About

In the UK where the reverence for American blues artists runs deep and has brought forth legendary guitar heroes Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton, the endless grey skies of Edinburgh, Scotland are most definitely not immune to this musical iconography. Eilidh McKellar, a 20-year-old Scottish born singer and guitarist offers an interesting blend of indie rock, blues, and pop music with a nod towards the New World. Not only can Eilidh play with heartfelt emotion on the guitar, her voice comes from deep in the Mississippi River delta- where alligators lie in wait and Southern Comfort allays the sins of the soul.

Eilidh’s debut, “Delta Devil Dreams,” Produced by Guy Eckstine, is a well-crafted indie pop record that rocks hard with edgy guitars and strong melodic vocals.

“Cool as a cucumber, Eilidh plays like a seasoned veteran, and some of what she does on her solo here is scarcely credible, considering her tender years. No silly overplaying, just quiet confidence and genuine virtuosity.” – Bob Harris, Whispers, BBC Radio One

A highlight of Eilidh’s burgeoning career was her incredible performance at the Hammersmith Apollo with legendary blues/rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa. Bonamassa discovered Eilidh on YouTube and asked her to join him on stage for a special performance. Delighted, she took him up on the honor while stunning the audience, and Joe himself, with her powerful and passionate solos. Bonamassa describes her as "one of the brightest players I have encountered in a long time (The Herald Scotland).”

In 2011 Eilidh began uploading performance videos to YouTube, initially to raise her profile and to help with music college applications, which landed her at the Leeds College of Music. The video response was very positive and Eilidh has now clocked up a nearly one million views overall. She also began performing on the local Edinburgh blues scene. This provided Eilidh with opportunities to jam with established musicians such as Oli Brown and James Burton. The highlight of her nascent career was performing at the Hammersmith Apollo with legendary blues/rock guitarist, Joe Bonamassa. Joe had seen Eilidh on YouTube and asked her to join him on stage– a huge honor and she delivered great solos much to his and the audiences delight.

Eilidh’s YouTube videos then caught the attention of American manager and producer, Guy Eckstine, who immediately offered his services for creative direction and career guidance. “As soon as I got wind of her and watched her videos, I reached out through social media. I asked Eilidh if she could sing- and she really “hadn’t bothered to try.” Two weeks later she sent me vocal demos which blew my mind.” Incorporating her various influences into a contemporary recording will be an interesting adjustment. “I’ve got many influences and voices inside of me that need to get out there into the world- I love indie rock, jazz, blues, and pop music too- I can’t wait to make this all come to fruition this year.”

Eilidh has a large YouTube following (over 1 million views) from her teenage webcam solo guitar musings, and via her association with Joe Bonamassa. Eilidh sat in with Joe (for the 3rd time) at the Manchester Arena and stole the show, yet again. Eilidh also was asked to appear for a live performance and interview on BBC Radio London 94.9 on ‘The Robert Elms Show' in February.

Now well into her debut UK Tour,  with stops in Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester,  Glasgow, Edinburgh and London, Eilidh was been asked by BBC Radio 1's Academy to perform in May at their prestigious annual event, this year being held in Glasgow, Scotland. Eilidh has major support at the BBC including tastemakers, Robert Elms and Bob Harris. Highlighted by performances at Blues Kitchen in London, and a packed house at Voodoo Rooms in her native Edinburgh, there is a legitimate buzz developing in both the USA and the UK. Eilidh has garnered great press, and the crowds have been ecstatic on Eilidh's debut tour with anticipation of more shows in the UK in Summer anf Fall amd the USA in 2015.