David Burns

Well-traveled pop and rock session bassist/vocalist David Paton returns to his proverbial roots with this collection of songs about triumph, defeat, pride, camaraderie and farewell. These are not unusual topics in the realm of Scottish music, but there are some particularly curious components to Fragments. Paton's rather unique voice lies somewhere between that of Phil Keaggy and the Proclaimers' Reid brothers; while an abundance of traditional and Celtic-rock bands exist, those utilizing Celtic elements paired with accessible pop music seem to be quite scarce (the Corrs come to mind); plus, setting 18th-century poet and songwriter Robert Burns' works to contemporary pop arrangements is also an intriguing concept. Paton pays homage to six Burns compositions, but the the real attention-getter is the opening anthem by Corries member Roy Williamson, titled "The Bonnie Blue Bonnets.

Ernest Hemingway, the iconic literary figure considered one of the greatest American writers and among the first to live and work at the treacherous nexus of art and celebrity, is the subject of an upcoming three-part, six-hour documentary series directed by award-winning filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (THE VIETNAM WAR, PROHIBITION, THE WAR, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT) coming to PBS April 5-7, 2021.