Musician’s long and winding road to stardom

Fergie MacDonald is directly descended from the Moidart MacDonald Clanranalds, whose family history weaves through the Battle of Sheriffmuir, the 1745 Jacobite rising, Culloden, and the Highland Clearances.

The young Fergie was quite an athlete, winning track and field prizes at many Highland games.

Since then, his list of occupations includes Army PT instructor, physiotherapist, international shooter, band leader, hotelier, poacher, gamekeeper, red deer manager, singer, writer, composer, local historian and Highland games chieftain.

His father, John “Ton” MacDonald, the subject of The Moidart Sniper, fought in the Great War and such were his exploits he was recruited to the renowned Lovat Scouts Sharpshooters, a crack sniper unit.

The eye for a target has passed through the generations – Fergie represented Scotland at clay pigeon shooting and his son John became Scotland’s number one Olympic trap clay pigeon shot, competing for Great Britain at world cups, world and European championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Growing up, Fergie’s father’s skills helped provide the family with rabbit or venison for dinner, while, as a cash-strapped student, Fergie’s marksmanship ensured he had a Christmas meal courtesy of the Kelvingrove Park duck pond in Glasgow.

His music career has taken him the length and breadth of Scotland and beyond.

Along the way there have been tales of missing gigs, dances relocated as the band failed to get off the ferry at the correct stop and songs being promoted by requests from Willie John MacPhail, a repeat offender whose address usually matched the band’s location.

Fergie’s exploits have also for many years featured during Phil Cunningham’s gigs as he recalls tales of his fellow accordionist.

“I’ve mucked up Phil Cunningham’s act,” he laughs.

“If he doesn’t do it, people shout out ‘How’s Fergie?’ and that’s the cue for another story.”