George Stirrat
(1938 - 2007)
Away back in the Seventies, George was a member of my band. At that time we were playing our summer season shows in all the Clyde resorts, having a weekly schedule of Largs, Dunoon, Rothesay and occasional visits to other theatres around Scotland. The show was a mixture of singers, Robert McKechnie and Mhari McArthur, pipers, and a team of either Highland or country dancers from each location, plus a comedy slide show of Scotland.
One of the features of the show was a solo performance from each member of the band, and since Ivor Britton and Davy Bowen were on accordions we made a big number out of the piano solo, having introduced George as, “One of the most talented musicians in Scotland, and just returned to us tonight from the Royal Yacht Britannia, where he was a member of the Royal Marines Band. This evening he will attempt to play Chopin’s Minute Waltz in fifty-eight seconds flat… Ladies and Gentlemen, George Stirrat!!!”
George would the race through the Minute Waltz at full bore and complete it as the rest of the band kept their eye on their watches and always declared, “fifty-seven seconds” and George received a thunderous ovation for his new “World Record”.
When we made the LP of Sailing up the Clyde George not only played piano on that disc, but also played a wonderful accompaniment on flute (which was his principal instrument in the Marines) to Mhari McArthur singing Rothesay Bay. He was always hilarious company and he prophesied that one day we should make a follow up record called Sailing DOON the Clyde in Ever Decreasing Circles – but that’s another story.
Although most readers of Box and Fiddle will remember him as a brilliant accordionist and band leader with a wonderfully pawky sense of humour, I always maintained that piano was his forte. He could bring out some wonderfully sensitive accompaniments to singers and fellow instrumentalists, and was certainly one of the most talented musicians on the Scottish scene.
Bobby Harvey
One of the features of the show was a solo performance from each member of the band, and since Ivor Britton and Davy Bowen were on accordions we made a big number out of the piano solo, having introduced George as, “One of the most talented musicians in Scotland, and just returned to us tonight from the Royal Yacht Britannia, where he was a member of the Royal Marines Band. This evening he will attempt to play Chopin’s Minute Waltz in fifty-eight seconds flat… Ladies and Gentlemen, George Stirrat!!!”
George would the race through the Minute Waltz at full bore and complete it as the rest of the band kept their eye on their watches and always declared, “fifty-seven seconds” and George received a thunderous ovation for his new “World Record”.
When we made the LP of Sailing up the Clyde George not only played piano on that disc, but also played a wonderful accompaniment on flute (which was his principal instrument in the Marines) to Mhari McArthur singing Rothesay Bay. He was always hilarious company and he prophesied that one day we should make a follow up record called Sailing DOON the Clyde in Ever Decreasing Circles – but that’s another story.
Although most readers of Box and Fiddle will remember him as a brilliant accordionist and band leader with a wonderfully pawky sense of humour, I always maintained that piano was his forte. He could bring out some wonderfully sensitive accompaniments to singers and fellow instrumentalists, and was certainly one of the most talented musicians on the Scottish scene.
Bobby Harvey
I first met George Stirrat at the recently demolished Kelvin Centre in Glasgow in 1985. Shortly after that I recall my first engagement with George and his band was at Lugton. Members of the band on that occasion were: Alasdair Heron (Fiddle), Jennifer Forrest (2nd Box) and Jimmy Hislop (Drums).
George gave me my first opportunity to take part in a “Take the Floor” recording for the BBC. I recall at a rehearsal for that broadcast, I ventured to play a little rhythmic embellishment on the piano at one point. Without looking up from his music, George said “No jazz, please.” He always felt that simplicity was the essence of the dance band, particularly in the back line.
George’s choice of tunes was always governed by the dancers, and what he felt that they liked to hear and to dance to. “Nothing too fancy” he would say. Not that George wasn’t a technician on the accordion when the occasion demanded it. He would often play fast and tricky tunes in a concert situation – having been influenced by Will Starr, with whom he had worked and toured in the 1960s.
His other great influence was undoubtedly Sir Jimmy Shand. So often was there a tape of Shand in his car cassette player (Yes, cassette! I never recall his vehicles having a CD player) that we used to say that Shand’s music came on with the ignition key!
George spent time in the Services (Royal Marines) and from this experience he ran his band with discipline, albeit good humoured. Like many band leaders he felt responsible for the actions of his band at functions. He sometimes felt that we were rather hasty in partaking of the buffet at weddings, and would announce to the crowd “The buffet will now be served and if you want to know where it is, follow my band”
George will be greatly missed by players, listeners and dancers alike.
