Williamson, Linda, 1949-
Biography
In 1990, Duncan and Linda Williamson received a fellowship from the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services as partial support for their project to compile and transcribe for publication more than eighty Jack tales as told by Duncan Williamson. The Williamsons received funding from Carnegie Trust, the Society of Authors, the Scottish Arts Council in addition to the ETSU Center for Appalachian Studies and Services in support of this project. The Williamsons had a contract with Canongate Publishing, Ltd. in Edinburgh to publish the final product of the project.
At least sixty of the stories recorded featured Duncan’s live narrations at ceilidhs in their home and at sessions in the Western Isles and Highlands. Locations included communities in Argyll, Fife, Morayshire, Fife, and the Isle of Skye. The recordings were placed in the archives at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh.
Duncan Williamson is a renowned storyteller and singer of traditional Scottish tales and ballads. Living the life of a Scottish Traveller, he has traveled among the rural communities of Scotland gathering and developing his lore and songs. Linda Williamson, Duncan’s partner in the writing project, earned bachelor and master degrees in music and doctorate. She was the collector as well as transcriber for these recordings.
