Michael Marra

Michael Marra

Michael Marra is a Scottish musician from Dundee, born in 1952 and based in the city’s Lochee district. He is known as a songwriter as well as a solo performer, and he also works in theatre, radio and television. His first public performance takes place at an NCR Christmas party in Dundee in the 1950s.

Performance and songwriting

Marra tours widely across Britain, playing arts centres, theatres, folk clubs and village halls. He opens for artists including Van Morrison, The Proclaimers, Loudon Wainwright III, Barbara Dickson and Deacon Blue. He is sometimes described as Dundee’s answer to Tom Waits, and also as “Dundonian Randy Newman”.

Band work and recordings

In the mid-1970s, Marra plays with Skeets Boliver alongside his brother Chris Marra, drummer Brian McDermott, saxophonist Pete McGlone, Gus Foy and Stewart Ivins. The group signs to Thunderbird at a difficult moment as punk emerges, and releases the singles “Streethouse Door” and “Moonlight In Jeopardy”. The recordings attract critical success. The band also appears on the BBC programme Everyman in an episode with a religious theme, titled “I can’t see the light.”

Theatre and later projects

Marra creates the opera Nan Garland, which is performed at Dundee Rep in 2004. In 2007 he releases Quintet, a CD of five songs about five musicians: Peerie Willie Johnson, Peter McGlone, Thomas Fraser, Martin Carthy and Dr. John. He also appears in a new production of The Demon Barber at Perth Theatre in Scotland, performing his music live on stage. In 2010, he releases Michael Marra on Delphian Records, recorded live on tour with Mr McFall’s Chamber.

Family

His children, Alice Marra and Matthew Marra, are musicians and songwriters. They perform with the Dundee group The Hazey Janes.