Sound Editor Derek Williams
In this podcast Bobby Motherwell talks to John D. Burns about his deep connection with wild places and how this inspires his music and poetry. There are times we all need to reaffirm our relationship with a timeless landscape. Bobby’s writing speaks of how much it means to him not only to be in touch with the hills but also to take time to appreciate the small things like the call of a wild bird or the hum of an insect. Bobby finds these things essential, especially in times of loss when he has found contact with the natural world an important part of healing. In his music and poetry Bobby reflects the solace he finds in wild places.
Bobby Motherwell
Bobby Motherwell is a poet, singer/songwriter and musician from Glasgow. He lives in Howwood in Renfrewshire. He was until 2025 the Poet in Residence at RSPB Lochwinnoch where he still spends most of his spare time writing about and photographing the landscapes, surroundings and wildlife there. His writing is reflective of the natural world and is contemplative and meditative in essence. The results of his time there are compiled in his latest book Lochwinnoch: Birds, Words and Wetlands which was released this year at the Lochwinnoch Arts Festival.
The projects he is working on currently include a book about the life and work of Alexander Wilson Poet/Naturalist and Father of American ornithology, and also a book documenting his ascent of the Matterhorn in Switzerland last year. Bobby will be performing poems and songs written during his residency at RSPB Lochwinnoch and also from his albums.
Listen to Bobby’s music HERE
His solo music project is Sulidae, and his album first album Kitchen Sink Dharma was released in August 2022 to critical acclaim. The album was chosen as the featured album of the week on BBC Radio Scotland. His second album …an invincible summer received similar acclaim and success. He is currently recording his third album which will be released later this year.
He released his first book Lots of Things in January 2023 which is a collection of poetry, prose and photographs and his second book of poetry Child in the Growing Old. Was released by Seahorse Publication in 2025.
His poetry has been widely published in Scottish literary publications such as Dreich, S.C.A.P, Stanza and in Sweetycat Press (USA). He is a member of the Glasgow City of Poets and his poem The Swift In The Passing was commended at the Paisley Book festival in 2024.
