on iPlayer or download the Podcast.

BBC Radio Scotland's genealogy show Digging up Your Roots returns for a new series this Sunday at 0805. Below, producer Rhona Brudenell introduces us to a few of the ancestors who feature in the first episode:

Work on the new series of BBC Radio Scotland's family history programme, Digging Up Your Roots, began back in July. It's completely story led, so appeals for intriguing tales were published in newspapers, genealogy publications and, of course, on BBC Radio Scotland.

We were inundated with stories, which just goes to show that the appetite for family history is still alive and kicking in Scotland. Then it's up to the team to read carefully through all the submissions and start choosing the ones which will make it on air over the next eight weeks.

Strong themes began to emerge from the queries, including military, religion, ancestors on the move and myths and truths. But a particular favourite of the team was Unsung Heroes - ancestors who have done something significant in their communities, and whose efforts have remained unnoticed until now.

Murdoch Paterson, Chief Engineer to the Highland Railway

This forms the theme for the first programme on Sunday and stories include the St Andrews' golfer who won the 2nd US Open, the Scot who created a large public park in South Africa and the civil engineer involved in building a railway line now considered to be one of the great rail journeys of the world.

It's a real privilege working on Digging Up Your Roots - every day is different because every story throws up new twists and turns. Our resident genealogist, Dr Bruce Durie, works tirelessly behind the scenes, trying to unearth the truth behind the family histories we receive. It can also be really moving when listeners are prepared to share sensitive family stories with us. But it's also quite sobering to hear of the hardships our ancestors faced, and how they tackled adversity with great spirit.

Digging Up Your Roots presented by Bill Whiteford begins on Sunday at 12.05 on BBC Radio Scotland. It runs until end of February. We still welcome your queries - email diggingupyourroots@bbc.co.uk

Here is the new BBC Radio Scotland Take The Floor events guide featuring traditional music, Scottish country dances and folk music events throughout Scotland over the next seven days.

FRIDAY 7TH JANUARY

Helensburgh - St Columba's Hall - Alan Ross - 8pm - *Tickets £5*

Scottish Country Dances

Helensburgh - Victoria Halls - Kenny Thomson - 7:30pm

Ayrshire - Seamill Hydro - Alistair Wood

SATURDAY 8TH JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Uist & Benbecula Accordion & Fiddle Club - Church Of Scotland - Benbecula - 8pm

Ceilidh & Old Time Dances

Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Stuart McKeown - 8pm-12:30am - *Tickets £8*

Scottish Country Dances

Bridge Of Allan - Keir St Hall - Nicol McLaren - 7:30pm - *Tickets £6*

Penrith - Ullswater College - George Meikle - 7pm - *Tickets £10*

Edinburgh - Pollock Halls - Sandy Nixon - 7:15pm - *Tickets £30*

SUNDAY 9TH JANUARY

Arbroath Accordion & Fiddle Club - Arbroath Artisan Golf Club - Elliot - Michael Philip - 7:30pm

Biggar Accordion & Fiddle Club - Biggar Bowling Club - Craig Paton - 7pm

Gretna Accordion & Fiddle Club - Athletic & Social Club - Gordon Pattullo - 7:15pm

Fife - Old Parish Church Hall - Kirk Wynd - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 2-5pm - *Tickets £3*

East Kilbride - Girl Guide Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £2*

MONDAY 10TH JANUARY

St Andrews, SCD Club - live music from Dierdre Adamson on Accordion (learners welcome) - 7:30pm

Pitlochry, Recreational Grounds (Town Hall if wet) - Highland Nights

Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Strathleven Place - Ceilidh & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm

Scottish Country Dances

Stirling - Albert Hall - Lothian - 7:30pm - *Tickets £5*

Dundee - St Andrews Church - Jimmy Boal - 7:30pm - *Tickets £2*

TUESDAY 11TH JANUARY

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Scots Song - suitable for beginners - 2pm

Westerton Summer Dancing - Bearsden, Westerton Village Hall, Maxwell Avenue, Westerton - Musicians John Renton and Rickie Francie - 7:30-10:30pm

Humbie - Village Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time Club & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Dunfermline Accordion & Fiddle Club - Headwell Bowling Club - Club Night

Fort William Accordion & Fiddle Club - Inverlochy - Railway Club - Ian Cameron (Glenelg)

Renfrew Accordion & Fiddle Club - Broadloan - Gary Blair Orchestra

Thornhill Accordion & Fiddle Club - Bowling Club Hall - Jamie Young SDB

WEDNESDAY 12TH JANUARY

Carnoustie Scottish Country Dance Club - Carnoustie, Beach Hall, Links Parade - Various Bands - 8-11pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £5*

Midlem - Village Hall - Live Music - Old Time Class (GB Scott) - 8-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Forres Accordion & Fiddle Club - Victoria Hotel - Jack Fraser SDB

