Carolina to Caledonia: Songs Across the Atlantic with singer/songwriter Jennifer Licko

American Celtic and Appalachian Artist Jennifer Licko to Bring “Carolina to Caledonia” Concert to Dundee During Guthrie Kirk 200th Anniversary Celebrations

DUNDEE, SCOTLAND — October 22— American vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and concert producer Jennifer Licko is planning a special Dundee performance in late October titled “Carolina to Caledonia: Songs Across the Atlantic,” an intimate evening of music and storytelling exploring the links between Scottish, Irish, Appalachian and country music traditions.

Licko, a North Carolina-based artist known for her work in Celtic and roots music, will be in the Dundee and Angus area for a deeply personal occasion: the 200th anniversary celebration of Guthrie Kirk. The historic Kirk, which was once at risk of being sold, has been preserved through the efforts of members of the Guthrie family in Scotland and the United States working alongside the local community.

Having been involved with the American side of that preservation effort, Licko hopes to mark her return to Scotland with a warm Dundee gathering that brings together music, heritage and shared story.

The working title of the concert, “Carolina to Caledonia,” reflects the journey of songs and traditions across the Atlantic. Through voice, acoustic guitar, storytelling and selective additional instrumentation, the programme will explore how the music of Scotland and Ireland travelled with emigrant families, took root in Appalachia and helped shape the sound of American country and roots music.

The evening will also offer a fresh cultural connection for audiences familiar with American country artists such as Dolly Parton, whose Appalachian mountain music tradition has long carried themes of family, place, faith, hardship, humour and home. Licko’s programme places that sound world in conversation with the older Scottish and Irish musical traditions that helped shape it.

“This concert is really about connection,” said Licko. “It’s about the songs that crossed the ocean, the families who carried them, and the way music keeps a sense of home alive across generations. Coming to Dundee during the Guthrie Kirk anniversary makes that especially meaningful.”

The performance features Licko on voice and acoustic guitar. The programme will combine Celtic influenced, Appalachian and country-rooted songs, original music, and stories drawn from Licko’s experiences in Scotland, Ireland and the Carolinas.

Licko is also the founder and producer of Highland Echoes, a Scottish music and dance production based in the United States, and has spent much of her career creating concerts and educational programmes that connect modern audiences with Scottish cultural traditions.

The Dundee event is currently being planned as an intimate public evening suitable for a listening-room setting, with the possibility of also serving as a small Guthrie family and community gathering.