Gordon Pattullo
By Karyn McCulloch
Gordon Pattullo is one of the most renowned accordionists in Scotland. He is always in great demand at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs as guest artiste. He is just as much at home playing solo at the Clubs, as he is when he’s surrounded by the other top class musicians who join him in his ceilidh band. He has recorded more than fifteen albums (so far) and has a wealth of experience both in radio and television broadcasts – but how did it al begin?
Like so many other musicians, the interest began at a young age - in the family home. Gordon’s parents were always interested in accordion music – his mother played piano and his father played the melodeon. They encouraged him to go for accordion lessons – and after a few lessons he was hooked. This was when he was eleven years old – the same time he got his first accordion, a 3 voice, 120 bass Sonola. The bulk of his musical tuition was from the late Jim Marshall (“a superb teacher”) at the Dundee Accordion School of Music. Jim taught him a wide range of music including Continental and classical – the examinations required these styles as well. He also had a few lessons from John Huhand and ex World Champion Louis Cabrelli.
He remembers feeling a wee bit nervous at his first public performance. It was at his own school in 1973 – Kettins Primary School, near Coupar Angus – and he had only been playing for about six months!! (No wonder he was a little nervous!) He still has the odd case of nerves (but usually only when the bride’s father forgets the cheque!)
Jimmy Shand, Arthur Spink, Ian Powrie and Jimmy Blue – these were just a few of the records that were played at home. The first LP he bought was Music with a Kick by Will Starr, his all-time hero. To this day he still listens to that album – although he now has a copy on CD.
Gordon had only been playing for a couple of years when he entered his first competition. It was the Junior Scottish Traditional section at Perth – he was only thirteen years old – and he won it! He has since won various other competitions, including Own Composition.
Nowadays he is regularly asked to adjudicate at Festivals from Musselburgh to Oban – and he says it’s always a pleasure to help out at Bill Wilkie’s All Scotland Championships in Perth.
Gordon is a prolific composer and to date he has had one book of tunes published – and has written enough for another two or more! Frequently he will write a tune to fit into a set, or in a certain style – perhaps for a new album. He is often asked to write a tune for a particular person, or a special occasion. One of the most memorable was when Producer Bryce Laing commissioned him to write a tune to celebrate Jimmy Shand’s fifty years in recording. Bryce had two copies pressed at Abbey Road Studios in London – and Gordon got the other.
In 1977, the late Jimmy Blue introduced Gordon to Andy Stewart. This led to a whole host of engagements – and the first was an eight-week tour of Canada and America. For the next ten years Gordon was involved in theatre shoes almost every week. Most of these were with the late Andy Stewart, “a hard worker who kept many entertainers and musicians in work for several years”. Gordon has many happy memories of working with Andy and feels exceptionally lucky and glad he had the chance to work with him. Other famous names Gordon has worked with include Moira Anderson, Kenneth McKellar, Dana, Lulu and George Hamilton IV.
Gordon’s first radio broadcast was in the late 1970’s – it was for a series on Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, produced by Ben Lyons and hosted by Alasdair Gillies. He has broadcast many times since then – on BBC Radio, Radio Forth and Radio Clyde. TV work includes the Jim MacLeod Show, Andy’s Party and Northern Nights (all for Grampian); Thingummyjig (STV) and several Hogmanay shows for all three Scottish Stations.
As well as playing and composing, Gordon writes all his own musical arrangements – and he does them on the piano. He can also “knock out a tune” from the penny whistle and the diatonic harmonica, but he stresses “just for fun”. So, although he may not play Whistling Rufus on the penny whistle when he’s on stage, you may very well see him playing a tune on a small 12 bass accordion he owns. The rest of his accordion collection includes a 1930’s Casali, a V Soprani (which he enjoys playing) and the one he plays most often – his trusty Victoria accordion, which he bought from Bill Wilkie some nineteen years ago. (Unfortunately it is out of warranty now!)
Gordon has had many engagements abroad – mostly as a solo artiste, however he had two memorable trips to Abu Dhabi with the Jim Johnstone Band and went to the Lorient Celtic Festival in France with the Angus Cameron Band. (I believe this was Gordon’s first time on an aeroplane. The band members had taken their seats on the plane and it was about to take off. The engines were revving up and it was getting pretty noisy, as you can imagine. Gordon – who was sitting next to Angus – said “I cannae stand the noise, it’s terrible. Will it make this same noise when we’re up in the air?”
