Madonna gig hits wrong note

The baptism takes place at Dornoch Cathedral

A Scottish musician has turned down the chance to star at the celebrations surrounding the showbiz wedding of the year.

The wedding of Madonna and Guy Ritchie on Friday has made a Highland town the centre of attention for the world's media.

But Donnie Munro has put a show in Glasgow before a headline slot at a concert in Dornoch town square on Thursday night.

The event was being timed co-incide with the baptism of Madonna's son Rocco in the cathedral that evening.

Donnie Munro will play the Barrowlands instead

But the former Runrig singer and unsuccessful Labour Party candidate turned down the invitation because he is appearing at the Barrowlands in Glasgow the next day.

"It is a matter of priorities," he told BBC Scotland.

"A request came in which required an almost immediate answer, and when we sent out the message to various musicians who are going to be performing in Glasgow with me the logistics were looking very difficult."

He said the council had been aiming to put together a "fairly major event" to celebrate Thursday's baptism, rather than Friday's wedding.

That had now been scaled down to a smaller event.

They are going to be very well equipped for folk going up and having a turn

Donnie Munro

He said the aim had been to celebrate Dornoch's role in the celebrations.

Donnie admitted that he had no connection with the superstar couple.

"I was very flattered that I was the first port of call and that I received the request," he said.

"But I had the Barrowland concert, an end-of-year celebration for myself and the musicians I have been working with, and it became very difficult to look at doing both."

However, he acknowledged that there would be no shortage of star turns in his absence.

Baptism song

"They are going to be very well equipped for folk going up and having a turn, to be honest," he said.

Sting has been seen practising a song for the baptism in Dornoch Cathedral.

Other rock stars tipped to attend the marriage include Jon Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, who both arrived in Inverness on Wednesday, and Elton John.

Only a handful of people, including close family and friends, are expected to attend the baptism ceremony.