Alistair Brown
Alistair Brown has been singing the old songs, and new songs written by people who like the old songs, all his adult life, and for a few of his formative years too. His career began helping out in the folk clubs of his native Scotland during the great folk scare of the 60s, opening bottles for the likes of Archie Fisher, Hamish Imlach, The Incredible String Band, Billy Connolly, and many other greats, and performing guest spots whenever the sound man wasn't looking.

Since coming to Canada in 1972, he has been a regular performer in North American folk clubs and festivals, often as a card-carrying member of the Friends of Fiddler's Green. He has been active in many aspects of folk song and dance for years, as a recording artist, radio broadcaster, columnist, festival director, dance teacher, and program director at folk music and dance camps.

The London Free Press has described his concerts as "mastery of storytelling in song." Audiences everywhere respond enthusiastically to his performances, covering the field from big ballads, comic ditties, songs of struggles (usually unsuccessful) against temptation, odes to conviviality and songs of unashamed sentimentality to outrageously funny stories from a master of the art - all this accompanied by anglo concertina, button accordions in the key of your choice, and harmonicas. One minute he has them enthralled with a Child ballad, and the next, falling about as he painstakingly explains how 24 black and white horses, elaborately saddled and bridled, can solve the problem of a lack of toilet facilities in the Sahara Desert.

Alistair dances with Thames Valley Morris. A valuable source of information for Country Dance and Song in North America is CDSS.

In addition, Alistair is producer/host of A Sign of the Times on CIXX-FM (106.9), London, now approaching its 20th anniversary.

For 5 years, he produced and hosted "Off She Goes" syndicated across the U.S. on National Public Radio.

Alistair Brown compiles cryptic crosswords which are currently published in SCENE Magazine (London, Ontario)
The Swan Necked Valve
released 1997

The Swan Necked Valve

The Swan Necked Valve
CD $15.00 ON SALE AGAIN SEPTEMEBER 8, 2003

1. The Swan Necked Valve Sound Sample/ The Jenny Lind Polka
2. Dockyard Gate
3. Cairnomount
4. The Old Red Duster
5.A Man's a Man for A' That
6. Magdalene Green / Bonny Doon
7. Laundromat Lover
8. Jamestown
9. The Bonny Wee Lassie's Answer
10. Jock O'Hazeldene
11. The Dundee Ghost
12. The Broom o' the Cowdenknowes
13. Kilbowie Hill
14. The Seven Deadly Sins
15. Will Ye Gang Love
16. Collier Laddie
17. The Funeral / The Temperance Reel
18. Tak a Dram
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