Grief, Neurodivergence, and Healing: Bob Strachan’s Musical Revival

One of my theme songs that I've written is called "The Journey."

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It talks about the opportunities I

thought I was going to go for, and

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how things were going to work out.

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When it didn't come, I

realized that wasn't the plan.

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And if I'd gone that way, how

much more I would have missed.

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So it's kind of been

my theme song of life.

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We have a phrase in Scotland, that

says, "Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye."

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What's for you will not go by you.

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If it's meant to be, it will be,

just watch for those opportunities

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and grab them when they come.

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Becky Boyland: Welcome to Second Verse,

the podcast where indie artists share

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their stories of coming back to music and

where we celebrate the messy, meaningful

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journey of chasing your creative calling.

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I'm Becky Boyland, singer-songwriter,

StoryBrand-certified brand

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messaging expert and web developer.

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Like many of my guests, I've

taken a winding path in my music.

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Now I help artists step confidently

into their second act, both

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creatively and professionally.

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Today's guest is Bob Strachan, an

award-winning singer-songwriter from

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Scotland with a story that's equal parts

heart, humor, and hard-won insight.

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Bob first found success in the

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from the music business until

lockdown reignited his passion.

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Since then, he's written for film and

TV, performed internationally, and

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even gone viral for a Johnny Cash-style

cover of "Gangsta's Paradise."

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He's also a pastor, a producer,

and a proud neurodivergent creative

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whose personal healing has fueled

a powerful musical resurgence.

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In this conversation, Bob opens up about

grief, rediscovery, faith, and why being

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good at what you do isn't enough...

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you also have to be good to be around.

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This one's got depth, laughter,

and plenty of truth bombs.

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Let's dive in to Bob

Strachan's Second Verse.

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Welcome, Bob.

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Thank you for joining Second Verse.

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Bob Strachan: You're very welcome.

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It's good to be here.

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Thank you.

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Becky Boyland: I'm so excited to have you.

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And I love what I've been

learning about your story.

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There are so many things that I know are

going to be really fun to talk about.

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Let me just start at the beginning.

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You grew up around music and it clearly

was a part of your life for a long time.

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Tell me how everything got

started with you and music.

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Bob Strachan: Okay, so it

goes way back to childhood.

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My dad was the song leader for the

church I grew up in, so he had a piano

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in the house, in the old house, and, and,

you know, there's music all the time.

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There's all those times people

coming around and playing, and he

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could just pick up about anything.

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He even got the saw with a

violin bow, and he would play.

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He would play the saw, harmonicas,

flutes and, he was a good fiddler as

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well, but he never could get the guitar.

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He just didn't have the

fingers for the guitar.

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But piano, everything else he could

do so I'm guessing I've kind of

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inherited some of that talent from him.

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That was basically the beginning of music.

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It was always around and then, going

to the dances, growing up, the Scottish

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country dances, and then folks coming by

when we would visit, the ancestral home

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of my mother's folks over on the islands.

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There was always folks

playing an accordion or some

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Celtic music or, folk music.

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It was a great upbringing.

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a lot centered around music.

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I remember sitting on my dad's, knee

and sometimes beside him while he

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played for church and things like that.

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There was always something going on.

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Becky Boyland: Oh my

gosh, that's so exciting.

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Now you mentioned the islands,

whereabouts, not like I'm going

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to know everywhere, but I spent, a

week or so in Knoydart Peninsula.

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Bob Strachan: Oh yeah.

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Yep.

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Yep.

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Yep.

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Becky Boyland: I just loved it so much.

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It was so beautiful.

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Bob Strachan: It's very similar.

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It's the island called Gigha.

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It's spelled G I G H A.

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And I usually tell people, so my mum lives

on a little island off the west coast.

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Unfortunately, that's Hawaii.

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I'm like, no, it's a little island.

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not many people know about it, but

those that do, it's strange, they have

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very much an affinity to that island.

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A lot of people's, families have

exploded and they end up coming back,

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to find their ancestry on this little

island just off the Kintyre coastline.

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I was privileged to have that kind

of music for like the Western Folk

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music as well as growing up in

the northeast, to where it was the

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northeastern stuff of Scotland.

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So, two different, very different

cultures, but very, very much connected

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by fishing and certainly by music.

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Becky Boyland: And I think that's really

exciting because folks who maybe aren't

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familiar with Scotland would not realize

that there would be that diversity and

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a variety of styles even throughout the

United States where I am there are so

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many different styles some that have a

similar heritage and come from a common

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background and others that diverge and

come from so many different places.

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we tend to think that there might

just be one or two different versions

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so I think it's exciting that you're

able to bring that into your music

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and introduce your listeners to

different variations and types.

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Bob Strachan: Absolutely, I did a

Western concept track the other week

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and I posted it in a group for some

feedback and somebody said, that's

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really, I love the country feel as

well as it's, it's really Celtic.

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And I'm like, you just

summed up my personality.

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There's definitely that influence.

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And as you say, when people say

Celtic music, it's, like saying

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country music or pop music.

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There's so much diversity in it.

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You've got Scottish dance music, which

is usually centered around an accordion

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or a fiddle as the lead instrument.

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But then you have other things

called bothy ballads and mouth music.

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I'll refrain from using the Gaelic

terms, but there's mouth music,

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and then way up in the islands,

they had call and response.

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The minister would sing, a psalm,

the first line of the psalm in

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Gaelic and then the congregation

would repeat it, but usually slower.

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These Gaelic services

lasted about three hours.

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But it's just so much diversity in it.

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And a lot of it based

around the pentatonic scale.

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You're going to write a piece of

Scottish folk music, a lot of it is

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based around that pentatonic scale.

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Which, a lot of cultures,

music is kind of based around.

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That's why things like Amazing Grace

lend itself so well to the Scottish

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culture because it's in that pentatonic

scale you know, obviously it's the

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famous tune on the bagpipe probably

the most famous bagpipe tune out there.

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We've got the bagpipes, the

penny whistles, there's a lot of

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Irish, connections there as well.

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Some things are inherently Irish,

some things are inherently Scottish,

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but there's definitely that blend.

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Then we bring the mandolin, not really

a typical Scottish instrument, but you

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do find it a lot now in Celtic music.

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So you see that bluegrass kind

of, crossover where, bluegrass

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has brought the banjo in.

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Now the banjo has been

brought into Celtic music.

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and then we have, what we call is

a, a bodhrán or as the Americans

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say, a "bod-run", which it just

makes me, you know, every time,

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obviously, no, isn't, it's a bodhrán.

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It's a bodhrán, it's a Gaelic word.

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Becky Boyland: We're, we're very sorry.

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Bob Strachan: It's okay,

you know, we forgive you for

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Braveheart too, by the way.

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But, but, these instruments are,

very much traditional and you find

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them in both Scottish and Irish

folk music because, the Islanders.

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crossed paths with each other.

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A lot of the culture does cross over,

but even with Irish, you've got the Irish

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style, you've got Irish country, you've

got Scottish folk, you've got the dance,

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you've got puirt à beul, the mouth music,

you've got pipe music, the waulking songs

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and stop me if I'm rambling, but the,

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Becky Boyland: like I'm getting a great

education here, so I'm just enjoying it.

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Bob Strachan: That's good.

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That's good.

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You know, we have what's called

a waulking song and it's not

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just like walking along the road.

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it's spelled waulking.

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The women would sing these

songs as they waulk the tweed.

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They would sit around on a table.

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Once the tweed had been, woven, they

would put it on the table and use

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certain liquids, I'll not say what

they were, that were used to treat

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the tweed and help make it waterproof.

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And so they would, they would make this

motion, put it on the table, bring it

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back, and pass it on to the next one.

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So it was forward, back, around,

and then this way, whatever way

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they did it, grab the next one.

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The way they did the

waulking would make the beat.

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it was very much synonymous with the

ladies singing these walking songs.

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there's just so much in the culture.

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And of course we get reels

and jigs and strathspeys.

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I'll stop there.

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Becky Boyland: I love it because

just that concept of almost a

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utilitarianism for it, but at

the same time to make it fun.

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And so that it's not just utter drudgery.

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And it's fascinating how those

songs and those styles continue

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through the culture well past the

time when they were a necessity.

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But it clearly was a beautiful thing that

people latched onto and connected with.

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And so now we are able to rediscover

that or at least on this side of the

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pond, discover it for the first time

as we get exposed to, new music

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by writers and creators like you, who

can introduce us to these sounds or

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even help us to make the connections

of, oh, that sounds kind of familiar,

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but I don't know the history.

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I don't know what that's about.

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And that's just so exciting and so fun

that there's so much more behind it than

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just, this has this familiarity and it

kind of makes me think of the British

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Isles, you know, or something like that.

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And there's so much more to it.

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And as we talked about so much more

variety, which is super exciting.

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But let me go back to, you then

had a bit of a music career you can

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either go all the way back because I

know there's also some stuff in your

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childhood that we want to talk about.

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But if you wanted to go ahead into

your early music career and then

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bring us back to how you were out

of that and then came back around.

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Bob Strachan: Sure.

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Sure.

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So, music has always been a

big part of things with me at

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school and things like that.

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Studying music at school and doing

classical training I was always

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in the orchestra band folk group

choir or whatever we were doing.

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I was always in the middle of it, doing

music of some sort, learning everything

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I could, about it and writing songs.

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And, you know, right back

to very early age, I wrote.

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They weren't very good, but

you know, it was a start.

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some of the teachers loved it

because, it was written by one

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of the students about the class.

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So, it's one of those things, if

you write a song for your mom,

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she's going to love it regardless.

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You're not writing it for the next

big pop anthem, it's a personal thing.

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I learned more and developed a passion

for country music, really, and I think,

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you know, there's a lot of the Scottish

things, and there was a point where, you

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know, I got bored with the Scottish stuff

because that's what everybody was doing.

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And so, you know, this

country was exciting.

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It was Johnny Cash and

it was kind of new to me.

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So there's lots of discovering different

genres and through school that had a

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big influence, in my teens as well.

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And then, so when I went to university, I

was out gigging and doing things anywhere

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we could do a gig and we had a little

band and we kept on writing and stuff.

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And then I started writing gospel music.

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I'd been out of church for many years

and got back into church, started writing

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gospel music and connected with a couple

of people within Nashville and around.

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I would sing my songs in different places.

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Through that, I was able to

get a couple of cuts in gospel

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music, through some people.

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That was really, really, really cool.

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One of the guys I was pitching to and

sending CDs back in the day, you know,

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and even mini discs, to, he sadly died.

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And the guy that took over,

didn't really want to know.

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So that ended that, then we fell in, um,

there's not a really easy way to say this,

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but into a very cultic group, where, I

felt I had to abandon a lot of things,

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abandon songwriting and things like that.

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The folks in church would kind of

appreciate some of the songs I was

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writing, but if I did them out with

the other groups of people, the

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churches that we fellowship with, they

would sit there like this, you know,

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all the way through I was singing.

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If I brought my guitar to any fellowships

or anything like that, they would

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make sure they knew what I was singing

so that it was going to be approved.

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I couldn't sing one of my own

songs because this was the devil's

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was clearly the devil's music.

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It was contemporary Christian music

and I'm like, you don't even know the

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definition of what you're talking about.

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They're like, well, the stuff

you're singing has got a beat.

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So, you know, it was just this

ignorance about what music was.

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I'm not going into the discussions

I had because it makes them look

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very ignorant, which they were.

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So I kind of fell away from, pushing

things or trying to do things with

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that, for a long while, still kind of

wrote, but only when the mood took me.

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we had to close the church and, there

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wasn't much else going on and I'm just

thinking, okay, we've done the garden,

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we've walked today, what else can we do?

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Cause I like to be busy.

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I saw on Facebook there was an

art group that was doing this art

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challenge so I joined that and

we did a couple of art things.

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We had to make something out of things

around the house so I got wax and I made

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this little figure and I enjoyed that

and it was kind of cool but it wasn't

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fulfilling after a couple of days.

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I thought, what did I really enjoy doing

that I could do and it just came to me.

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Go back to songwriting.

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And so I got on Facebook and looked

up every songwriting group I could

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find and joined them Some of them were

absolutely terrible and other ones I

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thought, no, this is, this is actually

got some really good stuff in it.

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And there was a couple that

were doing Zoom meetings.

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And one of these guys was talking

about, a songwriting course, I

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thought, that would be really good.

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I would like to learn, some

new stuff and see where I'm at.

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It was a six month kind of thing, on

and off, I was challenged all the time

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and we would go through the songs and

it showed me the things I was doing

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really well that I instinctively knew,

but I wasn't doing them consistently.

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So, that helped me to, it's

like, well, this song is right.

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You've done everything right in

this song, but this song, you've

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just thrown it all to the wind.

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And I'm like, see, now that makes sense.

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So, that helped me kind of get a

focus back on there and get back

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into what I really wanted to do.

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And so I was churning out songs and I

was trying, you know, at least get a

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song completely finished to do for for

Sunday morning, even though we were

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just our family by ourselves in church.

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We were broadcasting, but at least it

was something that I could encourage

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people, to do and I started sharing them.

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And then I started sharing songs on my

Facebook and people started enjoying that.

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I started improving and figuring

out what the next stage was.

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And so just these little things

fell into place with different

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people that I met to bring me.

