Robertson, Jeanie

The Scottish traditional folk singer Jeanie Robertson was born in 1908. She was from a travelling family from the North East of Scotland. Robertson sang in the old style having learned most of her songs through the oral tradition of her family. Her singing was featured on the 1959 LP Jeanie Robertson, The Great Traditional Ballad Singer. Her mother was Marie Stewart from Ballater a small town on rural Deeside, Aberdeenshire, and with the Robertsons on her fathers side she was part of two old travelling dynasties. Widely regarded as a seminal figure in music culture of Scotland's travelling people Jeanie was a contemporary of Jimmy McBeth, Belle Stewart and Flora MacNeil. In recognition of her services to traditional music she was awarded the MBE in 1968. Jeanie Robertson died on 13 March 1975.

From the guide to the Letters of Jeanie Robertson (1908-1975), 1954-1956, (Edinburgh University Library)

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