Moidart’s ’Ceilidh King’ Fergie MacDonald has died today, Tuesday April 23, aged 86.
He would have turned 87 tomorrow.
The legendary accordionist, who stayed in Mingarry, Acharacle, has been an inspiration to generations of musicians.
He was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List in recognition of his services to Scottish traditional music in a career spanning almost 70 years.
And more than 50 albums later, the man held up as an inspiration by so many of his fellow musicians, said he intended to keep going for as long as possible, even releasing his 51st album during lockdown, which featured other well-known musicians and his grand-daughter Ciara MacDonald.
Fergie appeared as a special guest of fellow musician and friend Gary Innes on the last BBC Scotland Take the Floor programme of 2022.
Paying tribute to Fergie on Facebook today Gary said: "It was always an absolute privilege to be in his company - to sit beside him on and offstage, hear him play, listen to his stories and learn what mischief he had been up to will forever live on as some of my favourite memories."
Fergie had been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer since 2021.
Full tribute in next week’s Lochaber and Oban Times and at www.westcoasttoday.co.uk.
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.