The Tannahill Weavers were formed in 1968 in Paisley, Scotland, following a regular session in a back room of a club run by Pat Doherty, father of one of the group's founding members, Neil Doherty. They take their name from the town’s poet laureate and writer of folk songs, Robert Tannahill (known as the "Weaver Poet"), and the industry for which Paisley was once known: weaving. Known as the Tannahills, or the Tannies for short, the band’s traditional musical style focuses on Highland Celtic music, and it was one of the first bands to incorporate the predominately solo instrument, the Great Highland bagpipes, as a main stage instrument.
Two of its founding members, Roy Gullane (guitar, banjo, vocals) and Phil Smillie (flute, whistle, bodhrán) are still with the band, which also includes John Martin (fiddle, vocals) and Lorne MacDougall (Highland bagpipes, Scottish small pipes, whistles). Gullane has long been fascinated with traditional Celtic music, and notes that it was hearing the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem sing “The Wild Colonial Boy” on television that convinced him that he wanted to play Celtic music. As a group, “we were very influenced by the energy of the JSD Band in the early days. We actually hung out with them every time they were in town. We were also very much influenced by Ireland’s Bothy Band.”
John Martin started winning fiddle competitions and made his first recording for the BBC at the age of 14. He also plays cello, viola and sings. In addition to his work with the Tannahill Weavers, he does a great deal of studio work, and has been involved as a traditional musician in various theatre, film and television productions, as well as recording a solo fiddle album and The Braes of Lochiel as a duo with Billy Ross He has also been a member of Contraband, Ossian and the Easy Club.