Findlay Napier

Findlay Napier

Findlay Napier, born in Glasgow in November 1978, is a Scottish singer-songwriter and teaching artist. He first gained recognition as a member of the traditional Scottish folk band Back of the Moon.

Musical Evolution and Songwriting Prowess

Napier established himself on the Scottish music scene through extensive touring and recording with the multi-award-winning traditional folk group Back of the Moon. Following this, he embarked on subsequent projects, Queen Anne's Revenge and Findlay Napier and the Bar Room Mountaineers, where his songwriting truly came to the forefront. His lyrical abilities were lauded by The Sunday Herald, which described his work as "Genuine songcraft and wit following in the Difford & Tilbrook tradition."

Community Engagement and Curatorial Work

Beyond his recording career, Findlay Napier is a familiar face in Glasgow's live music community. He is well-known for hosting Glasgow's premier open mic night at Bar Bloc, for his role as the host of Celtic Connections’ Late Night Sessions, and for his "Hazy Recollections" concert series, which shines a spotlight on emerging talent in the roots music genre.

"VIP: Very Interesting Persons" Project

The concept for the album VIP: Very Interesting Persons emerged during a Creative Scotland Advanced Mentoring project with Boo Hewerdine. This collection features ten songs inspired by real-life individuals who have led extraordinary lives. The album was co-written and produced by Hewerdine and includes contributions from Louis Abbott of Admiral Fallow, Gillian Frame, Roy Dodds, Hamish Napier, and the Danish multi-instrumentalist Gustaf Ljunggren.

The initial collaboration between Napier and Hewerdine resulted in the song "After the Last Bell Rings," which has since been covered numerous times. Recognizing their creative synergy, the pair decided to develop a themed album.

The second song to emerge from their partnership was "Heddy Lamarr," a tribute to the actress who co-invented Bluetooth and WiFi, setting the tone for the VIP project. The album's narratives explore a diverse range of fascinating characters, including Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space; a master conman renowned for repeatedly selling the Brooklyn Bridge; the spectral presence of a pugilist; the pilot who discovered Angel Falls; and a Japanese soldier who continued fighting in World War II well into the 1970s.