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And then somebody said, well,

have you ever thought about

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putting your music and film in TV?

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And I was like, no.

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He's like, well, do you watch TV?

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I'm like, yes.

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Is there music in that?

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Yes.

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Who do you think writes that music?

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Huh?

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That's a point.

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So that's what then just led onto there.

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And that's, you know, where I'm at now.

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Becky Boyland: I love how even though it

was a challenge for all of us to kind of

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retreat from the world, by being driven

online, it opened up the opportunity for

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us to find people and learn about things

like that, that we would have been so

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limited if we don't live around people who

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have this experience.

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So it's really sort of an exciting thing.

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And I think that's a common thread

for a number of us independent

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artists that this was an opportunity

to do a lot of things that we

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wouldn't have been able to do before.

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So, I know that was true for me too.

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Bob Strachan: Oh, absolutely.

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There's people I met through lockdown and

on Zoom calls and network meetings that

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I would never got past their gatekeepers.

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Some of them I'm really good friends

with now, because we were all in the same

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boat, these are, major, major players in

the music business that have been around.

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I know them on first name

terms and, can message them.

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Then it comes to the point where they're

actually messaging me, asking what I

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think of this song that they're doing.

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I'm just like, I'm sorry, what?

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As I was saying to my wife, I said, such

and such just messaged me and asked for

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a review on this song that they're doing.

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You know who this is?

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And she's like, well, obviously

he respects your opinion.

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So I did, I gave him my opinion,

he wrote back, he's like, yep,

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great, that's exactly what I

was looking for, and, thank you.

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It kind of helped me sit at the big

boys table, not in an arrogant way,

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but once I started learning and could

realize and started seeing those things

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and learning from these guys, being

able to sit and know what they're

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talking about, being able to write and

to have reviews and then, I started

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putting things into song contests and

getting five star ratings on them.

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So I'm like, "Hey, you know what?

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I can sit at the big boys table now."

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That was a big encouragement

for me, to do that.

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So yeah, lockdown was hard.

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And there's other sides of,

of that, that, that wasn't so

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great, but, for music it was.

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Becky Boyland: This is also such

a different time in the industry.

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the opportunities you have now, you

would probably never have had then.

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I think that's even more exciting.

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I feel that myself.

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So yeah, I think that's just incredible.

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Bob Strachan: I totally agree.

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One of my theme songs that I've

written is called "The Journey."

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It's basically about that, written a

long time ago, before this happened.

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it talks about the opportunities I

thought I was going to go for, and

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how things were going to work out.

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When it didn't come, I

realized that wasn't the plan.

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And if I'd gone that way, how much

more would I would have missed?

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So it's kind of been

my theme song of life.

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We have a phrase in Scotland,

but it's called, that says,

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"Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye."

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What's for you will not go by you.

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If it's meant to be, it will be

just watch for those opportunities

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and grab them when they come.

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Becky Boyland: I'm gonna quilt

that, put that up behind me.

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Bob Strachan: What's for

you, I'll no gone by you.

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Becky Boyland: I love that too, because

so many times we'll say, things happen

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for a reason the challenge for me is

things happen for a reason that sometimes

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we're dumb and we make stupid mistakes,

but at the same time, if you're keeping

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your eye out for the blessings that

are going to come and are just ready,

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even if nothing's happening right now,

you won't miss it if you're ready.

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And I think that's a beautiful

elevated Scottish way to say that.

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Bob Strachan: Thank you.

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Becky Boyland: Now, you're

a pastor as well, right?

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Bob Strachan: Yes.

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Becky Boyland: And I'm a music minister,

so I understand, understand that amazing

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opportunity to, do things with your

music and what God has called you to.

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And then also have these opportunities

to do broader messages and create music

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that has lots of different purposes.

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It just makes me more excited

to make more and more music.

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Anything else you'd like

to share about that?

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Bob Strachan: That was one of my

things when I started back on this

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journey writing songs for our church,

people were talking about, Oh,

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getting to worship and write for the

global church and stuff like that.

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I'm like, there's not

really any such thing.

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We're local churches here.

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That's what needs to happen.

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People asked, I think it was Matt Redman.

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how do you write these

songs for the global church?

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He says, I don't.

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I write them for my church and they just

happened to go global and that resonated

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with me that this was a calling at that

time to write music for our church.

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I tried to reach out to some

people and write with them and

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some things just didn't happen.

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I was like, Oh, okay.

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I'd met a lot of people, but I

wasn't meeting in my section, I knew

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a lot of people in pop and rap but

I wasn't meeting people in this.

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I knew a lot of people in the business.

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The genre I was trying to get into,

then I found out was probably not the

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best thing to get into, just for various

reasons, but it was an experience.

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And so, that became, my thing

was writing songs for our church.

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So I would write worship songs, I would

write a song to go with the message, so

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if, you know, whatever it was going to be.

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The challenge was to take that

message because I kind of knew

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what I was going to speak on.

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and take the points that I was going to

make and turn it into three and a half

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minute song that folks remember even if

they don't remember a 30 minute message

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they might go away with the chorus

of the song which would have the crux

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of what we were talking about and so

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that became the driving force of it was

to do that and I came out with some really

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good songs some I just did for the one

time and others that I've kept on in

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my catalogue but it really fueled that

passion to keep going and to do things.

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And through the process of the last couple

of years, we really sat down as a family

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and started to come together again because

there have been a lot of issues in our

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family unit with the cultic mindset it

was hard for us to start to walk away

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from that because we've lost friends

this was over a period of about 10 years

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but lots of things happened that really

helped us, move forward and get to a place

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within our family that's, really great.

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And our church is really great,

putting away a lot of these

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cultic ideas and really getting

to a place where it's a family.

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We're there just as a family,

you know, and stop being so

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pharisaical about things.

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It's okay to listen to Johnny Cash, you

know, there's there's things out there.

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It's, you know, learning to say no.

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There were just so many

things that was there.

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one of the things we were expected to do

as part of this cult like church was to

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just do everything for anybody that asked.

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So we basically had to

drop everything and run.

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And that's what was the big dividing

thing in our family because the kids

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were left at home while we went and

looked after somebody else's kids.

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Our kids were getting neglected.

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I'm like, no, this is not right.

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The scripture clearly says that

if I'm to be a pastor, I'm to

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take care of my own house first.

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Therefore, my kids come

first before anybody else's.

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My family does.

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I'm first and foremost, a

family man rather than a pastor.

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And then I realized when Jesus sent

out the disciples, he told him, he

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said, look, when you go into a place,

find who is worthy and stay with

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them and let your peace come upon it.

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But if they're not worthy, take

your peace back, shake off the

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dust of your feet and move on.

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And so that was, a big thing for me.

