With less than a couple of daylight hours left here in Scotland, I’d like to wish all my wonderful friends and followers a very happy and prosperous New Year. I hope that 2026 will live up to all of your expectations and bring you much happiness and peace.

As for me, your humble Scottish troubadour, I’m hard at work on my touring schedule for 2026 and well into 2027, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to book me, in any of my various performing guises!

And now, allow me to customarily present to you in time-honoured fashion and tradition my Top 10 SK highlights of 2025, another fantastic year in music.

1 – A great start to the year in February in England with a diverse tour showcasing all the very best of this beautiful country – theatres, art centres, folk clubs and village halls. All new locations to me, and all wonderful – .

2 – The biggest and best Italian tour yet (see picture below!), featuring my first ever appearance on a Venetian stage, a surreal and magical experience to say the least. Travelling from the south to the north in one short tour was ambitious but more than worth it. My first ever Italian video was also made near Treviso (more on that later – !).

3 – A long and winding summer tour in June and July through Germany, France and Switzerland took me to many new venues and locations, despite having toured Europe for 15 years there is still so much of it to see, I haven’t yet been to Rothenburg ob der Taube despite all the time I spend in Germany (anyone know a venue there, please let me know!). Many new friends were made and old friendships renewed in this time and a video was even made and released on this tour, recorded in a beautiful garden in one of my favourite cities, Dresden which you can watch here.

4 – Being back to work in the studio for the first time in a while, this time across in Glasgow with the excellent Johnny Smillie at the helm (‘Tangled Strings’ producer – more of that later too!), and a slew of great musicians to accompany yours truly – Robbie Greig, Sam Irvine, Bob Miller, Kyle Grieve – ! It’s sounding brilliant so far, there’s a little more recording to be done but we’re on target for a release in the first half of 2026.

5 – The autumn saw my largest English tour to date, I’m really enjoying performing there, I wish I’d worked harder there sooner but I’m glad it’s reaping rewards now! Hoping to do more and more work there through 2026 and 2027, any ideas or recommendations, please let me know. The autumn audiences were fantastic whilst the locations of the venues allowed me an opportunity to explore parts of the country I hadn’t really been to before.

6 – Returned directly from England to Glasgow and launched the instrumental album of duets with Paul Tasker in a fantastic evening in the Doublet Bar – . Paul and I are very proud of the album, expertly recorded by the aforementioned Johnny Smillie and a perfect summation of the work we’ve done together over the past few years with our Edinburgh Festival performances. We are both delighted to finally have a sample of this work to share with the world.

7 – Made in Veneto with the talented Cristal Tonet at the helm, I was delighted to share the video for my latest single ‘Where My Love Belongs’ with the world. If you haven’t watched it, then please do so here. After recording videos in Scotland, Canada, Germany, Serbia and Argentina it is so great to have my time and tours in Italy finally caught on camera! And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the channel, it helps me to keep making more content – !

8 – Paul and I were both delighted with the critical feedback for ‘Tangled Strings’, from both the public and the critics. We were overjoyed to be the ‘Album of the Week’ on Celtic Music Radio’, and to receive airplay on numerous occasions on the wonderful, already much-missed Iain Anderson Show on BBC Radio Scotland as well as a great review in The Daily Express and airplay on many supportive local radio stations.

9 – My largest ever tour of Eastern Canada in late October and early November, my love affair with all of this fantastic country continues to flourish and grow. Nearly all of the venues were new to me, but there were a plethora of sold-out shows, and warm, enthusiastic audiences in every location. The autumnal landscapes were positively cinematic to drive through, a cornucopia of dramatic colours and on my departing day, I even caught the first snow of the season, a mesmerising sight. Not to mention my long overdue discovery of butter tarts – !

10 – The 15th SK Annual Autumn Tour split into two parts, taking in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Paul joined me for the second half of the tour which was a great thrill, audiences were really enthusiastic about our debut instrumental album and we were delighted to bring ‘Tangled Strings’ and ‘Songs Without Words’ to European audiences for the very first time. And it has also been great to have the piano feature more in my solo concerts as well as my beloved classical guitar – the musical road is an ever expanding one and a glorious one to be travelling upon.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to anyone who has hosted a concert, given me somewhere to stay on the road, purchased an album, attended a show, subscribed to my YouTube Channel or followed my Instagram Page, read my posts and website blogs and written supportive messages and comments, whether by Social Media, email or good old-fashioned post. The support that you give to me never fails to overwhelm me and keeps me driving forward in this unique, extraordinary lifestyle of a troubadour, a thousand thank yous.

2026 is set to be even better, as mentioned, there’s a new album of songs coming very soon, along with more exciting collaborative projects and further duo tours in various guises.

