Biography
Ronnie Browne is a Scottish folk musician and long-term member of The Corries.
Browne's musical career began when he met Roy Williamson and multi-instrumentalist Bill Smith at Edinburgh College of Art in 1955 and formed The Corrie Folk Trio in 1962. The group was expanded the following year with the addition of female singer Paddie Bell. Shortly after releasing three albums in 1965, Bell left to begin a solo career. With the departure of Smith, the following year, Browne and Williamson continued to perform as a duo now known as The Corries.
In 1970, Williamson conceived and built the band's signature instrument: the combolins, a pair of instruments that were rarely played separately. Williamson's instrument featured a basic guitar fingerboard with a bandurria attached and sympathetic resonating strings. Browne's model was a basic guitar with a mandolin attached and four bass strings.
Browne and Williamson were regular performers on Scottish television shows and movies and in 1983 received an International Film and Television Festival gold award for their Scottish Television series, "The Corries & Other Folk". The 1996 film The Bruce features Browne's rendition of the Williamson-penned Flower of Scotland at the end. Browne appeared in the film playing the role of Maxwell The Minstrel.
Since Williamson's death in 1990, Browne has continued to perform and record in the spirit of the Corries. He regularly leads the singing of Flower of Scotland, de facto national anthem of Scotland, for the Scottish national football team.
Browne is also known to be an avid U2 fan and regularly attends their concerts.
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