Part of the magic of Andy Shanks & Jim Russell's songs comes from the fact that they tell stories of real people and places. Most recently, Jim won the Jack Stewart Memorial Song-Writing Competition and Andy the Edinburgh Folk Song-Writing Competition.

Jim Russell started writing songs at 16 when he reached the finals of the Melody Maker Folk Rock competition. Over the years, he has played in a variety of guises with traditional folk bands, and eventually teamed up with Andy to perform their own songs. Along the road, Jim has picked up a way with so many different instruments that his contribution to the musical side of the duo is wonderfully unexpected, varying from the traditional squeeze box, button melodeon and whistle to the plastic saxophone.

Andy Shanks' guitar playing borrows styles from all walks of music giving the duo a distinctively contemporary sound whilst being firmly rooted in the tradition. Whether singing a Burns or a Shanks and Russell composition Andy's voice is the most obvious part of the duo's unique sound. Like Jim, Andy has a deep interest in the culture of Scotland both in verse and song and is involved in the promotion and encouragement of the use of Scots and in the work of Robert Burns in clubs and in schools.