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I was like, wow, we can say no,

because if people are just wasting

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our time and we don't see that they're

worthy to receive the ministry then

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we are to move on to the next person.

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If we spend the time casting our

pearls before swine with them, we

424

are robbing from the person that

we're supposed to be going to.

425

And that really resonated with me both

in church life and family life, but

426

also musically there were some people

that I could waste my time with, but

427

there was other people that really did

either need my help or could help me.

428

So to prove myself worthy to them and,

prove who people were worthy to me.

429

So that.

430

focusing and really realizing time is

precious and who I work with and who I do

431

for is very specific now that I make those

decisions because time is precious and we

432

want to do the best job that we can and

not waste the opportunity that we have.

433

Becky Boyland: Sometimes the greatest

maturity in this whole process is the

434

unlearning of the things that we've

been taught for years and years.

435

And I remember, early on in my

journey, learning a lot of viewpoints

436

that were not quite to that degree.

437

But as I look back now, I realize how

unhealthy and unhelpful they were to me.

438

Many of them I was able to quickly

shed when I went off to study Bible

439

and educational ministries and have

a completely different perspective.

440

Every once in a while, something will

come up and I realize that, Oh, that

441

sort of took root and I start to see the

insidiousness of that or how that may

442

have impacted other people that I know.

443

It is so difficult when it, has all these

relationship connections and has that

444

impact of losing friends and, essentially

a spiritual family in the process.

445

It's a maturing and it's a

thing that is so hard but so

446

helpful and so important to do.

447

Bob Strachan: It certainly is.

448

And that's key to just follow those paths.

449

Not that you're making your own

way, but you're following the true

450

way, if you like, not man's way.

451

And that's what it becomes, is

we're following this set of rules.

452

given commandments that Jesus faced

in his time with the Pharisees.

453

And there really is not much

difference to what's going on

454

in a lot of churches today.

455

So it's been a freeing thing.

456

And it really brings true that when

Jesus said, you shall know the truth

457

and the truth shall make you free.

458

A lot of people quote it as set you

free, but it's not because set free, we

459

could be brought under that lie again.

460

But when we're made free by the truth,

that lie has no bearing on us anymore.

461

It's the same thing, for

imposter syndrome or, whatever.

462

I'm not musical.

463

I'm not artistic.

464

A lot of these things were put on

us as kids or whoever, or you'll

465

never be able to make it in this.

466

these are all lies that have

been told to us that we have

467

to shed to be able to do that.

468

I think that's one of the things

when I come to realize that, you

469

know, I can call myself a pro.

470

Because I can write with the pros.

471

I can do the things that I need to do.

472

I've been recognized as such.

473

And it's like, Hey, that's what I am.

474

And you know, and there's always

that little niggles at, well, are

475

you really, but you know, I don't

think it's an arrogant thing.

476

I think when you're sitting at that

table, you have to believe that you

477

have the right to sit at that table.

478

Becky Boyland: Oh yeah, yeah, definitely.

479

and it really is also defining the

direction that we want to have.

480

I am.

481

a songwriter.

482

I am, you know, a guitarist.

483

My first instrument was trumpet, and

so I was a trumpeter, and that was

484

easy to say for a really long time.

485

But when I started playing guitar I

was a trumpeter who's playing guitar

486

And I remember the point, I don't

remember exactly when it happened,

487

but I remember the feeling of when I

realized I am a guitarist and I could

488

say that and own that and recognize that.

489

But now I realize part of that maturity

is I'm going to say it and own it

490

just a little bit before I feel it.

491

And that way I know that I'm actually

on the right trajectory because I also

492

have enough experience in other jobs

to remember when I was faking it till

493

I made it, just like everybody is, and,

still had the title for those things,

494

and so I might as well confer that

title on myself, that this is the thing

495

that I am, because this is what I do.

496

Songwriters write, guitarists guitar.

497

Bob Strachan: Absolutely.

498

I love that.

499

Exactly.

500

Exactly it.

501

Becky Boyland: We'll be back

with more after the break.

502

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So let's go back a bit.

525

I know that when you were a child,

you also had a very difficult loss.

526

And yet now music has helped you to really

grow from that and make a reconnection.

527

So share a bit about that.

528

Bob Strachan: Yeah, sure.

529

Well, two weeks before my ninth

birthday, my mom came up my room

530

and told me my dad was going to die.

531

I didn't know the details

until I was much older.

532

It about, you know, it was over, I

think it was he was 16 or or 17 when

533

mom actually told me all the details.

534

But Dad had been infected.

535

through a product called Factor VIII

because he was a haemophiliac, Haemophilia

536

is, is a blood disease, which means

you don't really clot, so if he cut

537

himself, it was off to the hospital.

538

There wasn't any other option.

539

And so there's a lot of things,

uh, that they hadn't before.

540

There's cryoprecipitate, and then there's

the thing that's called Factor VIII.

541

It could be used as a prophylactic.

542

So if he was going to go out to do

work in the garden, fishing, or,

543

woodwork he could take the injection

of Factor VIII, which meant if he did

544

cut himself, It would clot, This was a

numerical thing he was pretty much going

545

to guarantee to cut or nick himself

in some way, and this would help.

546

So anyway, he was injecting himself

with this, but then come to find

547

out this was infected with HIV.

548

And there was lots of different blood

products, infected, with HIV, and Hep

549

C, and Creutzfeldt Jakob's disease,

and some other things like that.

550

Dad had also contracted Hep B in the

early 70s, through much the same process.

551

This was a massive scandal, and

still is one of the biggest,

552

cover ups in our health system.

553

And we're still fighting it.

554

Last May we won a massive

victory by having the report

555

published about what all happened.

556

So that brought a whole new light to

things and really found out all the

557

things that happened and sadly all

the people that have died and are

558

continuing to die through this sad thing.

559

And so just trying to get the government

to take responsibility for these things

560

561

They were still giving out these

infected blood products and it's really

562

563

I didn't need a blood transfusion,

564

That really put it in perspective that,

you know, had I been a hemophiliac I

565

would have had to have a blood transfusion

There's a massive possibility that

566

it might have infected me as well.

567

But, Dad was very careful and Mum,

being a registered nurse, was very

568

careful with everything that they did.

569

So, she had, a lot to do with

stopping any infection from him.

570

Even though he didn't know

that he had been infected.

571

And from the time he was infected

until the time he actually found

572

out was about the space of a year.

573

And they didn't actually tell him

for six months, and so he was very

574

mad at them, as you can imagine.

575

Um...

576

Becky Boyland: Yeah, absolutely.

577

Bob Strachan: You know, when he found out

about that, he didn't have any knowledge

578

of how it was transferred, so he didn't

hug us, he wouldn't touch us, because

579

he didn't know if he could spread this.