So here’s hoping 2026 shall be a successful and prosperous year for us all – .

Sláinte

SK x

It was on a cold winter’s night in February 2013 after a performance in Ullapool’s Argyll Hotel, I was greeted by a young man with gleaming eyes and a big, beaming smile. Introducing himself as Iain Gordon Macfarlane, he told me how much he enjoyed my music and wondered if I would like to jam with him. Despite the tiredness I felt after a fairly long drive and then an even longer performance, I was taken with his enthusiasm and agreed. After pulling a fiddle from its case, the two of us started to play a little together, and there was an instant chemistry, with Iain’s beautiful, mellifluous tones floating over the subtle pickings on my guitar.

We both agreed that there was something magical there and exchanged numbers, and I asked if Iain Gordon might be available to work on an album I was currently recording in the studio with Ian McCalman in Lasswade. A couple of months later Iain Gordon took the long journey south from the Highlands to Edinburgh and Lasswade, where the three of us spent a fantastic couple of days in the studio, rehearsing, arranging and honing parts. Iain Gordon was a very natural talent, full of ideas, with an insatiable appetite for music in all its forms, and his contribution to ‘A Fine Line’ underpinned every mood and atmosphere with raw beauty and tender emotion, his fiddle seeming to transcend his being, a natural musical extension of himself.

We kept in close contact, and in the summer I asked if he might be available to tour the album – 20 concerts in 21 days through Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. He was delighted and thrilled to be asked, and we swiftly set about making all the necessary transport arrangements.

It was my third autumn European tour, and as I type I am currently on my 15th, but it was to be my first as a duo. I did not know what to expect, having no experience of having done so before, but what followed was truly one of the most wonderful experiences of my life, a time I look back upon with such fondness and pride. We laughed constantly in the car and in each other’s company, listened to music on the autobahn at inaudible volumes, enjoyed sampling the many and varied delights of continental beer and, above all, performed night after night to enthralled crowds who took to Iain Gordon from the very moment he took to the stage and played his first few notes on the fiddle.

He charmed everyone he met, not only with his beautiful music but also with his kindness, his natural charisma and his beaming smile. It stood as a testament to the impact Iain Gordon made on people both on and off stage that more than a decade on from that tour, people would still ask after him, how he was, and what he was doing with his music, always asking me to pass on their best to him. When the tour ended we both agreed we simply had to do it again, and sure enough a few months later in February 2014 we were back out on the road for our second European tour together, every bit as joyous and uplifting as the first one, with new audiences once again being wowed by Iain Gordon and the consummate ease with which he seemed to play both his instrument and sing. By this time we had worked up vocal harmonies and created what we felt was a more diverse and interesting show for the audience, making full use of Iain Gordon’s substantial range of musical talents across fiddle, guitar and voice.

Sadly for us both, we were only to perform once more as a duo, a show in Aviemore’s Old Bridge Inn later that year, as Iain Gordon returned north to the Highlands. We kept in touch and talked or would send messages fairly regularly, but alas, we would never again take to the stage together, despite both desiring to.

If you are reading this and didn’t catch one of our performances or didn’t know me back then, it is Iain Gordon performing the fiddle on the video for ‘A City Beautiful’ on YouTube here. It is Iain Gordon who performs the fiddle on other songs like ‘The Bus To Nairn’ and ‘The Dust and The Paint’ from the 2013 album ‘A Fine Line’, which documents our work together. If you haven’t already, please take the time to have a listen to his beautiful playing on Bandcamp here.

The horrific news of his passing last weekend at the tender age of 32 is truly a tragedy beyond words. My heart is broken, and I know I am not alone in this; everyone who knew him is also carrying a broken heart. Most of all, my heart goes out to his parents, Marshall and Christine, and his sister, Kirsty-Anne. I cannot fathom how they must be feeling, and I know no words can be of consolation.

Iain Gordon, you were a wonderful, kind and caring man and a unique and beautiful talent – thank you for the indelible mark you have left upon me as both a person and a musician, for being part of my life and part of my music. I will forever treasure the memories and the time we shared together.

SK x

Dear readers,

News has reached me out here in Germany that the album of duets Paul Tasker & I ‘Tangled Strings’ released last month is currently the album of the week on Celtic Music Radio – wonderful news!

You can relisten to the ‘Album of the Week’ show featuring interviews with Paul & I on mixcloud here.

Huge thanks to Auntie Liz and all the staff at CMR for their support, it’s really appreciated – .

If you’d like to buy a copy of the album, you can do so here.

Paul & I will be on tour in Europe next month in support of the album, news of this will follow shortly but the dates are already up on my website on the gig page here.

