Ossian (band)

Ossian are a Scottish traditional music group, formed in 1976.[1]

The initial line-up brought together Billy Ross and former members of the group Contraband, Billy Jackson, John Martin, and George Jackson.[1] One of their earliest gigs was at the 1976 Kinross Folk Festival.

Each of the members was a multi-instrumentalist and singer. Their arrangements of songs, slow airs and dance tunes were meticulous, almost a chamber music approach to Scottish music. They sang in English, Scots, and Gaelic.

Billy Jackson's wire-strung harp, the clàrsach, featured in most pieces, but he also played uilleann (Irish) pipes and whistles.[1] John Martin, who played fiddle and cello,[1] went on to become a member of The Tannahill Weavers. George Jackson (brother of Billy) played guitar, cittern, mandolin, fiddle, whistle and flute.[1] Billy Ross was the main singer who played guitar, dulcimer and whistle.[1]

Their first two LPs were Ossian (1977) and St. Kilda Wedding (1978).[1] Billy Ross left the band in 1980, and was replaced by Tony Cuffe as lead vocalist, also playing guitar and whistle.[1] In 1981, Iain MacDonald joined, playing highland pipes, flute, and whistle.[1] They broke up in 1989 when Tony Cuffe and William Jackson moved to the U.S.[2]

In 1997, Billy Jackson reformed the band with the original singer, Billy Ross, and the group made a CD and performed some gigs for a time.