580

So I don't remember this, but

there was evidently a time

581

where my dad couldn't hug me.

582

And that just really hit me.

583

I don't remember it, I must have

blocked it out, but I can't imagine.

584

being five or six when he was

infected and not understanding

585

why Dad couldn't give me a hug.

586

He passed away, just

before my ninth birthday.

587

That was the day my world fell apart.

588

I didn't know a lot about it at the time.

589

Knowing what he died of

doesn't change the fact.

590

mum just told me that he died of

kidney failure, which he did because

591

the cryoprecipitate he was given in

the seventies wrecked his kidneys.

592

So you had to have dialysis as well.

593

So it wasn't a lie.

594

She just left out some details which I'm

actually really glad she did because this

595

was the 80s and the stigma and everything

that was attached to it was really bad.

596

And then, you know, later in life

finding out more about it, finding out

597

that one of the ladies in our church,

was one of the medical secretaries and

598

decided to tell everybody in the church

that Dad had been infected with HIV,

599

but not tell them how he got infected.

600

And so that would have spread like

wildfire and I think at some point mum

601

would have realised that, you know, this

would have gotten out in the community

602

and, that would have affected our lives.

603

And she didn't get the support she needed.

604

And so I didn't understand, but we

left and went to New Zealand and

605

then we came back then we went to

Canada and then we came back and we

606

moved down to the Stirling area to

be closer to mum's parents because

607

she was getting support from them.

608

Then the year after that, my

grandparents in Peterhead passed away.

609

My dad's parents, after my dad died,

my grandfather, just shut down.

610

He never really interacted

with me much, just sat and

611

watched TV when he came to ours.

612

My dad died and then my grandfather

just kind of, just, reclused, so

613

it was like losing two of them.

614

At that point, so you know, it was a

massive trauma, growing up without a

615

father there, in hindsight, the move to

sterling was really the right thing to do.

616

My mom's dad became my surrogate father.

617

Here I am being raised by this ex

serviceman, ex army, been through the

618

second world war and everything like that.

619

So a lot of the ways I

have are like boomer ways.

620

you know, cause I was raised by him.

621

So a lot of ways I was raised

as a boomer, not as a Gen Xer.

622

there's some things that I do that people

are like, You know, my dad does that!

623

Okay, but, it was really important for

me because I realized how important it is

624

for a boy to have a father figure in their

life whether it is their actual dad or

625

not, but have someone that they can look

up to someone that can get advice from

626

someone that they can model themselves on.

627

And especially we bring that to spiritual

concept that if we're trying to look

628

to God as a father, and we have no

one, that we can look to as a physical

629

father, whoever we look to as a physical

father, whatever attributes they

630

have are how we're going to see God.

631

If we have a terrible father, we have

a difficult time relating to God as

632

a father but if we have someone that

demonstrates, characteristics of love

633

compassion, discipline order and hard

work then we have a better relationship

634

with God as a father because we can

see our actual fathers and model that.

635

So I was very fortunate to have

my grandfather, as my second dad.

636

When he passed away, it was

like another kick in the chest,

637

because now all of them were gone.

638

he did survive to see both my

kids, which was, was amazing.

639

And, and see, and, and he finally

was proud of me for my choice

640

in occupation or my calling.

641

At my grandmother's funeral, I was able

to take the funeral and he realized

642

this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

643

Things changed with him as well, because

we kind of had a little bit where we

644

weren't really on the same wavelength, you

know, with the church and stuff like that.

645

But anyway, he was a great

man and really helped me.

646

And so coming back to the

music, music helped me, heal.

647

The biggest thing in that was writing

songs about my dad or to my dad

648

and about my grandfather as well.

649

Connecting with them through music

and, just having the opportunity

650

to write, to sing it, to cry, to

pour my heart out, whatever it is.

651

Some songs I've written

and I've thrown them away.

652

I don't usually do that.

653

I usually keep everything that I write,

even if it's rubbish or not, because maybe

654

sometime there'll be something good in it.

655

But sometimes these were just

moments of, an outpouring, a bit

656

like David did with the Psalms.

657

And just a moment of outpouring,

that this is me just singing a song,

658

and that was it, that was for that

moment, to move on to the next thing.

659

But there's been a couple of songs that

I've kept and performed for other people.

660

One I got to do at the Bluebird

Cafe in Nashville last year.

661

Apparently everybody was in tears.

662

Somebody came up to afterward

and said, they'd lost their

663

father a couple of years ago.

664

Me telling the story and singing that

song really helped them that night.

665

So I'm like, that's great.

666

that's exactly what I love to hear.

667

It should be to help and to bring someone

a little bit of happiness or closure

668

or joy or encouragement from the music

and that's what really gets me going.

669

Becky Boyland: Even when there's a

specificity about your experience, that

670

just adds to the authenticity so that

someone who is going through something

671

similar, even if the details don't quite

line up, they will get that experience.

672

And that's what's so powerful about being

able to draw on all of that and I love

673

that you were able to then speak to your

dad and, get all of this out to him in

674

a way that you couldn't do when he was

here, but there's no wonder that it's so

675

powerful and would move so many people.

676

Bob Strachan: I really was mad a lot

of times and I think I had rightfully

677

so to be mad that he was stolen

from me because it should never have

678

happened and then to think about

what we could have done as musicians.

679

The things that we could have done

together and now with the technology

680

we have, he was, big into tech.

681

He'd sit and program stuff and, so I

was introduced to computers at a very

682

early age as well because of Dad.

683

There's a lot of things that I

think we could have done with that.

684

Sometimes that really, hurts to think

what might have been I can't change that

685

fact and maybe because of that has fueled

my passion for music maybe I wouldn't

686

be doing that I don't know there's

lots of ifs and buts and what could be

687

for the most part, it's been helpful.

688

The biggest thing that came to

me is through the, support scheme

689

for the infected blood, scandal.

690

And, and, finally through

prompting, put in a self referral.

691

As a psychology graduate, you

know, kind of, you can have that

692

prideful thing, I can fix myself.

693

You really can't.

694

It's just like, it's not going to happen.

695

And as a pastor too, you're like,

wow, he's supposed to have it all

696

together, and then yeah, I don't.

697

So there was, a couple of years of,

darkness, coming out of the cult and

698

stresses putting on weight because of all

these things, going through, interviews

699

again about the tainted blood and stuff

and really, just coming back to music to

700

try and get temporary healing, but the

thing that really got me was this guy, the

701

psychologist, and, we were talking about

things and he just brought it in summary.

702

He said, it seems like you're looking

for a point to tell your dad bye.

703

I said yeah, because I don't

remember the last time I saw him.

704

I don't remember what he said to me.

705

When mum asked me if I wanted to

go into the hospital, I said no.

706

I didn't want to go and see him.

