About Us

TMSA Board Members

Douglas Craik: Convener
Douglas has been involved in folk music since the late 60s when he was a member of the folk group ‘Avizandum’ which was based at Dundee University. Since then he has performed solo and is a well-kent face in many a folk club.

He has spent almost 40 years in the financial industry holding senior management posts. Although now ‘retired’, he now runs his own Business Continuity Management company and is a Board Member of the Scottish Continuity Group. He therefore brings this sound business background to augment the board of the TMSA.

Liz Clark: Vice-Convener
Liz’s passion for Scottish traditional music started at six years old whenher parents moved to the North East. She learned new languages from the women singing in the fishing sheds at Stonehaven, the bothy ballads of Aberdeen-shire and the travellers’ stories and songs. 78’s of Bessie Smith, Lead Belly, Henry Thomas & Blind Willie Johnson (avidly heard on her own ‘wind up’ record player) - political & protest songs - the new tradition - all added to the blend. From the first Glasgow Folk Club in 1966 to Danny Kyle in the Attic in Paisley her fate as a ‘folkie’ was sealed.

A born organiser she was soon helping to arrange concerts, competitions and festivals throughout the UK – this currently includes the Danny Kyle Open Stage and Festival Club at Celtic Connections, a show on Celtic Radio, open stage at Orkney Festival and serving as a Committee member of Girvan and Newcastleton Festivals. A Director and staunch supporter of the TMSA for over 30 years - she also loves to promote the emerging music of the talented musicians she has met through the DKOS, festivals and events.

Fiona Campbell: Treasurer
Fiona has been involved in the voluntary arts for a number of years in Scotland and New Zealand (where she hails from). She has been the Press and Marketing Officer for the National Association of Youth Orchestras (NAYO) and her last post was as Project Administrator for Scottish Education & Action for Development. Fiona has completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Cultural Policy & Management and is currently Executive Officer of Voluntary Arts Scotland.

Fiona is also the Edinburgh & Lothians Branch Convener - particularly working to organise the annual Northern Streams Festival (bringing Scottish and Scandinavian music, song, dance and storytelling together). She is a board member of Scottish Education & Action for Development (SEAD) and Neo Productions. Fiona teaches Scottish traditional dance, is a member of two Irish dancing groups and has performed at folk dance festivals in Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Finland. She has also performed in and produced many musical theatre productions.

John Morran: Secretary
John Morran is a triple graduate now specialising in Health & Safety with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. He has played traditional music for 20 years and performed with Deaf Shepherd, the Unusual Suspects and the Dougie MacLean Band among others. He has produced the last two Malinky CDs and the first two TMSA Young Trad Tour recordings. His experience in recording and the music industry in general has been put to great use by the TMSA, establishing its own recording label, organising and raising funds for the TMSA Young Trad Tours, and helping to manage and organise the McEwan’s Sessions.

He has an interest in the political and cultural advocacy of traditional music and hopes to play a greater role in such endeavour for the TMSA.

Alison Mackinnon: Director
Born and brought up on the Isle of Skye with a Shetland mother, a Skye father, and an Aberdeen grandmother, Alison was lucky to have a number of musical cultures around her from a very early age. She started going to festivals in 1970 and after moving to Aberdeen in 1978 immediately became involved in Aberdeen Folk Club as a committee member including a stint as Organiser and was involved as a committee member of the Aberdeen Alternative Music Festival in its early years.

A move to Blairgowrie saw her involved in the attempted revival of Blairgowrie Folk Festival. Shortly after moving to Inverness in 2000, she became involved in the setting up of the Inverness and District branch of the TMSA as well as serving on the committee of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs in Inverness and Dingwall. Alison cannot imagine life without music, and she feels that we must continue to promote the traditions of our country forcefully.

Liz Wilson: Director
Liz Wilson lives in Linlithgow where she has been on the committee of Linlithgow Folk Festival for eight years. She is also a member of the TMSA Edinburgh and Lothians Branch and is currently Vice Convener. The Branch is very involved in the organisation of traditional music events both in West Lothian and Edinburgh.

Liz hails originally from Wick, Caithness where she joined Wick Junior Choir at the age of eight but has also lived in Thurso and Kirkwall. She still enjoys singing and teaching traditional songs to her daughter Catriona. Liz actively participates in singing - mostly Scots song but not exclusively so. She currently sings with the Scots choir Sangstream in Edinburgh. She has also added storytelling to her activities and finds that traditional song and story work well together. She runs her own storytelling business and is very active in the world of storytelling.