About Us

Temple Records logoBased in a converted church in the village of Temple, 12 miles south of Edinburgh, Temple Records was formed in 1978 by Robin Morton, to create an outlet for the superb Scottish (and Irish) music - authentic Gaelic song, singer songwriters, harp, bagpipe & fiddle music -  which was being ignored by the mainstream labels.These mainstream labels were, in many cases, unaware of the music and did not recognise the quality, the importance, or the potential when it was brought to their attention.

Over thirty five years later the label has released many classic, groundbreaking & seminal recordings and our focus on great music hasn't changed. We have always tried to ignore fashions and bring out recordings that express the essence of traditional music. When you hear the music we hope you will agree that we have succeeded.

Our idea was, and still is, to release music that reflects a great, proud timeless tradition, and in so doing, we have been forced many times to lead the way. Our first album, Alison Kinnaird's 'The Harp Key' in 1978, marked the beginning of a revival in the status of the small harp in Scotland. When we released Christine Primrose's 'Aite Mo Ghaoil' in 1982, many asked us why were we putting out an album of Gaelic songs. How times have changed.... We are proud to have led the way, and we intend to still be here when the fashion has passed.



Quality is more important than quantity at Temple. Our recordings stand the test of time because the quality is high, by any standard. Mostly recorded in our own studio, the technical and production standards are regularly complimented by reviewers and the quality of the music and musicianship is never in doubt.

Though national in content, this quality makes our music accessible and indeed in demand on an international level. More recently we have been expanding with releases in the area of Irish music. Obviously the two traditions are closely connected but, although there is a continuous overlap, we are not convinced that the music is best served by the traditions being homogenised under the term 'Celtic music'.

Overall, the number of our releases is small, and our roster of artists select, but we cover the broad sweep of the Scottish tradition. Our catalogue has grown slowly and organically over the years, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, and features world-class artists such as: Alison Kinnaird, Battlefield Band, Ann Heymann, Marie Ni Chathasaigh, Bill Taylor, Dr. Angus MacDonald, John D. Burgess, Shotts & Dkyehead, Christine Primrose, Arthur Cormack, Flora MacNeil, Brian McNeill, John McCusker, Alan Reid, Jim Hunter & Peter Nardini to name but a few.

Take a while to explore the depth of our catalogue in our online shop, and find some authentic & timeless music. In addition to CDs (with free shipping worldwide), books, and some vinyl from the stockroom, we will now be able to sell downloadable albums, downloadable sheet music and ebooks (coming soon) directly from this new website.