In this, Scotland's year of the Homecoming, we are delighted to welcome Dougie MacLean and his band for their first vist to Speyfest. Since the early days with Silly Wizard and The Tannahill Weavers, through a long and successful solo performance career, establishing an international repution as a songwriter and composer, Dougie has maintained an independence and energy. He has gone on to set up a record label, recording studio, publishing company and his own autumn festival, run from his home in beautiful Perthshire.

He still plays to sell-out audiences at some of the biggest venues throughout the world and regularly tours Australia, America and Canada where, perhaps his best-known composition, Caledonia is an anthem to the Scottish diaspora. It is this international reputation and the power of Caledonia that made Dougie an obvious choice to help front the Scottish government's initiative to bring people with a love of Scotland to the country in this year of the Homecoming. All the members of The Dougie MacLean Band are multi-talented, switching instruments effortlessly, a blend of youth and experience that makes their performances a full and varied musical treat. Mixing Celtic and contemporary instrumentation, weaving magic around the songs of one of Scotland's musical treasures, the line-up is;

• Dougie MacLean - vocals, guitar and fiddle
• Greg Lawson - fiddle
• Ross Ainslie - whistles, bouzouki, highland and small pipes
• Alan Sutherland - vocals and piano
• Jamie MacLean - guitar and percussion
• Chris Agnew - vocals and bass
• Ali Ferguson - vocals and guitar