Traveling troubadour to play traditional Scottish melodies in Prescott on Friday

Jim Malcolm, Scotland's traveling troubadour, is loading up his guitar, harmonica and the best of his traditional Scot melodies and heading for Prescott to perform Friday at the Light and Life Free Methodist Church.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door, $5 for college students and free for those under 19. Advance tickets are available by calling David McNabb at 602-482-8598. The church is located at 2797 Willow Creek Road.

Malcolm's website reveals a colorful career, beginning with his graduation from Edinburgh University. His first venue was the folk music scene in Scotland, where he hopped from gig to gig - Berwick to Benbecula and Stranraer to Lerwick. He performed solo or in various bands and combos in pubs, hotels and clubs in far-flung locales across England, Ireland, Denmark, Germany and even Uganda.

He joined the Celtic folk/rock band Old Blind Dogs for eight years and toured not only across the European continent but also North America as far as Alaska.

Malcolm returned to solo performances and has recorded a host of albums, including his 2011 CD release "Sparkling Flash," which features a band reunion "across the ether," as several Dogs members make a guest appearance. This CD marked a milestone in Malcolm's career. He has now recorded 50 songs that are entirely original or arranged by him around an ancient fragment of text, a poem or melody.

"As a solo performer ... Jim can mix with anyone out there," his website says. "As well as a renowned singer, he is in the top handful of simultaneous guitar and harmonica players in the world."

In his native land, Malcolm is "highly regarded as an interpreter of the songs of Robert Burns" and described as "one of the finest singers in Scotland in any style," Malcolm's website states.

Says McNabb, organizer of the entertainer's Prescott concert, "Jim Malcolm has been the most-often returned performer in the Prescott Celtic Concert Series because he is always in demand by his many fans in our area."

Local fans appreciate Malcolm's "immense talent and comic ability that keep us laughing throughout the concert." He "is someone you want to see again and again."

To find out more about Malcolm, visit jimmalcolm.com.