Love to you all, and thanks for your support.

SK x

Dal meraviglioso Veneto alla soleggiata Sudbury, Ontario.

Celebrating another trip around the sun today by releasing the video for the latest single ‘Where My Love Belongs’  here.

Please watch, like and share, and let me know what you think, and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to the channel- https://www.youtube.com/@SimonKempstonMusic, it really helps me to keep making more content.

With huge thanks to Cristal Tonet for a most wonderful job on this, my first ever video from Italy, and it feels fantastic to have done one in what has become one of my favourite countries to tour.

The album, of course, can be purchased here

With thanks and love to you all.

SK x

Well dear readers, today is the OFFICIAL RELEASE DAY for ‘Tangled Strings’, the debut album of instrmental guitar (& occasional banjo) duets by Paul Tasker & I .

Three long, hard years in the making and it’s finally here! An excellent job by Nexus 24, as always, means that the final product is looking fantastic. Moreover we are both delighted with how it sounds and it is a piece of work we are both very proud of.

We had a fantastic launch night on Wednesday in the Doublet Bar and are very grateful to all those who came along and shared this special occasion with us.

The album is now released and available to buy on CD here & digital downloads are available on Bandcamp here.

There will be more news coming soon concerning the album but if you have a copy please do let us know what you think.

Love to you all, it’s exciting times!

SK x

Dear Readers,

Fresh from the latest run of our Edinburgh Fringe Show ‘Songs Without Words’, Paul Tasker and I are proud to announce the release of our debut album of instrumental guitar (and occasional banjo) duets ‘Tangled Strings’. 

The album shall be formally released on the 17th of October, and shall be launched in Glasgow on the 15th of October – details of the launch party can be found here.

In the meantime, we’re happy to announce that pre-release physical copies are now available to order here whilst downloads can be purchased here.

Thrilled to finally be sharing this with you, it’s been a few years in the making but we’re delighted with the results, and hope you’ll agree, it has been worth the wait.

Love to you all.

SK x

Greetings dear reader from the crazy, chaotic world of the Edinburgh Fringe.

There are just five more chances to see ‘Songs Without Words’ at the Edinburgh Festival this year, tickets can be purchased here.

If you’re reading this and will be in Edinburgh during the Fringe, please come along, and if you’re not but know someone who will be, send them along!

Paul Tasker & I are presenting original pieces of music from our forthcoming album ‘Tangled Strings’ and for the first time ever, the show will be performed as a series of duets.

Following the Fringe, I shall be heading out to Europe on another tour but for now I think only of the Fringe!

Love to you all, and thanks for reading.

SK x

Dear Readers,

As always, it’s been a very busy time on the summer tour and I’ve been hard at work – there is a lot happening so please do keep your eyes peeled here and on social media.

Firstly, I’m very excited to bring you the new video for my composition ‘Am Mac Mar An T’athair’, please watch here on YouTube, and like, share and subscribe.

It is fresh off the press, filmed live from the summer tour, in a beautiful garden in Dresden, Saxony – .

Sometimes beautiful instances occur on tour, and it so happened a lovely lady in the audience, Genevieve L. Machado, was a highly skilled filmmaker and editor and put together this wonderful short video for my composition ‘Am Mac Mar An T’athair – .

Please give it a watch and a listen and let me know what you think. And of course, do subscribe to the channel – .

See you all down the road wherever, I hope.

SK x

Well dear readers, I have not been idle during my time at home, though of late I have not had much of that!

First up, as we approach the fourth year of our collaborative guitar instrumental show at the Edinburgh Festival, Paul Tasker & I have been hard at work in the studio recording, and are now busily mixing the pieces, progressing towards having the final available for this year’s run of shows in August. This year will be the most ambitious for the show yet as we aim to play the new album in its entirety.

Exciting times, and please do keep updated here and on the socials for the release schedule and of course for the shows themselves, which will be on sale soon.

In more wonderful news, the songs for the next solo album are almost ready and I shall be heading into the studio next month to put down my guitar and vocal parts, with piano to follow later. In the meantime, there’s a lot of rehearsing to do as you can imagine!

And I am more than halfway through writing the next instrumental album, a follow up to ‘Moonrise Over Mostar’, which you can order here if you haven’t already. I hope to also record this later in the year if the schedule allows.

And if you’ve read this far, many thanks, I don’t as of yet maintain a newsletter but am considering doing so as the social media sites begin to fragment. Any thoughts on this, please do let me know.

And in the meantime, please do subscribe to the YouTube Channel here and follow me on Instagram here if you aren’t doing so already, it really would be much appreciated.

Love to you all, and hope to see you all out on the road somewhere soon.