George and I did a great many Clubs as a duo in the 1980s. George was a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth, in 1969 I think, and his musical abilities were second to none. He ranks as one of the all-time best in technique, interpretation and expertise – it was all there for everyone to see and hear. He was a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments anyone could pay him was to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man. He was a “true professional” in every sense of the words. I recall meeting at one Club at the start of a new season, September, having not met since the previous April. Just before we took the stage he asked, “Same programme as last time?” I nodded. We didn’t even have a list of the sets and tunes but he played faultlessly and never missed a note or a change – all that after six months had elapsed!
He had a very keen, dry sense of humour and although he let me do most of the talking when we were on stage, when we were driving to and from the Clubs he kept up a non stop barrage of jokes and stories. He particularly liked the ones from the old days. On one occasion in the early days, as a relative newcomer to Scottish dance music he had booked a pianist and a drummer by recommendation, but without actually having met them. They performed well throughout the evening and it was only during Auld Lang Syne that George noticed a drop in volume from the back line. A glance to the right revealed that the drummer was playing with one hand while dissembling his kit with the other, then a glance to the left reveal the pianist playing with one hand while unscrewing the piano legs with the other. Seconds after finishing the last chord these two “old stagers” had cased their instruments and were heading for the exit with a cheery wave.
His broadcasts were an interesting mixture of material, old and new, and he was a prolific and competent composer. He had a particularly keen interest in playing for Scottish Country Dancing and helped to keep the whole scene alive by playing at several classes a week over the winter season. He will be sadly missed by many.
Jimmy Yeaman
George gave me my first opportunity to take part in a “Take the Floor” recording for the BBC. I recall at a rehearsal for that broadcast, I ventured to play a little rhythmic embellishment on the piano at one point. Without looking up from his music, George said “No jazz, please.” He always felt that simplicity was the essence of the dance band, particularly in the back line.
George’s choice of tunes was always governed by the dancers, and what he felt that they liked to hear and to dance to. “Nothing too fancy” he would say. Not that George wasn’t a technician on the accordion when the occasion demanded it. He would often play fast and tricky tunes in a concert situation – having been influenced by Will Starr, with whom he had worked and toured in the 1960s.
His other great influence was undoubtedly Sir Jimmy Shand. So often was there a tape of Shand in his car cassette player (Yes, cassette! I never recall his vehicles having a CD player) that we used to say that Shand’s music came on with the ignition key!
George spent time in the Services (Royal Marines) and from this experience he ran his band with discipline, albeit good humoured. Like many band leaders he felt responsible for the actions of his band at functions. He sometimes felt that we were rather hasty in partaking of the buffet at weddings, and would announce to the crowd “The buffet will now be served and if you want to know where it is, follow my band”
George will be greatly missed by players, listeners and dancers alike.
George and I did a great many Clubs as a duo in the 1980s. George was a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth, in 1969 I think, and his musical abilities were second to none. He ranks as one of the all-time best in technique, interpretation and expertise – it was all there for everyone to see and hear. He was a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments anyone could pay him was to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man. He was a “true professional” in every sense of the words. I recall meeting at one Club at the start of a new season, September, having not met since the previous April. Just before we took the stage he asked, “Same programme as last time?” I nodded. We didn’t even have a list of the sets and tunes but he played faultlessly and never missed a note or a change – all that after six months had elapsed!
He had a very keen, dry sense of humour and although he let me do most of the talking when we were on stage, when we were driving to and from the Clubs he kept up a non stop barrage of jokes and stories. He particularly liked the ones from the old days. On one occasion in the early days, as a relative newcomer to Scottish dance music he had booked a pianist and a drummer by recommendation, but without actually having met them. They performed well throughout the evening and it was only during Auld Lang Syne that George noticed a drop in volume from the back line. A glance to the right revealed that the drummer was playing with one hand while dissembling his kit with the other, then a glance to the left reveal the pianist playing with one hand while unscrewing the piano legs with the other. Seconds after finishing the last chord these two “old stagers” had cased their instruments and were heading for the exit with a cheery wave.
His broadcasts were an interesting mixture of material, old and new, and he was a prolific and competent composer. He had a particularly keen interest in playing for Scottish Country Dancing and helped to keep the whole scene alive by playing at several classes a week over the winter season. He will be sadly missed by many.
Jimmy Yeaman
Box and Fiddle
July 2007
July 2007