Hilary Bell was born and brought up near the Border town of Gretna. She studied music at the RSAMD in Glasgow and now lives in the beautiful Yarrow Valley.

She has appeared in all the Borders Festivals, and in many Edinburgh Festival Fringe performances, mainly with the Rowan Tree Company (a small Borders-based company which specialises in stories and music from the Scottish Borders).  She also writes music for Rowan Tree productions.

Hilary has travelled abroad with her music, broadcast on radio, and is in constant demand for concert performances, weddings, Burns Suppers etc. She is particularly fond of singing the songs of James Hogg (The Ettrick Shepherd) and Robert Burns, and is frequently to be heard singing with the amazing fiddle of Lucy Cowan, bringing live Scottish music into the classroom which can be “tailor made” to complement particular educational projects.

Albums to date: 1987 Keltswells (Yarrow Records)with the Borders-based traditional folk band Wheelans

1995 saw the recording of Echoes from a Tower (Yarrow Records) featuring songs and tunes by James Hogg and new poems by Judy Steel.

1997 an educational CD for the James Hogg Society and Stirling University

2000 she contributed to the Land of Creativity compilation CD, and also provided material for the Scottish Borders Council’s Music Education pack.

2001 first solo album, Breaking all the Rules (Yarrow Records)

2002 songs for Selkirk Common Riding, Pride o’ Borderland (Yarrow Records)

2003 The Art of Robert Burns (Scotstown).

Aside from the traditional music which she loves, she is an accomplished singer and player of contemporary folk music.

Versatility being the name of her game, she has collaborated with accordionist Ian Lowthian in  performances of French and Blues music and a programme of Borders’ music as well as music for The Rowan Tree Company’s production of “War and Glaur.”

She has been the teacher of traditional singing at the Borders Traditional Music Centre in Selkirk since its opening.

For more details visit: www.hilarybell.com

Or contact Hilary at: hilary@scottish-borders.com