Ceilidh King Fergie MacDonald said he is “honoured and humbled” after being made an MBE in the New Year’s Honour List.
The accordionist, 83, who stays in Mingarry in the west Highlands, has been playing music for nearly 70 years and has inspired generations of traditional musicians.
He said his first thought was for his father John Ton MacDonald, who fought in the Great War and was recruited to the renowned sniper unit the Lovat Scouts Sharpshooters. Mr MacDonald wrote the book ‘The Moidart Sniper’ about his father’s exploits.
“It’s an amazing honour. The first thing I thought of was my father and people like him who knew death could be just around the corner. It’s guys like these who should get honours.
“We were very close and I know how happy he would have been to see his son get this.
“I’m over the moon with this honour which is good for traditional Highland music and I take on board all the people who have helped me along the way.”
Mr MacDonald got his first accordion aged 14, but a career in entertainment didn’t follow immediately. On demob from the Army, where he was a physical training instructor, he graduated as a physiotherapist.
He was also an international clay pigeon shooter and he lists other occupations or pastimes as band leader, hotelier, poacher, gamekeeper, red deer manager, singer, writer, composer, local historian and Highland Games chieftain.
He formed his first band in 1953 and cut his first record in 1962. Four years later the song Loch Maree Islands, written by Kenneth MacKenzie, topped the Scottish pop charts and became his signature tune.
His many accolades include being inducted into the Scottish traditional music Hall of Fame. His song The Shinty Referee was an international hit and reached the top of the iTunes World Music Charts, while another well-known tune, The Jig Runrig has been played by more than 500 musicians worldwide.
In January 2020 he issued his 50th album and, during lockdown, made a CD with other musicians. Despite cutting back on public shows in recent years, he was booked to play gigs, including the 25th anniversary Hebridean Celtic Festival and the Gig in the Goil, before they were cancelled during the pandemic.
Far north community stalwart David Flear has also been made an MBE.
Mr Flear, 73, moved to the area in the mid 1980s to become the Wick-based area social work manager.
He was elected to serve Caithness landward on Highland Council and during his three stints served as the area convener.
Until two years ago he was chairman of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group and has also been an office-bearer with Caithness Horizons and North Highland Regeneration Fund.