Apart from traditional Scottish music, Gordon likes to hear solo accordionists, fiddlers and pipers. He also listens to a lot of Irish music and pipe band music – and particularly admires the piping of Gordon Duncan.
Here are a few things about Gordon you probably didn’t know –
His favourite album of all time is by the Victoria Police Pipe Band – the album is called Masterblasters.
His favourite band is a French Canadian group called La Bottine Souriante – he saw them live at Celtic Connections. “Brilliant”
His favourite musician is ‘Irish Banjo Wizard’ Gerry O’Connor.
When he’s not busy with his music, he somehow still finds time to work in the farming industry!
Gordon really likes playing at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, because the audience listen and appreciate the music. It’s good to meet up again with people that he’s met over the years – and probably won’t get a chance to see at any other time. It also gives him a chance to hear some young players who are learning the ropes – and he suggests that you “HAVE FUN! .Try to play with and listen to musicians who are better than you – you’ll learn that way. And remember – you never stop learning”
Music in the house influenced Gordon when he was growing up – and similarly Gordon’s own children have become involved in various ways. His eldest son fraser (17) plays pipes and whistles, younger son Alan (15) plays in the Drum Corps of Perth and District Pipe Band and daughter Caroline (12) is a Highland Dancer. In October 2004, Gordon and his wife June celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
Indeed, Fraser is the newest addition to his dad’s Ceilidh Band –
And makes his debut on the latest album Hand Made in Scotland, which is available now. Along with Gordon we have Angie MacEachern (fiddle), John Crawford (piano), Billy Young (guitar and banjo), Brian Cruickshank (bass), Billy Thom (drums) and Fraser Pattullo (small-pipes and whistles). The album includes music that Gordon plays at concerts, Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, dances and ceilidhs. It is really a ceilidh band sound with a few little deviations here and there – so there is something to please everyone.
Perhaps one day he will finally realize his unfulfilled ambitions – to play a gig with La Bottine Souriante, or a duet with Gerry O’Connor. But until then, Gordon Pattullo will continue to be one of the most popular and busiest musicians in the music scene – and we wish him All the Best.
Box and Fiddle
November 2004
Like so many other musicians, the interest began at a young age - in the family home. Gordon’s parents were always interested in accordion music – his mother played piano and his father played the melodeon. They encouraged him to go for accordion lessons – and after a few lessons he was hooked. This was when he was eleven years old – the same time he got his first accordion, a 3 voice, 120 bass Sonola. The bulk of his musical tuition was from the late Jim Marshall (“a superb teacher”) at the Dundee Accordion School of Music. Jim taught him a wide range of music including Continental and classical – the examinations required these styles as well. He also had a few lessons from John Huhand and ex World Champion Louis Cabrelli.
He remembers feeling a wee bit nervous at his first public performance. It was at his own school in 1973 – Kettins Primary School, near Coupar Angus – and he had only been playing for about six months!! (No wonder he was a little nervous!) He still has the odd case of nerves (but usually only when the bride’s father forgets the cheque!)
Jimmy Shand, Arthur Spink, Ian Powrie and Jimmy Blue – these were just a few of the records that were played at home. The first LP he bought was Music with a Kick by Will Starr, his all-time hero. To this day he still listens to that album – although he now has a copy on CD.
Gordon had only been playing for a couple of years when he entered his first competition. It was the Junior Scottish Traditional section at Perth – he was only thirteen years old – and he won it! He has since won various other competitions, including Own Composition.
Nowadays he is regularly asked to adjudicate at Festivals from Musselburgh to Oban – and he says it’s always a pleasure to help out at Bill Wilkie’s All Scotland Championships in Perth.
Gordon is a prolific composer and to date he has had one book of tunes published – and has written enough for another two or more! Frequently he will write a tune to fit into a set, or in a certain style – perhaps for a new album. He is often asked to write a tune for a particular person, or a special occasion. One of the most memorable was when Producer Bryce Laing commissioned him to write a tune to celebrate Jimmy Shand’s fifty years in recording. Bryce had two copies pressed at Abbey Road Studios in London – and Gordon got the other.
In 1977, the late Jimmy Blue introduced Gordon to Andy Stewart. This led to a whole host of engagements – and the first was an eight-week tour of Canada and America. For the next ten years Gordon was involved in theatre shoes almost every week. Most of these were with the late Andy Stewart, “a hard worker who kept many entertainers and musicians in work for several years”. Gordon has many happy memories of working with Andy and feels exceptionally lucky and glad he had the chance to work with him. Other famous names Gordon has worked with include Moira Anderson, