25/04/2026
Next up at Stonehouse Folk Club we welcome John Morran. For those who haven’t heard John before you won’t be disappointed. Simply one of the best exponents of traditional music in Scotland. Come along and join us where John Grassom will start the evenings entertainment.
OVERVIEW
With his richly expressive, subtly poignant voice, John Morran is widely recognised as a leading exponent of Scots song. He hails originally from the Ayrshire ex-mining community of Muirkirk, deep in the heart of Burns’ kintrie. With the nearest town in any direction being ten miles away, the village remains a stronghold of the Scots language, which inspires much of John's singing, whether in Burns ballads or contemporary compositions from the region. He has been a member of Deaf Shepherd, regarded as one of Scotland’s finest traditional bands, since its inception in 1993. In January 2000, he performed with Sheena Wellington in the BBC’s celebration of Robert Burns. Other high points in his musical career include being a featured artist in the prestigious Dr. Fred Freeman/Linn Records project to record all of Burns' songs and being invited to sing at the Muckle Sangs concert at the 1997 Celtic Connections Festival. He has performed and recorded as a guest player with internationally acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter and fiddle player Dougie MacLean. Teaming up with Fred Freeman and Marc Duff (ex-Capercaillie), 2001 to 2002 saw a series of Burns workshops in every school of East Ayrshire (nearly 60 in total). He was a member of the Unusual Suspects, Scotland’s National Folk Band, for 4 years and Producer on the Malinky albums “3 Ravens” and “The Unseen Hours”.��
REVIEWS� �
The Sunday Herald, Sue Wilson reviewing Deaf Shepherd’s new Album Even in the Rain�(5 ***** review)�“Then there's the crowning glory of John Morran's gentle, heartfelt vocals, heard to sublime advantage singing Burns - Yestreen I Had A Pint o Wine, and I Coft A Stane O' Haslock Woo - along with a gorgeous, immaculately understated new setting of Robert Stephen's The Mermaids' Sang."��
Sue Wilson writing about Deaf Shepherd�“John Morran, with his richly expressive, subtly poignant voice, is widely recognised as his generation's leading exponent of Scots song.”� �
The Living Tradition, Alan Mcintosh Brown – Issue 47 Deaf Shepherd’s new Album Even in the Rain�“And don’t forget the songs: John Morran has matured into one of the finest traditional singers doing the rounds and this album more than suggests that he’s possibly unparalleled among present-day singers in his delivery of songs in Scots.”��
The Herald, Keith Bruce reviewing solo gig at the Tron, Glasgow�“As T***S (of the Maytals) didn’t quite say: folkie got soul. From his opener, Banks of Red Roses, the distance between John Morran and many performers of traditional songs is immediately apparent…….The heartfelt performance of the Deaf Shepherd singer always excels….While his set ranges from the Doric to the Borders, and as easily across hundreds of years, it is his work in preserving songs from his home village of Muirkirk that he highlights. Songs like The Bonnie Lass o Wellwid Ha’ show this to be a highly worthwhile project… At once a “tradition bearer” and a promoter of fine contemporary writing, Morran clearly has quality ears to match his fine soulful tenor voice.”� �
The Scotsman, Kenny Mathieson reviewing Deaf Shepherd’s new Album Even in the Rain�“John Morran’s superb singing illuminates lovely songs such as The Bonnie Lass o Wellwid Ha’ and The Mermaid’s Sang…”� �
Traditional Music Maker, Peter Stevenson, Issue No 54, May/June 2002�“…..John Morran’s wondrous vocals ooze a traditional lyrical character, whose richness and intonation is delivered in a style of such phonetic precision that even a sassenach such as I can happily sing along but barely understand a word.”��
The Scotsman, Sue Wilson reviewing Deaf Shepherd’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe Concert “A similar old/new balancing act was also discernible in their choice of songs, ranging from Burns and Border ballads to modern-day compositions such as the exquisite Lost ForWords and Huntin' the Buntin'. All were given eloquent expression by John Morran's gentle, richly shaded vocals, once again confirming his ranking - along with his band's - among today's finest young tradition-bearers."��
The Scotsman, Alastair Clark - BEST OF THE WEEK�“All of this might be enough to mark out Deaf Shepherd as the folk band most likely to hit the high spots, but in John Morran they have a remarkable singer, a born storyteller capable of bringing the most musty of ancient ballads to perky, meaningful life. Morran is that relative rarity on the traditional scene, a singer who clearly feels what he is singing as well as understanding it.”� �
Irish Music Magazine, Alex Monaghan, reviewing Deaf Shepherd’s new Album Even in the Rain�“John's contribution to this album is immense. He sings five songs (three set to his own music) and is also the composer of the gorgeous air Póilín Ní Lionsaigh. ……..he's now a master of his material, and his singing is one of the highlights of this recording. Listen to his delivery of the Robert Burns sultana song, or the Thomas Floyd poem set to John's tune.” � �
The Herald, Rob Adam reviewing the Flowers of Edinburgh Concert�“…some wonderfully heartfelt singing from John Morran…”
