Jim Malcolm

Jim Malcolm (born James Douglas Malcolm) is a traditional Scottish folk musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and recording artist. He was the lead singer of the folk rock band the Old Blind Dogs for eight years, before beginning a solo career.

Early life Malcolm was born in Cumbernauld, Scotland, in 1964 to parents Helen Grewar and Erick Malcolm. His mother, Helen, was involved in the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland. Jim learnt the guitar while at school. After moving to Perth to live with his grandmother, he attended Perth High School.

After secondary school he attended the University of Edinburgh, initially studying Chemistry before switching to a General Arts degree. He started his career as a professional musician after graduating from the university.

As a solo musician, Malcolm blends Scots vocals with simultaneous acoustic guitar, and harmonica playing. His work is inspired by old Scots songs, poems, and tunes, and he writes new lyrics for old tunes. Malcolm also draws influence from Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. He also takes historical inspiration from Scots of the past, such as William Soutar and Tannahill. He has been greatly influenced by Scottish folk musician Jim Reid, a singer and guitarist who died in 2009.

His solo performance style has been summarised as "Scots troubadour", with his music accompanied by stories, historical accounts, and comedy.

Highlights

Malcolm was voted Songwriter of the Year at the 2004 Scots Trad Music Awards, and was nominated again in both 2005 and 2008.

In 2022, his daughter Beth Malcolm was voted BBC MG ALBA Scots Singer of the Year.

Discography As of February 2024, Malcolm has released 16 solo albums and one DVD.