Glasgow Americana: Malcolm MacWatt & Norma MacDonald

Since signing to US label Need To Know Music, Scottish troubadour Malcolm MacWatt’s unique brand of Americana has been making waves on both sides of the Atlantic.

By choosing to sing in his own Scottish accent his work has been embraced by American, Canadian and European audiences for its authentic trans-Atlantic storytelling, garnering scores of superb reviews with the likes of Eliza Carthy, Gretchen Peters, Angeline Morrison, Nathan Bell, Kris Drever and Laura Cantrell lending their names and voices to his songs.

With comparisons to Dick Gaughan and Steve Earle, MacWatt weaves Celtic balladry into Appalachian string band influences while threading his own unique path between British Folk and Americana.

Norma MacDonald is an Americana singer-songwriter living in Halifax, NS. Her sixth album 'In Waves', released October 27, 2023 on Noyes Records, was produced by Juno-nominee Daniel Ledwell and features a slew of Halifax's finest musicians. 'In Waves' moves through seasons and moods, riding the crest of MacDonald's evocative songwriting and golden voice. Her previous five recordings have been nomination for multiple awards from Music Nova Scotia and the ECMA. In September 2023, MacDonald was invited to play at the Canadian Embassy in Paris, France.

“Yet another superb album from the excellent Norma MacDonald, a songwriter at the height of her powers…One of the best of 2023”—Paul McGee (Lonesome Highway, Dublin, Ireland)