707

I couldn't.

708

I don't know why, I just didn't.

709

but he was so doped up on morphine.

710

There's a good chance he wouldn't have

known we were there, but at the same

711

time, you know, when your son comes

into the room, you know he's there.

712

It's just something there.

713

Anyway, you know, that transpires.

714

So that was a lot of regrets there,

especially hitting milestones

715

where my son got to the age I was,

where I got to the age my dad was.

716

Things like that kind of resonated.

717

The psychologist the other day said,

have you ever told him goodbye?

718

You know, just actually told him goodbye.

719

And I said, no.

720

I didn't, so I went in myself and I

pictured Dad with Jesus and I said,

721

"Dad, bye, but I'll see you again."

722

And just everything just left.

723

It just, all the darkness, the hurt, the

regret, just everything just went, um, and

724

it just, I, just sank in my chair and I

couldn't believe what had just happened.

725

And all these years of all these

things, all I was looking for was

726

that point to say goodbye to Dad.

727

And I did, and you know, as

we believe it's not goodbye.

728

And that's an encouragement to know that,

whether he can see us or whatever it is.

729

I sometimes pray and I'm like, Hey

Jesus, will you tell Dad, you know, it's

730

kind of like, I don't know if he does

or not, but I'd like to think he does.

731

You can just imagine everybody

standing there and okay, I

732

got message for John Strachan.

733

Mail call.

734

Just the way my brain works.

735

Um, But...

736

Becky Boyland: I think that's great.

737

Bob Strachan: So yeah, There's the

song "Holes in the Floor of Heaven,"

738

It's like the concept is there.

739

Which is a great song, I love that song.

740

That just became a massive thing

and, I just sat and bathed I would

741

say, and just basked in that feeling.

742

And since then, I don't know what has

happened, but I have been churning

743

out songs like nothing before.

744

My production has just

suddenly leveled up.

745

I never used to be able to harmonize with

myself, I could harmonize with anybody

746

else, but I never used to be able to,

like when I was doing tracking my own

747

vocals, I never used to be able to do

my own harmonies unless I was bass.

748

I could do lead vocals and bass, not a

problem, but tenor and alto parts, never

749

could do with myself, could do with

other people, but never with myself.

750

This last week I was doing something

and I was doing some harmonies.

751

I thought I'll just throw them

in and then I'll use Melodyne to

752

fix them and then I'll go back in

and sing them the way I need to.

753

I went in, I was doing jazz harmonies and

seventh harmonies and things like that.

754

I'm just like, where is this coming from?

755

And it's just amazing.

756

And it's because, that weight,

that healing just went and suddenly

757

my music is leveled up as well.

758

So it's been that cycle that

music helped me heal, but also the

759

healing has helped the music too.

760

Becky Boyland: That is so amazing.

761

Those messages are

definitely getting through.

762

Bob Strachan: Hmm, maybe, maybe,

763

Becky Boyland: Jesus is

passing on those messages.

764

Well talk about some of the projects

you've got going on right now.

765

You've got some exciting stuff on the way.

766

Bob Strachan: I do.

767

I've been composing music for different

projects and I'm doing a children's

768

project, which I'm really excited about.

769

And so kind of watch

this space for that one.

770

I'm writing more albums for sync, doing

more sync placements and connecting

771

with so many more people, in town.

772

We've got an opportunity to establish,

a music cafe, a community centre.

773

So this is really exciting for me to be

able to bring live music to our wee town.

774

And a lot of people are

coming out the woodwork.

775

We've got a songwriters night started

every month and there's just people

776

I never thought would come along.

777

They're starting to come along

and writing songs and it's great

778

to be able to pass that knowledge

onto them, and be able to connect.

779

And I hope to build on the connection

between Jedburgh and Nashville, because

780

I already have, friends there, in

music, gospel music and country music.

781

I spent, a good while there back in

November and, and made some really

782

great connections there, made really

good friends and, and so building

783

on those to kind of, bring more

music, not just the country music,

784

but all kinds of things, but people

really do love country music here.

785

So really cool to kind of do that.

786

So, you know, looking at the live

music scene, I do the old folks

787

homes as well in the care homes

and the assisted living facilities.

788

I love going in to play for them, because

you have a captive audience and nobody

789

is on their phone and they love it.

790

They might be asleep, but

they're not on their phone.

791

Um, so I'm okay with that.

792

I mean, when I sing Jim Reeves

and Don Williams, I used to

793

put my kids to sleep with that.

794

Apparently the old folks do the same

thing, but they come alive, especially

795

when I do rock and roll or some classics

from the sixties or these kinds of things.

796

They absolutely just,

you see it in their eyes.

797

they could be sitting there

drooling in their soup all day,

798

but you get up and sing a song

and music just, transforms them.

799

That part of their brain

is still so very active.

800

They know all the words.

801

They sing along with it.

802

Some of them even get up and dance.

803

there was one, I was doing "Stand by Me."

804

And one of the residents took

this as a personal challenge and

805

literally came and stood by me.

806

I absolutely love doing that.

807

My gigs are usually centered

around the community for the old

808

folks and these kind of things.

809

I just love it because

it gives me a kick that.

810

I'm actually making a difference, not

just singing to a bunch of people that

811

are having a meal and not really caring

if it's the radio or live music at all.

812

And of course writing for myself and,

wanting to do a lot more personal projects

813

this year, as well as the Sync stuff,

but actually do stuff for me as well.

814

And maybe also another television

appearance this year, but

815

that's still in discussion.

816

Becky Boyland: That's amazing.

817

I love that.

818

so where can people

find out more about you?

819

And, uh, besides obviously finding

you at the local rest homes.

820

Bob Strachan: There you go.

821

I'm just going around to see

which one I want to go to,

822

which ones get the best vibe.

823

I'll tell the kids.

824

so just Google Bob Strachan

and it will come up with stuff.

825

I don't have a lot of stuff on Spotify.

826

I've only got about three or four

songs on Spotify and streaming at the

827

minute, mainly because I've focused on

pitching to others and doing for sync.

828

So didn't want to release things.

829

You know, obviously, because if

you're wanting to get cuts and

830

things like that, you don't want

to have it as a first release.

831

Hopefully in time, I'll start

building some more things.

832

I've got two songs in production right

now for release in the next couple

833

of weeks that I'm very excited about.

834

My YouTube probably has the most

of different music and little

835

shorts and videos and fun things.

836

I have Facebook as well.

837

That's where my main follower base is I

went viral with a Johnny Cash version of

838

"Gangster's Paradise" a couple of years

ago, which was amazing but trying to keep

839

up with everybody and doing this every

week kind of just ended up burning out.

840

Cause at that point I didn't

realize I was autistic.

