ALAN REID: Scottish songwriter and folksinger
A lifetime of creating and performing Scottish music
Alan Reid, born in 1950 in Glasgow, is a Scottish folk multi-instrumentalist and songwriter best known as the longest-serving founding member of the Battlefield Band. He joined the group in 1969 and remained its keyboard player and central figure for over four decades until 2010, helping establish the band as a leading force in Scottish traditional music through more than 30 albums and pioneering the innovative use of keyboards (starting with a pump organ) in a Celtic folk context.
While still with Battlefield Band, Reid began solo and duo projects, releasing his first solo album The Sunlit Eye in 1997, a songbook in 2001, and forming a successful duo with singer/guitarist Rob van Sante that produced five albums between 2002 and 2017, including concept works on historical figures.
After leaving Battlefield Band at the end of 2010 to focus on his own writing and collaborations, Reid continued touring internationally with the duo until around 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led him to embark on a solo career. Throughout his career, he has been recognised as a prolific songwriter known for evocative storytelling, memorable melodies, and blending traditional Celtic elements with new original material.
Upcoming concert dates for 2026
ALAN REID: Girvan Folk Festival. May 1st/3rd
ALAN & CHRISTINE KYDD: Girvan Folk Festival. May 3rd
ALAN & CHRISTINE KYDD: Glad Cafe, Glasgow. Sunday, June 7th, 2pm
ALAN & CHRISTINE KYDD: Clydesdale Folk Club. Thursday, June 25th
ALAN REID: Wee Folk Club, Edinburgh. Sunday, Sept 20th
ALAN in Germany
Sat. Sept 26 SÜHL • Sun. Sept. 27 NÜRNBERG • Tue. Sept. 29 HALLE • Wed. Sept. 30 ERLABRUNN
Fri. Oct. 2 BOCKENDORF • Sat. Oct. 3 HERNE • Sun. Oct. 4 ELKERHAUSEN
ALAN & CHRISTINE KYDD: Falkirk Folk Club. Thu. Oct. 15
Alan in Australia Oct/Nov 2026
Contact Alan
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