Michael Hunter’s musical journey began with the bagpipes at the age of eight. Since then, music has taken him through different instruments, places and stages of life—from guitar, song writing, vocals and piano to, honestly, anything that makes a sound.
At his core, Michael is a storyteller, bagpiper and guitarist, with a natural talent for piano and an instinct for finding the words that make sense of the life that has brought him here. His path has taken him across the UK and included time in France. Scotland and the Scottish Borders remain important parts of his story and musical identity, even as he now lives in Norfolk and continues to return regularly to the Borders.
From bagpipes to guitar
The bagpipes were Michael’s first instrument, connecting him from an early age to an ancient musical tradition woven into Scotland’s cultural history.
In his early twenties, the guitar became another central part of his musical life—and the instrument through which he found his voice. Someone once said he sounds like “a whiskey-drinking angel.” Piano and other instruments followed over the years, reflecting his curiosity and an inner knowing of how sound can carry frequency and feeling.
That blend of ancient and modern is part of Michael’s musical character. It brings the enduring voice of the pipes together with the sounds, tools and influences of a contemporary musician. His instinct to explore, step back and create has shaped him as a multi-instrumentalist: drawing on tradition while finding his own way to express it, in music that resonates with listeners around the world.
A vocalist and songwriter with a personal touch
Michael is a vocalist and songwriter whose songs grow from an observant, inwardly knowing nature—from watching life unfold and noticing what is left unsaid in the in-between.
His gift is to leave room for listeners to bring their own interpretations and emotions. A lyric or melody can begin with one person’s story and still feel familiar to someone else. His music has a personal origin and a relatable quality, inviting listeners to notice what it stirs within them.
Scotland, France, Norfolk and the journey between
Michael’s connection to Scotland is the thread running through his story. Born in the Scottish Borders, he has spent time in France and lived across the UK. He now resides in Norfolk, while regularly returning to the Borders.
These places and experiences have shaped the perspective he brings to his music. The music shared here from the Michael Hunter Music journey offers a glimpse into that: the instruments, influences and personal chapters that have brought him to this point.
The next chapter: The Scottish Gur
New music from The Scottish Gur will be released soon. As above, so below: this is the sound of Scotland’s core in modern times.
The music brings Michael’s beginnings together with the experiences that have shaped him along the way. Ancient roots meet a living, modern sound. It feels like a return—not to the beginning, but to the soul and inner knowing that have always been there.
This is the rise.
The music already available and these first journal entries introduce what comes next: an artist continuing to express a sound that reconnects him with the place and feeling at its heart.
Michael Hunter is a Scottish musician, bagpiper, guitarist, vocalist, pianist and songwriter. His instinct for music reaches beyond any single instrument—from the ancient resonance of the bagpipes to guitar, piano and everything that makes a sound.
This is the magic.
This is The Scottish Gur.
