Gary Innes

A huge thank you to Celtic Connections for having the first of our 20th anniversary concerts this year with Ewen Henderson and myself ❤️ We were joined by some amazing old pals who we have had lots of fun with along the road. Rory Matheson on piano, Ewan Robertson on guitar, Martin O'Neill on bodhran, and Siobhan Miller on vocals, and we smiled from start to finish 😀 We can't wait to hit the road next month as a trio, and with the same full line-up for Eden Court, and we hope you can join us along the way for some reminiscing, tunes, songs, and who knows, maybe even a wee dram too. Hup🥃🪗🎻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🎥Todd Weller

I had the greatest pleasure of presenting this BBC Radio Scotland documentary on The Big Yin over New Year. It was great fun interviewing lots of brilliant folk who have played with, worked with and who have been inspired by Sir Billy Connolly Fans and The Big Yin himself even left us a special message towards the end of the programme!! ❤️ A huge thanks to producer Jennifer Cruickshank, audio engineer Ron MacAskill, and to all the team who helped pull it together.

I hope you enjoy it x

Billy Connolly: A Life in Music - BBC Sounds Gary Innes celebrates the musical life of iconic Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.

Snow day!! ❄️ Sadly, Your Requests is not on tonight due to the team in Aberdeen not being able to get to the studio because of the weather, so instead we’ve gone sledging at Grannie’s house ⛄️ 🛷

The programme instead is a special YR we recorded for these very situations, so I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to wishing you all a proper Happy New Year next weekend. 📻 Stay safe to everyone traveling and remember, never under any circumstances, eat the yellow snow 🤪 ❤️

Happy Hogmanay to you all, and I hope 2026 is full of good health and nonsense for each and every one of you. 🥳

If you’re in the house tonight, then you can catch me with Mànran on the BBC Scotland Hogmanay show and on various other tele and radio shows that I’ve had loads of fun recording over the past few weeks. Our Billy Connolly documentary also airs tomorrow morning at 9am on BBC Radio Scotland if you’re up and about early, and then it’s into Oban for tomorrow’s big party. 🎈

Until then, here’s to raising a virtual glass (for now) to a new year and lots more moments that make you smile ❤️

Just finished the tour of the new Inverness Castle Experience and it was incredible! 🏰 So many cool things to see and hear, and I was over the moon to not have one, but find two large paintings of myself hanging on the wall! An absolute honour ❤️🪗🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The obligatory Christmas family jammies were pulled over the head last night, Lochy the dog included 🐶😝

Just a wee message to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope Santa was good to you all. ❤️ 🎅 🎁

Now, time to get fired into the full Scottish selection box breakfast! 🤪 Ho Ho Ho indeed!! 🍫

A huge thank you to the Oban Winter Festival for trusting me to curate the finale concert again this year. The waiting list for a ticket was nearly as long as Oban’s esplanade itself, and no wonder with this line-up, minus the diddy at the end on the right 🤪
Thank you to Obay Bay Hotel for being the main sponsor for the event and here’s hoping we can do it all again next year. ❤️

From left to right.
Eamon Doorley, Finlay Wells, Donald Shaw, Duncan Chisholm, Ruairidh Gray, Julie Fowlis, Hannah Fisher, Kim Carnie, Sorren Maclean and myself 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🙏 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU 🙏

Well, that was a birthday I’ll never forget!!!

The love for our music and culture shone through once again at Hoolie in the Hydro last night, and from the bottom of my heart, I cannot thank you enough. There are going to be a lot of thank-yous here, so strap yourself in!

Firstly, thanks to you all for continuing to believe in the event, for showing up in your thousands, and for lifting the roof off the Hydro with your energy. 🙌

To Mànran, Trail West, Beluga Lagoon, Elephant Sessions, and the Oban High School Pipe Band for their incredible sets, and to our special guests, Elaine C Smith, Clare Grogan, Gavin Mitchell, Ralph McTell, and Ru Mac, for all the fun and energy they brought to the end of the night as we celebrated The Big Yin, including musicians, Cahalan Morrison, Dave Towers and to Paddy Callaghan on the decks.

Talking of The Big Yin, I cannot thank Sir Billy Connolly and his family enough for giving me the opportunity to celebrate his music and life at this year’s Hoolie, and for that special voice message he left too!! It really was something that we will never forget ❤️

A massive thank you to our presenters, Julie Fowlis and Martin Compston, for keeping the night moving so brilliantly, and to Greg McHugh, aka Gary Tank Commander.

To all the staff and crew at the Hydro for looking after us so well, and to everyone working behind the scenes to keep the night flowing.

There is, of course, an incredible team behind Hoolie, and without them, this event simply could not happen.

First and foremost, the inimitable Freya Craig, who works tirelessly for An Aird Events every day with me and gives her heart and soul to Hoolie just as much as I do. To Paul Hoolahan, who continues to sail the production ship through stormy seas, I am sure at times, but always makes it feel like calm waters. To our brilliant production crew, lights, sound, stage management, and suppliers - thank you for your professionalism, skill, and commitment year after year.

A massive thanks also to Corrie Campbell for her amazing PR support, and to Claire Paterson at Hopskip Fly for socials.

To Ferguson Transport & Shipping for their continued yearly sponsorship support 🙌 and to this year’s charity partners - Parkinson’s Scotland UK and Camanachd Association and Glasgow 850.

To my amazing wife Hannah and our wee sausages Gracie and Margot for all their love and constant support. And a huge apology to anyone I’ve missed… there hasn’t been much sleep😝

I’m getting there, I promise. To BBC ALBA, and Beezr who filmed the big night once again, and you can catch some of the highlights on the tele this evening from 9pm.

And finally, to each and every one of you who purchased a ticket for Hoolie, who travelled, danced, sang, and celebrated with us - thank you from the bottom of my heart. Having so many people in one place going wild for our music is something we never ever take for granted.

Early bird tickets for next year’s Hoolie are already on sale for Sat 12th Dec, so please add it into your diaries if you fancy returning for more of the same.

Now, what do you do once you finish your fourth Hoolie? Yes, that’s right, you go and collect an Australian labradoodle puppy 🤪 🐶

Lord have mercy.
# # # ❤️

📸 Kevin Kerr

What a way to start my birthday! 🎂

It’s the fourth time we have the keys to Scotland’s biggest village hall and we’re getting set for another very special night! ❤️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Safe travels to you all who are coming.

Ps, no presents please. 🎁 Cash in a card will be fine! 🤪🤣 # # #

We’re in the Music Hall in Aberdeen tonight and then straight down the road for the big one tomorrow.

Standing tickets for Hoolie are now sold out, but seating is still available 💃🕺

Safe travels to one and all and I can’t wait to see you tomorrow and to make history once again ❤️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🪗 🎻