RICHIE MUIR
Richie Muir was born in Edinburgh, a city where stone, history and music seem to breathe together. Growing up beneath wide Scottish skies, Richie discovered Runrig at a formative age, and their music quietly embedded itself into the rhythm of his life. The songs were not simply something he listened to. They became companions through change, doubt, joy and growth. Alongside this, he developed a deep admiration for U2, drawn to their emotional honesty, spiritual depth and the way music could feel both personal and vast at the same time.
During his years in Edinburgh, Richie lived in South Queensferry, quite literally in the shadow of the Forth Road Bridge. The slow curve of steel across the water, the smell of salt on the wind and the constant movement between places mirrored his own sense that life was always heading somewhere new. Music was the constant. His guitar was rarely far from reach, and his voice began to develop a tone that was soft, warm and unmistakably sincere.
Life eventually carried Richie south. In his twenties, he relocated from Edinburgh to Nottingham, a move that marked the beginning of a new chapter rather than an ending. The Scottish roots remained firmly intact, but Nottingham became the place where his musicianship truly flourished. He built a successful career as a gigging musician across the East Midlands, becoming a familiar and trusted presence at weddings, private events and long running residencies in bars and local venues. Audiences were drawn to the calm confidence of his performances, his delicate acoustic guitar playing and a vocal delivery that felt intimate even in a crowded room.
Richie’s catalogue grew organically over time. It spanned decades and genres, but always carried emotional weight. Scottish classics sat comfortably alongside modern favourites, and Runrig songs were never far away, delivered with respect, understanding and an obvious personal connection. These were not covers chosen for convenience. They were songs that had shaped him, songs that felt lived in.
Away from the stage, Richie is married to his wife Alex, and together they have three wonderful children. Family has always been central to his sense of purpose, shaping how he balances ambition with responsibility. When Beat the Drum The Runrig Experience was launched, Richie made a conscious decision to step back from the constant churn of solo gigging. Not completely stopping, but reducing his other work to ensure he could give this project everything it deserved.
In a refreshingly grounded move, Richie now supplements his musical life with window cleaning work around Nottingham. The flexibility it offers allows him to rehearse, travel and fully commit to the band without compromise. It is a choice rooted in humility, clarity and conviction. For Richie Muir, music has never been about chasing image or ego. It has always been about honesty, connection and serving the songs that once soundtracked his life, and now define his calling.
DUNCAN MACDONALD
Duncan MacDonald’s story begins on the Isle of Skye, in Portree, where landscape and music are inseparable from everyday life. Growing up surrounded by sea air, shifting light and a strong sense of community, Duncan absorbed sound and storytelling almost by instinct. He attended Portree High School at the same time as the MacDonald brothers and Malcolm from Runrig, a detail that feels less like coincidence and more like quiet inevitability. The songs that would later travel the world were already being shaped in the same corridors and classrooms where Duncan was finding his own creative voice.
Music was always present, but Duncan’s curiosity stretched far beyond a single genre. As a bass player, he developed an instinctive understanding of feel, groove and restraint. He learned how music supports rather than shouts, how it carries emotion without demanding attention. That sensitivity would become a defining feature of his musicianship. Over the years, he played in ceilidh bands rooted in tradition, a Status Quo tribute band driven by raw energy, and a Pink Floyd show that required space, patience and atmosphere. Each project added a new layer to his musical identity.
Alongside performing, Duncan built an impressive career as a freelance media professional. He has worked extensively across television and radio, including significant roles with the BBC as both a presenter and producer. Storytelling has always been central to his work, whether through sound, image or music. One of the most meaningful moments of his professional life came when he produced The Story video for Runrig themselves. For someone who grew up in the same town as the band, this was not simply another job. It was a moment of connection, respect and coming full circle.Duncan now lives in Glasgow with his wife Lisa. Together they have two grown up children, and family remains an important anchor in a life that has often been on the move. Travel is one of Duncan’s great loves, and his media work has taken him across the world. Each place, each culture and each encounter has quietly informed how he listens, how he plays and how he understands music as a universal language.
When Duncan joined Beat the Drum The Runrig Experience, he brought more than technical skill on bass. He brought authenticity, history and perspective. His connection to the origins of Runrig is lived rather than learned, rooted in shared geography and shared time. On stage, his playing is calm, assured and deeply musical, providing the foundation on which everything else can breathe. For Duncan MacDonald, this project is not about tribute for the sake of nostalgia. It is about honouring songs that shaped a generation, told by someone who has walked the same streets, felt the same weather and understands where the music truly comes from.
