The Teller and the Tale Michael Williams

Due to time restrictions, my interviews have to be edited to a little less than 30 minutes for broadcast on Blues and Roots Radio. However, I've cleaned up the audio file and shared the original unedited version of my interview with Scottish storyteller Eileen Budd. It comes in at about 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Storyteller, author, and artist Eileen Budd was raised in Perthshire in a family that treasured the art of oral storytelling. Eileen learned this art from her parents and grandparents and has gone on to become a much sought-after storyteller in schools, museums, and other public venues. She's a "story archaeologist" who uncovers the stories behind historical objects and customs. Eileen is also the author of Ossian Warrior Poet (Wide Open Sea publishers) a reworking of the poet's material for a twenty-first-century generation.

One of my early interviews, done while I was living in Forres, Scotland, with local storyteller and poet Margot Henderson.

Margot is a Scots Irish poet, storyteller, songwriter and community artist. I see my work as celebrating our connection to nature, place, community and heritage. I write and devise performance pieces for festivals, conferences and cultural events, including Is This It and Tae Absent Friends. I have produced a number of poetry collections and CDs of poems, songs and stories.

As well as creating my own work, I lead workshops for people of all ages and abilities, cultures and ethnicities in a wide range of settings, including schools, museums galleries, prisons, hospitals, homeless shelters, theatres, festivals, fields, forests, beaches and conferences. (from https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/authors/margot-henderson)

Noa Baum is an award-winning storyteller, author, coach and public speaker presenting internationally for diverse audiences ranging from the World Bank, prestigious universities and congregations, to festivals,  government agencies and schools. Born and raised in Jerusalem Noa offers a unique combination of performance art and practical workshops that focus on the power of stories to heal across the divides of identity and build bridges of peace. Photo courtesy of Sam Kittner (www.noabaum.com)

Paula Cowie is a storyteller and environmental activist. At the time of this recording (2015), Paula was the Development Manager for the Sustainable Communities Initiative and an Outdoor Facilitator for Wolf Ways, an initiative that offers children activities based in nature. She continues to work as a storyteller telling tales that integrate her passion for environmental education.

In this episode, I feature songs/stories from a unique CD featuring the villagers of the Scottish hamlets of Carlops and Nine Mile Burn, nestled against the Pentland Hills south of Edinburgh.