The Tannahill Weavers: Iain MacGillivray, Malcolm Bushby, Phil Smillie, Roy Gullane. The band will be performing at Oxford's 6 on the Square at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 18. (Submitted photo)

OXFORD — Legendary Scottish band the Tannahill Weavers will bring more than 50 years of music and stories to 6 On The Square in Oxford at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 18.

Born from a 1968 session in Paisley, Scotland, and named for the town's historic weaving industry and local poet laureate Robert Tannahill, the Tannahill Weavers have made an international name for their brand of Scottish music, blending traditional melodies with modern rhythms.

The Tannahills began to attract attention when founding members Roy Gullane and Phil Smillie added full-sized Highland bagpipes to their concerts, the first professional Scottish folk group to successfully do so.

Three years and a dozen countries later, the Tannahills were the toast of Europe, having won the Scotstar Award for Folk Record of the Year with their third album, “The Tannahill Weavers.” Canada came the next summer, with thousands at the national festivals in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto.

Since their first visit to the U.S., the Tannahills' unique combination of traditional melodies on pipes, flute, and fiddle, driving rhythms on guitar and bouzouki, and powerful three- and four-part vocal harmonies have taken the musical community by storm.

The Tannahills have turned their acoustic excitement loose on audiences with an electrifying effect. They have that unique combination of traditional melodies, driving rhythmic accompaniment, and rich vocals that make their performances unforgettable.

Over the years, the Tannies have been trailblazers for Scottish music, and their tight harmonies and powerful, inventive arrangements have won them fans from beyond the folk and Celtic music scenes. In 2011, the band was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame, and they released their 50th anniversary album “Òrach” ("Golden" in Gaelic) in 2018 on Compass Records.

In 2021, the band lineup added Scotland’s youngest Clan leader, Iain MacGillivray, on bagpipes and fiddle. He speaks, and sings, Gaelic fluently, and he has performed on such high-profile projects as “Outlander” and with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

With MacGillivray, Gullane, Smillie, and fiddle and bouzouki player Malcolm Bushby, the Tannahill Weavers are firmly established as one of the premier groups on the concert stage. From reflective ballads to foot-stomping reels and jigs, the variety and range of the material they perform is matched only by their enthusiasm and lively Celtic spirits.

For more information, visit tannahillweavers.com.

Tickets for the February 18 concert are $35; purchase online at 6onthesquare.org or call 607-843-OTS6 (6876) to make a reservation. Doors open one hour before the start of the performance. The performance will also be streamed live online on a pay-what-you-can basis; more information at 6onthesquare.org.

Masks and COVID-19 vaccinations are strongly encouraged but not required for entry.

This concert is made possible in part by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and Pete Perkins.

Coming up is Bess Greenberg on March 25, Dave Gunning on April 15, Susan Werner on April 21, Rod Abernethy on May 20, and a 16th anniversary celebration with Joe Jencks on June 17.

6 On The Square, Inc. is an intimate, not-for-profit, volunteer-based acoustic music listening room and arts venue located at 6 Lafayette Park in downtown Oxford.

-Information provided by the Jericho Arts Council