JASON LAING
Jason Laing is from the Isle of Lewis, a place where land, sea and music are tightly woven together. Growing up in the Outer Hebrides shaped Jason in ways that never quite leave you. The sound of wind moving across open ground, the rhythm of tide and weather, and the deep rooted musical culture of the islands all found their way into his playing. From an early age, Runrig were more than a band to him. Their songs felt familiar, as if they belonged to the same landscapes and stories he was living himself.
Jason went on to study at university in Aberdeen, broadening his musical horizons while remaining firmly connected to his island identity. Over time, he became known throughout the Hebridean music circuit as one of the most technically competent guitarists on the island. His playing is defined by versatility. He moves effortlessly between subtle texture and driving energy, always serving the song rather than his own ego. This adaptability has seen him involved in numerous local bands, earning respect across genres and generations.
For many years, Jason’s working life took him into the outdoors in a very different way. He was the main fishing guide on the Grimesta Estate, one of Scotland’s most exclusive salmon fisheries. The role demanded patience, precision and deep understanding of environment, qualities that mirror his approach to music. Days spent on the river, reading water and weather, became part of his rhythm of life. Although he now works as a window cleaner, the choice reflects a desire for flexibility and balance rather than retreat. It allows him to remain rooted in his community while fully committing to his musical projects.
Jason lives on Lewis with his wife Katie, a journalist on the island, and their two sons. Family life is central to who he is, grounding him amid the demands of performance and rehearsal. When he is not playing guitar, he is happiest outdoors, often in the company of his dog, who he describes without irony as his best friend. There is a quiet contentment in his connection to land and routine, punctuated by music and, when the moment allows, a good glass of Scottish whisky.
One of the most significant moments in Jason’s musical journey came during the Covid lockdown, when he appeared with Rory MacDonald as part of the Hebridean All Stars project. Performing Only the Brave, the collaboration captured something raw and deeply meaningful, not just musically, but emotionally. It reaffirmed Jason’s lifelong connection to Runrig and the community their music represents.
As the guitarist for Beat the Drum The Runrig Experience, Jason brings authenticity, technical excellence and a profound sense of place. His playing carries the islands with it, honest, grounded and quietly powerful, ensuring the music remains alive rather than preserved.
SCOTT MACDONALD
Scott MacDonald is the rhythmic engine of Beat the Drum The Runrig Experience, a drummer whose versatility, power and musical intelligence set him apart. Music was never a distant ambition in Scott’s life. It was part of the air he grew up breathing. Raised in Glasgow as the son of Duncan MacDonald, sound, performance and storytelling were woven into everyday life from an early age. Rhythm was not something he chose later on. It was something that found him naturally.
Growing up in a city with a fierce and proud musical identity, Scott developed his craft surrounded by live music, rehearsal rooms and a culture that values authenticity above all else. Glasgow taught him that feel matters as much as technique, and that the role of a drummer is to serve the song, the band and the moment. Among the many drummers who shaped his style, Iain Bayne was a particularly strong influence. Scott listened to Bayne’s playing extensively while growing up, absorbing his sense of groove, restraint and musical authority. That influence can still be felt today in Scott’s ability to drive a song without ever overpowering it.
Scott’s musical taste is arguably the most varied within the band. He moves confidently between worlds that many musicians never cross. One moment he is immersed in the intensity of German hard rock, the next he is playing traditional ceilidh music with lift, precision and joy. Now based in London, Scott runs a highly regarded ceilidh band, bringing Scottish tradition into packed venues and dance floors far from its original roots. This breadth of experience has shaped him into a drummer who listens deeply, adapts instinctively and understands the language of many musical traditions.
Professionally, Scott is firmly established as a full time drummer in London, operating at a high level within a demanding and competitive music scene. Alongside Beat the Drum, he is a member of the very successful rock band Ebbb, a project that demands stamina, authority and absolute commitment. His drumming in Ebbb is driving and assertive, yet always controlled, reflecting a musician who understands that power only works when it serves the music.
Scott has also performed with one of the UK’s most well known function bands, The Elevation, where consistency, polish and musical discipline are essential night after night. In addition, he has toured with Thinking Out Loud, widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected Ed Sheeran tribute shows. These experiences underline his ability to operate at the highest professional level, adapting seamlessly to different audiences, expectations and musical settings.
Scott’s connection to Runrig is both musical and personal. Through his father, he grew up with a genuine understanding of the band’s origins, values and emotional weight. This is not borrowed reverence. It is lived experience. Grounded, focused and deeply musical, Scott MacDonald provides a foundation that is solid, dynamic and alive, honouring the music with confidence, respect and unmistakable authority.
