The Fiddle Line

Aly Bain: Holding the Tradition

Welcome back to The Fiddle Line, where fiddler John McCusker sits down with fellow musicians to explore their lives, their work, and the common threads that run through a life in music. In this special live episode, recorded in Glasgow as part of Celtic Connections, John is joined by legendary fiddler Aly Bain, a long-time friend, collaborator, and one of the most influential voices in traditional music. Together, they reflect on a life shaped by the fiddle, exploring: * The evolution of a long and enduring career * What it means to carry and care for a musical tradition * The balance between instinct, experience, and craft * Lessons learned from decades on stage and on the road * How music continues to offer curiosity, connection, and joy Woven throughout is a conversation that moves easily between humour, insight, and quiet reflection shaped by years of shared experience and mutual respect. Recorded in front of a live audience, this episode captures not just the story of a remarkable career, but the spirit of the tradition itself passed on, held lightly, and always alive.

Alice Allen: When The Instrument Chooses You

In this second episode of The Fiddle Line, recorded live from Crook of Devon Village Hall, John sits down with cellist Alice Allen for a wide-ranging conversation about music, curiosity, and staying creatively alive. Alice reflects on how she came to the cello, or how the cello perhaps came to her, and shares her deep fascination with the history and evolving role of the cello in traditional music. From there, the conversation moves into the realities of balancing music with family life, the importance of finding (and protecting) flow state, and why experiential learning has played such a vital role in her musical development. They also talk about creativity in the modern world ... how Alice’s “chopping” videos on Instagram unexpectedly inspired John to write more music, the pressures and freedoms of being a prolific recording artist, and what it really takes to stay musically happy over the long term. Thoughtful, generous, and full of insight, this episode is a reminder that a life in music is shaped as much by curiosity and joy as it is by discipline and craft.

Laura Wilkie: Tunes, Travels and Telling the Truth

Welcome to the very first episode of The Fiddle Line ... a podcast where renowned fiddler John McCusker peaks with fellow fiddle players about their music, their lives and the common threads that connect us through the fiddle. In this debut conversation, John is joined by Laura Wilkie, a celebrated Highland fiddler known for her work with the Kincaid Quintet, as well as collaborations with George Ezra and Rachel Sermanni. Laura shares her journey from discovering the fiddle in her early years to performing around the world offering insight into the influence of Scottish heritage on her playing, life on the road as a touring musician, the joys and challenges of collaboration across genres and how she continues to shape her own voice as a fiddle player. Alongside her music, Laura also speaks candidly about becoming a leading voice for victims of sexual abuse and discrimination in the folk scene. She reflects on what it means to use her platform to usher in for change, and the strength it has taken to stand u and speak out. It's a conversation that is at once musical, moving, and deeply human ... setting the tone for The Fiddle Line as a space for real stories from the fiddle world. SUBSCRIBE to The Fiddle Line wherever you get your podcasts and join us each episode as we follow the lives, tunes and traditions of fiddle players ... on conversation at a time.