Isla was just 17 when I heard her first LP; it may be the School of Scottish Studies recordings that other people have mentioned. I was greatly impressed by her clear, strong voice and the vast wealth of traditional material in her memory. As James and other people have said, Isla was steeped in Aberdeenshire tradition. I booked Isla for the Valley Folk Club in Pontardawe; it was the time of a national beer strike, and nobody knew whether the pubs would be open or not. Nevertheless, she came down and wowed everybody with her singing. Later on, I was playing concertina on a TV programme in The Song And The Story series (filmed at The Museum Of Welsh Life in St Fagans, Cardiff) and Isla showed her professionalism. Recently, I saw her at a folk club in Newport, Gwent, and the club gave her a rapturous encore. Isla is still a very fine singer whose breadth of knowledge commands a great deal of respect from me.

Mick Tems