841

I did appreciate the ADHD, but I didn't

really know I was autistic as well.

842

So that was news.

843

But not apparently to my

family and to other people.

844

It does make a lot of sense

about my growing up and

845

things that I did back then.

846

And, I've just embraced it, not to make

it, part of my personality, but it's

847

who I am and accepting that fact and

then using that fact to plow into music.

848

It is a special interest and I can sit

here for four hours and do production,

849

sit and listen to all the intricate

frequencies and utilize those, those

850

those things that my brain does that

other people's doesn't and and so

851

it makes me have really good ears

for listening to things and knowing

852

when frequencies are clashing.

853

I might not always know what to

do about it but that's why I have

854

a good mate that's an engineer

he doesn't hear what I hear.

855

But he knows what to do, so I tell him

what I'm hearing, and he knows what

856

to do, and he fixes it, that's it.

857

So, again, working with

different people, with different

858

skill sets, is a great thing.

859

And, of course, now we've gone on

an ADHD tangent, and I completely

860

forgot what we were talking about.

861

Projects!

862

That's what it was.

863

Woohoo!

864

Becky Boyland: And it's totally fine

because I also was recently diagnosed with

865

ADHD and it gives you the freedom to play

to your strengths, to play to your brain

866

strength and also to allow your brain

to, have some downtime and do some other

867

things so that you can come back and lean

into that focus So yeah, totally get it.

868

I think that was actually a perfect and

wonderful tangent because I think that's

869

also a feature and not a bug with a

lot of other artists that I have known

870

and how many of us are neurodivergent

because, that's just how we're wired.

871

It should, of course,

come out in creativity.

872

It really makes a lot of sense.

873

So I think it's important for

people to recognize, especially

874

those who are artists or wanting

to be artists who may not yet have

875

made that decision to lean into it.

876

like we were, talking about here of

coming to music after life has gone

877

different directions and a little

bit of that fear sometimes as well.

878

I don't know, maybe this is just a silly

whim or some tangent I want to follow.

879

But the reality is that it's just that

gnawing creativity saying, I need to get

880

out there and I need to get in front of

people so they can also hear their stories

881

in my music or see their stories in my

art And so I think it's a beautiful thing.

882

Bob Strachan: I appreciate it.

883

It is.

884

And I think that's why I am at the point

I'm at now is embracing those things.

885

Also the medication helps.

886

that has been a massive

game changer for me.

887

because like I said, after that

Johnny Cash thing, I just burnt

888

out and it was, so overwhelming.

889

And again, lots of other things going

on with the inquiry and stuff like that.

890

But, just being able to, know,

what my strengths and weaknesses

891

are and then being able to accept

myself for this and this is who

892

I am and be real with yourself.

893

I think that's such an important

thing is just to be real with you.

894

It's like, this is the way that

we are created, you know, and the

895

world needs creatives, It's that

whole square peg kind of thing.

896

we are designed to be creative and

that's part of the ADHD autistic.

897

The thing is that we can be creatives

and although there's different places

898

on the spectrum, high functioning, low

function, different things like that.

899

You know, each of us have been is,

is there and we have our own talents.

900

We have our own little special interests.

901

We need the artists, we need that

in our family is, is quite diverse.

902

Even within neurodivergence.

903

We're, we're neurodivergent diverse.

904

So my daughter is an amazing artist.

905

She really is and that's her creativity

I've never really gotten into art.

906

I did enjoy it.

907

I was quite good at it, but

it was never my passion.

908

Music is my thing.

909

And then my son, he's really

gifted at doing accents and

910

voices and things like that.

911

And I want to take credit for

that, for doing them around him.

912

But, he's sometimes

leveling up what I can do.

913

and it's great to see your kids that.

914

you've given them the start and then

they've just taken it and run with it.

915

It's like, wow, what they're doing,

my wife is also getting into that

916

and having grown up in that kind of,

mindset that I was talking about.

917

These kind of things were

frowned upon for her.

918

So she's now finally able to

embrace her creativity and do art

919

and music and do other things.

920

Also, she can play the keyboard.

921

It was mainly for church, but, you

know, as a family, we're able to

922

embrace our neurodivergence and this is

who we are, We are a creative family.

923

Yes, we're going to go to Comic-Con.

924

Yes, I'm going to dress

up as Captain Caveman.

925

Of course.

926

you know, there's, there's, you know, it

just, that's part of whoever we are, is

927

if we are an artist or if we are a singer

or a guitarist or, you know, whatever

928

it is, we are, is, is just embracing

our strengths and weaknesses and finding

929

that happy place within us that sometimes

our special interests can actually

930

be a job and we can do what we love.

931

That's what I encourage the kids to

do is like, well, if you love this

932

and you get at it, do as a job, find

out how you can make money from this

933

rather than get stuck in an office doing

something you hate and only getting

934

this hobby that you do on weekends.

935

And then sometimes work gets in the

way and you can't do your hobby.

936

You're gonna be miserable.

937

So, do something that you love.

938

Be good at it and get paid for

939

Becky Boyland: Absolutely.

940

Absolutely.

941

And I'm glad that we're really

at a point now in culture where

942

we're starting to accept that more.

943

I think for many generations, it

was go do that thing, make good

944

money, even if you do hate it.

945

And that was expected.

946

And the reality is if we celebrate our

artists and give them the opportunity

947

to make a living from it, we'll get

more art and there will be more joy and

948

so much more beauty out in the world.

949

And I think that that is good living.

950

Bob Strachan: It is.

951

It really is.

952

And I just echo what you're saying

there, because, you know, for me

953

it was like, finish high school,

go to university, get a job.

954

You know, but realizing the struggles I

had in school and university with being

955

neurodivergent and having no support

that way, and, you know, not realizing

956

why I'm being brought down and being

made fun of and not fitting in but

957

now realizing that hey, this is why I

didn't fit in but I have found my tribe.

958

I have found my family

that I do fit in with.

959

Most creatives are neurodivergent of

some sort, a lot of people that I work

960

with, they're like, they're like, I

think I might be neurodivergent as well.

961

But you think, you know, and one of

the things somebody said to me that

962

when I was in the States, he said, "Do

you really think I'm neurodivergent?"

963

I said, "Yeah, you are."

964

They said, "What makes you think that?"

965

I said, "The fact that we are

actually friends, because all

966

my friends, the people I'm

friends with are neurodivergent."

967

It's the people I get on with the most.

968

It doesn't have to be

musicians or whatever.

969

It's really funny.

970

and, yeah, I agree with you that

I'm glad we're at this place in

971

time that we can allow ourselves.

972

to do different things.

973

It's acceptable to do that, you

know, to where people are doing art

974

on selling it on, on, you know, on,

on websites or, wherever they can.

975

And people are buying their

art, whether it's niche.