SK x

Wishing everyone reading this a very happy, prosperous, peaceful and of course, a very musical New Year. May 2025 bring you everything that you desire – . I’m now working hard on the schedule for 2025 and into 2026, and if you’d like to book me then please do not hesitate to contact me!

And now, in time-honoured fashion and tradition I present below my Top 10 SK highlights of 2024, which has undoubtedly been one of my favourite years in this weird and wonderful world of music yet!

1 – My favourite Italian tour to date, featuring my first ever show in the south of this wonderful country – the audiences were my first of the year and amongst my finest – . It was my third tour of Italy, and my fourth time performing in the country, and I’m looking forward to returning again in 2025.

2 – 8 long years had passed since my last visit to the beautiful country of Spain for concerts, and in March I returned for a series of concerts which were absolutely wonderful. The chance to travel and perform in this wonderful country once again was one that shall live long in the memory and I shall endeavour to return much sooner.

3 – After two long years away, June and July finally provided another opportunity to tour Western Canada, my 9th Canadian musical adventure, and my 8th Western Canadian Tour (picture below taken on a hike near Squamish). Taking in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, featuring inspiring, stunning locations new to me like Candle Lake, SK and Kimberley, BC, I can confirm that it was more than worth the wait!

4 – The release in July of the video for ‘Moonrise Over Mostar’, filmed in Berlin by the multi-talented luthier Michael Batell, in his atelier and featuring one of his beautiful handmade classical guitars. A piece which has become a favourite amongst my audiences, it was a thrilling feeling to finally have a video to do the piece justice, which you can, of course, watch here (please do subscribe to the channel, it really helps me to make new videos!)

5 – After composing a batch of songs in January, working hard in the studio through late winter and Spring, I was thrilled to release my latest album ‘My Dreams Are Theirs’ at the end of August, featuring 12 brand new original compositions, fresh from the guitar and pen in 2024. You may purchase the album here, if you are interested and yet to buy a copy, which for the first time ever features myself performing everything on the album – all vocals, guitars, piano and harmonica are played by yours truly.

6 – In early September, I was thrilled to undertake my first tour of the Balkans, featuring my first ever performance in Bosnia and Herzegovina, taking my grand total of countries performed in up to 38 (if you’re reading this from a country I haven’t performed in and would like to bring me there, please don’t hesitate to contact me!). Taking in Zagreb (HR), Banja Luka (BIH) and Novi Sad (RS) it was a real highlight of the year, meeting some amazing people and being able to perform my music in such exotic and inspiring locations is not something I can ever take for granted.

7 – The release in October of the video for ‘Don’t Let Her Hear You Say That’, filmed in Vancouver during my time there, featuring yours truly on piano. Filmed once again by the talented Rachael Dudley, we were all delighted with how it turned out and if you haven’t seen it, please watch it here and of course, please help me fulfil one of my New Year ambitions and subscribe to the channel here if you haven’t already.

8 – Seven long years had passed since I last set foot on the Emerald Isle in a professional capacity, and it was fantastic to reunite with my old friend Paul Campbell and perform a show together in Derry, which even saw us feature on BBC Radio beforehand – . And great to be back at the Sunflower Folk Club in Belfast too, many fine memories to look back upon and rest assured I shall not leave it so long again!

9 – I was absolutely delighted with both the audience and critical feedback for ‘My Dreams Are Theirs’. The record received fantastic reviews in The Herald Scotland, The Scotsman and The Daily Express as well as ‘Album of the Week’ on Celtic Music Radio, not to mention the airplay picked up on BBC Radio stations across the UK as well as local radio stations closer to home in the Auld Country.

10 – The best, finest, not to mention longest since 2017, SK Autumn Tour yet – taking in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, audiences were really appreciative and enthusiastic about the new songs, whilst the press reviews were extremely complimentary and it gave me a lot of confidence building into 2025 and the many tours still to come. And of course, how could I forget my debut live performances on the piano in concert – a wonderful, nerve-racking yet thoroughly exciting development in my career with hopefully more to follow!

Once again I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to anyone who has hosted a concert and/or helped me on the road in any way, attended a concert, purchased an album, subscribed to my YouTube Channel or followed my Instagram Page, read my posts and website blogs and written supportive messages and comments, whether on Social Media, email or post. The support has been amazing, and I simply could not continue in this incredible yet insane life of a troubadour without you.

2025, you have a lot to live up to….but for those of you who have kindly been asking, you shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear new music, some exciting collaborative projects are in the works along with my various solo projects, please don’t worry – !

Here’s hoping 2025 shall be a successful and prosperous year for us all – may you all be healthy, wealthy and wise in the year to come.

Sláinte

SK x