Donald Livingstone started in The Stills Room in October 2021 after being a tour guide with us for 2 and a half years.
He grew up in Glasgow and moved to Skye 23 years ago, spending 15 years in the hotel industry and running the Dunollie Hotel in Broadford for 8 years, before becoming a full time musician. Music had always been a passion from an early age, with a particular love of rock and blues, but Skye’s deep rooted traditions and culture were infectious, and Donald turned his hand to Scottish traditional music, playing the fiddle and the guitar both solo and with bands as Doc Livingstone.
When Donald joined us three years ago as a tour guide, he became drawn in by the intricacies of distilling and the warmth of the team. When an opportunity to join the distillery team presented itself last October he jumped at it, and he has fitted in seamlessly. Donald’s love of music remains, and he still performs regularly across the country and at the distillery. It is often said that Wagyu cows listen to classical music, and Donald can sometimes be heard playing the fiddle for the mash, the guitar for the spirit, or singing among the ruins of Knock Castle.
Click here to watch Donald’s performance at the SMWS Big Burns Bash