976

I mean, my daughter did

that and sold stuff.

977

It was amazing art.

978

It was just like how easy it was to do.

979

Back in the day it would have

been, really hard to do that.

980

And, like us for music, we've

got access, we can do this here,

981

sitting in two different continents.

982

We can have access to people around

the world to produce with, to write

983

with, to sing with, to place with.

984

It's such an amazing time.

985

You know, there's the dark side of

technology, but I think we have to look

986

at the good side of it, that it has made

us connect with so many people and make

987

the world a more beautiful place because

we can create these things together as a

988

community, as churches or whatever it is,

expanding that and these songs wouldn't

989

be there without those connections and

if I would just sat in my little bubble

990

there's probably not a lot of people that

I could write with or produce with or

991

learn from and so I'd be still stuck in

that little rut of writing these little

992

mediocre songs but now having had those

opportunities to learn from people and

993

to do those things it's like yeah it

can level up to this game so embrace it

994

look for it you know if people have been

out of music for a while really you know

995

if this is a passion even if we just

do it as a hobby carve out some time.

996

You're working for what,

you know, pay the bills.

997

But that hobby can also pay too.

998

We also have to have that creativeness

because one of the things we

999

found here in Scotland is some

schools are not performing as well.

And when you look at those schools,

they don't have music programs as good.

The create, the drama, things

like that are not high priority.

So you take out that creativity and

you take out the academia as well.

You have to have both

to balance this thing.

Creativity fuels academia.

And, we can have work, yes,

but we also need play time too.

It helps fuel it.

We can release our tensions.

We can release our passions.

If you're learning an instrument, do it.

Get to an open mic.

Play it.

A lot of these places nobody

cares if you're just starting out.

They'll see your growth.

and they'll see those things and

anybody that's negative just they're

not worthy of your time, they're not

worthy of your song, just move on.

Find people that are whether you're just

starting out or you're seasoned find

those people that will cheer with you

and they will encourage your growth and

that's what I think the professional

attitude is, is not how much money you

make, but the attitude of being able to

sit at the table, but also being able

to pass on these skills and be able

to support anybody that's coming up.

Yes, we will critique, but critique

in a positive way to say, okay,

here's some mistakes you're making,

this is how you make it right.

And just have that attitude.

And that's what I believe

makes one a professional.

Becky Boyland: Beauty is not optional.

It's something that we really do

need, and it's not just a luxury item.

And I think that's such a beautiful

insight, too, about education and what

an incredible impact it has, because you

start to wither on the vine when you don't

have anything to contribute aesthetically.

The massive importance of being someone

who's building into other people and

a joy to spend time with makes so much

more of an impact than whether or not

you're just really good at something.

And obviously we want to be good at it.

We want to continue to build our craft,

but we want to be good to be around too.

And so I think that's what's so

beautiful about this opportunity with

independent artists now being able

to get out there in the world and

contribute and not just be another

commodity, but be people with incredible

stories like what we've just heard.

Bob Strachan: That's great.

I'll say amen to that.

One of the points you just brought up,

was that about be good to be around.

And that's the key, I've worked with some

people and they were the best at what they

did, but they were horrible to be around.

Most people at this level want to work

with people that they can get on with.

It's about who you are as a

person, not what you can do.

And, one of the things that,

you know, networking, learning

really how to network.

I've always, apparently I've always

been a really good networker,

now realizing what we do.

Um, that it's about coming into the room

and letting people know who you are.

And once they know who you are, they're

far more likely to work with you.

Even if your skills are not the top

level, you're much more likely to

get the gig because of who you are,

not necessarily what you can do.

Becky Boyland: It's so true and I

think it's modeled for us that

those with great power and lots

of money can do whatever they want

and behave the way that they want.

But at the end of the day, when you

get out of the limelight the reality is

that the people who go the farthest and.

who really get the best opportunities are

those who've shown that they really do

want to be great people and they want to

be someone that people want to be around.

And then those people who are steps

ahead of them, those are the same people

that want to hang out with those people.

And so it really does matter who you

are and how you behave and how kind

and generous you are And so on the days

when we feel like that might not be

true anymore, it really is still true.

Bob Strachan: Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Becky Boyland: Well, and this has

been one of those times when it's been

really cool to hang out with somebody.

Bob Strachan: Oh yeah,

I've really enjoyed it.

Becky Boyland: Thank you so much, Bob.

This has just been really great.

Thanks for being on Second Verse.

Bob Strachan: Thank you very much.

I don't know if you want to.

do this later on, but I've got

this Indian flute here and I was

going to demonstrate right quick.

Becky Boyland: Absolutely.

Go for it.

Bob Strachan: I bought this

in, uh, Cherokee, Oklahoma.

I wanted to buy a Native American,

I'll say Cherokee, because that's my

wife's family actually, some Cherokee

because she's from the States.

I wanted to buy one of these, flutes,

and so I went in and I bought it and he

said, "Have you played anything like it?"

And he showed me what the scale

was and he said, "It's a pentatonic

scale," and I said, "Oh right."

And, uh, and so then, look

at this for aesthetics.

This is what I played.

And he said to me, " Wow, that

really does sound Indian."

I said, "Really?"

He said, "Yes, it really

does sound Native American."

I said, "That's funny.

It's the theme tune to Braveheart."

Becky Boyland: Oh, that's great.

Bob Strachan: There you go.

Becky Boyland: I love that.

Well, thank you for that.

Bob Strachan: You're welcome.

No worries.

Becky Boyland: What a powerful

conversation with Bob Strachan.

His story reminds us that music

isn't just what we do, it's how we

heal, grow, and connect with others.

Here are just a few takeaways.

First, rediscovery starts

with a single step.

Bob reconnected with his

creativity during lockdown by

joining songwriting groups online.

Just saying, yes, opened new doors.

Next healing fuels creativity.

Bob's deeply personal journey of grieving

his father and finding emotional release

through music allowed his creativity and

even his vocal abilities to flourish.

And then your story is

part of your strength.

Whether he's sharing songs or simply

being present in his local music

community, Bob embraces his full

story, including his neurodivergence as

part of what makes his work resonate.

So now it's time for your

action steps, StoryBrand style.

In StoryBrand, we talk about being

the guide, not just the hero.

And a good guide has

authority and empathy.

Think about your own artist story.

What challenges have you overcome?

How could your past struggles

give you credibility and

connection with your audience now?

That's not baggage.

It's your superpower.

Your story doesn't have to

be perfect to be powerful.

If you need help figuring out how

to communicate that in your artist

brand or website, I'd love to help

you through Attitude Creativity.

If this episode moved you, inspired you,

and made you laugh, please subscribe,

leave a review and share it with a friend.

That helps more indie artists find

their way back to their Second Verse.