Runrig

On Tour
Play Radio

1,342,881 plays (73,823 listeners)

Shop now at Amazon | Send Runrig Ringtones to Cell
Buy
Add to my Library

Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland (1973 – present)

Runrig is a Scottish folk rock band founded by brothers Calum and Rory Macdonald in 1973 in Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland. The band is now popular across the United Kingdom, Denmark and Germany and is notable for combining original songs in Gaelic with a rock sound, thus reflecting the Gaelic culture.

Runrig began in 1973 as a three-piece named the “Run Rig Dance Band”, its members comprising Calum Macdonald and Rory Macdonald, and their friend, accordionist Blair Douglas. The line-up played its first gig at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. Donnie Munro joined the following year and the band started to expand outside its native Skye. Douglas left the band in late 1974 and was replaced by Robert Macdonald, with Campbell Gunn joining for a brief spell in 1976. This line-up continued until 1978, when Blair Douglas re-joined and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Jones became guitarist, both displacing Macdonald. This lasted until the following year when Douglas left again to pursue a solo career. 1980 saw the arrival of drummer Iain Bayne (ex-New Celeste) and 1981 that of keyboard player Richard Cherns. Cherns left in February 1986 and was replaced by ex-Big Country member Peter Wishart. This formed what became known as the classic line-up for the next 11 years.

In 1997, lead singer Donnie Munro left the band for a career in politics, but later resumed his musical career to become a solo artist.

Popular tags: , , , ,  See more

Share this artist:

Top Albums

  • All the Best
    Runrig Play
    Buy

    New

  • Proterra
    Runrig Play
    Buy
  • The Big Wheel
    Runrig Play
    Buy
  • The Cutter & The Clan
    Runrig Play
    Buy
See more

Top Tracks

1
70
2  
67
3  
55
3  
55
5
51
5
51
7
45
8
43
9
40
10
39
11  
38
12
36
13  
32
14  
31
15
30
Buy all tracks at Amazon MP3
See more

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).
  • nocturana

    No Thanks!

    13 days ago
  • djshadowulf

    Was introduced to Runrig by my grandmother and loved them ever since. Very good band and took my grandmother to see them live when they were here in Wolverhampton :)

    December 2011
  • miotailtmilidh

    'S toil leam Runrig. Tha e uabhasach math! ^_^

    November 2011
  • Sambali75

    Zapraszamy polskich fanów do dołączenia na facebook'u do strony o Runrig :) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Runrig-Polska-Strona/147883908647130

    November 2011
  • midgetprawn

    Where is the live version of Hearthammer? That guitar intro is stuck in my head

    August 2011
  • JohannesStrader

    The list of most listened songs in the last six months looks strange to me.

    March 2011
  • Toobmeister

    all those concerts in Germany.... but not one in the Netherlands... shame on you guys xD

    November 2010
  • WolfieboyMachi

    Scaaaaaaandinaviaaaa... <3

    September 2010
See all 114 shouts

Videos

See more

Events

See more Add event

Listening Now

Top Listeners

See more

More Information

Links
Band Members
Labels