Sell-out crowd for new album
A West Lothian musician played to a sell- out crowd at the Regal Theatre in Bathgate last weekend to celebrate the launch of his new album.
James McKay, 38, from Bathgate launched Scars and Hearts on Sunday June 4 - an album that touches on many experiences close the songwriters heart.
James said: “I’ve been writing songs and playing in bands for years but have always wanted to do a stripped back acoustic album focusing on the words and music as opposed to the production, song writing is my passion.
“It’s a real mix of songs from love to loss, it covers in depth many of my personal experiences. I have to say thinking ahead to the album launch gig I knew it would be quite difficult to perform some of the songs given the lyrical content and meaning behind them.”
One such song, ‘Son of Mine’, was written for his mum’s friend Dorothy who tragically lost her son Stuart a few years ago.
A few years after making the difficult decision to donate Stuart’s organs Dorothy got a letter from the girl who received Stuart’s heart to say thank you for the sacrifice and for giving her a new lease of life.
James said: “Performing the song in front of a sold out theatre was made more special with Dorothy in the audience, I know she is very proud of the song.”
James wrote the songs over the space of a year but had no intention of playing them live until he was convinced by a friend.
He said: “When I set out to write the album it was an outlet for how I was feeling at that time and I never really thought it would lead to performing it in front of a live audience.”
Buy the album at www. jamesmckaymusic.com