Inveraray Accordion & Fiddle Club - Argyll Hotel - Iain Anderson Trio - 8pm

Langholm Accordion & Fiddle Club - Royal British Legion - Club Night

THURSDAY 13TH JANUARY

RSCDS - Alva, Summer Dance, Cochrane Hall, West Stirling Street - various musicians - 7:30-10:30pm

Penicuick - Town Hall - Ceilidh Class - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £2.90/£1.50*

Button-Key (Windygates) Accordion & Fiddle Club - Greig Institute - Dochie McCallum Trio - 7pm

Selkirk Accordion & Fiddle Club - Cricket Club - Lyn Kemp - 7:30pm

West Barns Accordion & Fiddle Club - West Barns Inn - Johnny Duncan Duo - 7:30pm

We were talking about zoos on Wednesday. Then thoughts turned to the late lamented Loch Lomond Bear Park at Balloch. Robert Braid sent in this quite extraordinary story.

I've another wee story about Loch Lomond Bear Park. Not long after it opened I took my wife and two young children there on a visit. I was driving my Triumph Herald at the time. As we went into the park I was a wee bit wary as there were some big cats prowling about not long after entering. There was also a notice saying 'Do not stop, keep moving.'

We were progressing round and everyone was quite enjoying the scene. Then we came across a bus that had stopped to allow passengers to take photos. We had to stop behind it. The bears started to come over for a wee look at us. My wife had the two kids in the back seat for a good view. There was a thump and my wife shouted that a bear was trying to get into the car, to which I screamed ''WHAT.'' The the bear picked off the rear window rubber seal and threw the window aside. It reached in and started to pull itself into the car. My wife grabbed the kids and stuck them in front of her. Luckily the bus had pulled out.

I had kept the engine running and took off like Jackie Stewart with the bear hanging onto the rear seat and across the boot. I started to swing the car back and forward across the narrow road and managed to shake it off before coming to a compound. There was a tiny wee Glasgow man dressed in a sort of bush outfit with an enormous double-barrel shotgun. I screeched to a halt beside him. He looked out of the compound and said ''Don't worry if it comes near us I'll shoot the b****''

We had to await an armed escort out of the park. We left with a Land Rover front and back of us. It was still a wee bit scary with the wind flowing into the car via the back window. We were taken into the office and give tea and biscuits. It was only then that my hands started to tremble when holding the cup and saucer. They then asked me if I'd managed to get the window. I couldn't tell you what I replied to that!

Anyway, they arranged for us to go on to McHarg Rennie and Lindsay to have a new window put it. When we arrived at the garage the staff were all standing outside waiting to see the car. I think they were a bit disappointed that the seats weren't all ripped to shreds. It's something we'll all never forget. I sometimes, in nightmares, think what would I have done if the bear had grabbed one of the kids.

You can hear Tom Morton's daily top tales on the Tom Morton show, Monday-Friday 1400-1530 (Fri -1600).

Scottish musician Gerry Rafferty best known for his song Baker Street, passed away after a long illness yesterday (4 January 2011). There's an excellent obituary in today's Guardian written by his former manager Michael Gray.

Gerry featured many times on BBC Radio Scotland, and we'll be paying tribute to him on the station.

1315, The Music Cafe will be looking at the way Gerry Rafferty used vocals and why that set him apart from many others

2205, in a replacement to the advertised programme, there's another chance to hear the 2008 Classic Scottish Albums programme presented by Davie Scott which looks at City to City, the album that included Baker Street.

At 2230 The Iain Anderson Show will be looking back at Gerry's life including some archived interviews and special guests. Gerry Rafferty will also be the featured songwriter on next week's Iain Anderson programmes.

Saturday, 8 Jan, 1005 Janice Forsyth will be replaying an archived interview with Gerry from 2003.

Thursday, 13 Jan, 0030 The Conversation Zone will include the Cunningham and Company interview with Gerry Rafferty.

For one week only BBC Radio Scotland's Brand New Opry returns to the air/internet waves via the Celtic Zone.

The Brand New Opry ran for 15 years on the station, presented by Bryan Burnett. It changed name in 2005 to Brand New Country on the insistence of Gaylord in Nashville, the owners of the Grand Ole Opry.

This week's zone, presented of course by Bryan Burnett, features archived interviews from the show including Buddy Miller (on his release The Universal United House of Prayer), a very open and revealing interview with Mindy Smith on her debut visit to the UK, Robbie Fulks, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tift Merritt, Alison Krauss, Allison Moorer, a fascinating conversation with Marty Stuart and an excellent session from Devon Sproule.

If you're only interested in one or two of the artists then you can visit the episode page and select the relevant chapter.

Coming to the Conversation Zone next week is a male singer-songwriter zone (to be followed a couple of weeks later by a female equivalent), presented by Ricky Ross and featuring John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Justin Currie, Jim Lauderdale, Darrell Scott, Rodney Crowell, Rab Noakes to name but a few.