Karen Matheson
Encyclopedia
Karen Matheson OBE
(born 11 February 1963) is a Scottish
folk singer, who frequently sings in Scottish Gaelic. She is lead singer of the group Capercaillie
and was a member of Dan Ar Braz
's group L'Heritage des Celtes, with whom she often sang lead vocals, either alone or jointly with Elaine Morgan
. She and Morgan received much acclaim for their joint lead vocal on the Breton language
song "Diwanit Bugale", the French
entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1996
. She made a cameo appearance in the 1995 movie Rob Roy
singing the song "Ailein duinn
".
She grew up in the small village of Taynuilt
in Argyll
. She was awarded an OBE in the 2006 New Year's honours list.
Matheson also appeared as a guest musician on Spirit of the West
's 1997 album Weights and Measures.
She is married to fellow Capercaillie member Donald Shaw
, and they have a son named Hector.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 11 February 1963) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
folk singer, who frequently sings in Scottish Gaelic. She is lead singer of the group Capercaillie
Capercaillie (band)
Capercaillie is a Scottish folk band, founded in the 1980s by Donald Shaw and fronted by Karen Matheson. They have seen four of their albums placed in the UK Albums Chart, and continue to perform and record to the present day.-History:...
and was a member of Dan Ar Braz
Dan Ar Braz
Dan Ar Braz, born Daniel Le Bras , is a French guitarist and the founder of Héritage des Celtes.- The apprenticeship years :...
's group L'Heritage des Celtes, with whom she often sang lead vocals, either alone or jointly with Elaine Morgan
Elaine Morgan (singer)
thumb|Elaine Morgan in concert with [[Dan Ar Braz]], 2008Elaine Morgan is a Welsh folk singer born in Cardiff in 1960. She was a member of Dan Ar Braz's group L'Heritage des Celtes, and often sang lead vocals, either alone or jointly with Karen Matheson...
. She and Morgan received much acclaim for their joint lead vocal on the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
song "Diwanit Bugale", the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1996
Eurovision Song Contest 1996
The Eurovision Song Contest 1996 was the 41st Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 18 May 1996 in Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway. The presenters were Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket. Harket, lead singer of a-ha, opened the show with a performance of his single "Heaven's Not For Saints". Eimear...
. She made a cameo appearance in the 1995 movie Rob Roy
Rob Roy (film)
Rob Roy is a 1995 historical drama film directed by Michael Caton-Jones. Liam Neeson stars as Robert Roy MacGregor, an 18th century Scottish historical figure who battles with feudal landowners in the Scottish Highlands. Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, and Jason Flemyng also star...
singing the song "Ailein duinn
Ailein duinn
Ailein duinn is a traditional Scottish song for solo female voice, a lament that was written in Gàidhlig for Ailean Moireasdan by his fiancée, Annag Chaimbeul . In 1788, Ailean, a sailor, set off with his ship to Scalpay, Harris, where he and Annag would be married...
".
She grew up in the small village of Taynuilt
Taynuilt
Taynuilt is a large village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland located at the western entrance to the narrow Pass of Brander.-Location:The village is situated on the River Nant about a kilometre before the river flows into Loch Etive at Airds Bay. This is just to the west of a narrowing of the loch down...
in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
. She was awarded an OBE in the 2006 New Year's honours list.
Matheson also appeared as a guest musician on Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West
Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.-Early years:The band began...
's 1997 album Weights and Measures.
She is married to fellow Capercaillie member Donald Shaw
Donald Shaw (musician)
Donald Shaw is a Scottish musician, composer, producer, and one of the founding members of the group Capercaillie. His sister is fiddler Eilidh Shaw....
, and they have a son named Hector.
Solo discography
- The Dreaming SeaThe Dreaming SeaThe Dreaming Sea is the debut solo album by Karen Matheson, lead singer of the Scottish band Capercaillie. The album was released in 1996 by Survival Records and reissued in North America by Valley Entertainment in 2000.-Track listing:...
(1996) - Time to FallTime to Fall (album)Time to Fall is the second studio album by Karen Matheson, lead singer of the Scottish band Capercaillie.-Track listing:# "All the Flowers of the Bough" – 4:31# "Morning" – 4:40# "Time to Fall" – 4:08# "My Whispered Reason" – 2:11...
(2002) - DownriverDownriver (album)Downriver is the third studio album by Karen Matheson, lead singer of the Scottish band Capercaillie.-Track listing:# "Chi Mi Bhuam" – 4:27# "Cronan Bleoghainn" – 5:01#*"Cronan Bleoghainn"#*"'S moch an diugh gun d'rinn mi eirigh"...
(2005) - TBC (Spring 2010)