He might not have been born in Edinburgh, but Dan Willson, otherwise known as Withered Hand, feels like an ambassador for the Scottish city, writes Shane Gilchrist.
Having just finished a gig and polished off a vegetarian meal in Barcelona, folk-rock troubadour Dan Willson is excitedly chatting about his forthcoming trip to New Zealand.
It will be the first time the singer-songwriter, who operates under the nom de plume Withered Hand, has ventured to the southern hemisphere, his only New Zealand public performance part of ''Sister Cities: Tartan Ties'', a collaboration between Dunedin and Edinburgh artists.
The one-off concert at 52 Dundas St on November 29 featured Edinburgh's Emelle and Kevin Williamson as well as Dunedin's Robert Scott (The Bats and The Clean), Jay Clarkson (composer, guitarist and vocalist whose past groups include They Were Expendable and Breathing Cage) and poet David Eggleton.
The concept is a reciprocal arrangement: Scott and Clarkson will do a range of concerts in Scotland in January.
But back to Willson.
The first thing that is apparent is his accent.
It's English, not Scottish.
He confirms he grew up on the outskirts of London, although he has lived in Scotland for more than half his life (he is 41).
''I feel like an ambassador for Edinburgh, even though I wasn't born there.''
Having been active in the world of visual art and dabbled in music for many years, Willson came late to singing and songwriting.
At 30, between the death of a close friend and the birth of his first child, he was bought an acoustic guitar by his Scottish wife; it was a gift that shaped his future.
''I messed about with music as a teenager, but I didn't have any expectations I'd end up playing shows. When I had kids I thought about getting rid of my guitars, because it just seemed the hours required to perform in bands would be terrible on a young family.
''I thought I'd concentrate on my art ... but that acoustic guitar led me to start writing simple songs and made me realise I didn't have to do anything really complicated.
''I was a fairly reluctant singer for a long time. If you knew me back then, you wouldn't believe I'm now doing this. I think I only wrote my first song nine years ago.
''When I started performing - and got reasonably all right at doing it - people urged me to carry on. But it didn't happen overnight. I think I've been pretty lucky to be able to use music as a way to express myself. And for now, it's a job, even if it's just for a few years.''
Willson's early material, much of which went on to form the nucleus of debut album Good News, was praised for its depth and startling honesty, and won him accolades from Rolling Stone and Mojo. The ensuing years saw his songs picked up by MTV and cult television series Skins.
Aided by a grant from arts council body Creative Scotland, Willson entered a ''proper'' studio for the first time to begin work on his sophomore album, last year's New Gods, which deals with themes of love, death, friendship, infidelity, road trips, stargazing and cough mixture abuse.
''Recording allows people from the other side of the world, like New Zealand, to hear my songs, but performing live is what I like to do best,'' Willson says.
''I play more than half my shows solo because it's just too expensive to take a full band everywhere.
''You do meet a lot of interesting people. But also, performing live is where you see if a song really makes sense. That's where some sort of connection can happen.
''And for someone who had no professed interest in travelling, I've gone all over the place.''
''I've never been to the southern hemisphere. I'm just going to New Zealand and am only playing in Dunedin. It's crazy. I hope to come back next year and do some more shows.
''This [invitation] came a bit out of the blue. I'll also be visiting schools and doing workshops. I think we'll be pretty busy, even though there is only one public show.''
SISTER CITIES: TARTAN TIES 2015
CELEBRATE ST ANDREW'S DAY
• Today there are performances in the Octagon, 10am-4pm.
Tomorrow
• Tomorrow there is a Kirkin' O The Tartan at Knox Church, 10am-midday.
• Tartan Ties songwriting and performance workshop 3pm-4pm, 52 Dundas St.
• Tartan Ties concert featuring Robert Scott, Jay Clarkson and David Eggleton (Dunedin) and
• Withered Hand, Emelle and Kevin Williamson (Edinburgh). New Edinburgh Folk Club, 52 Dundas St, 4.30pm-6.30pm.
Monday
• On Monday, there's the opening of the Robbie Burns Poetry Competition, Dunedin Public Library, midday-1pm.
• Taieri Scottish Society St Andrew's Day Luncheon, Robbies Tavern, 1-2pm
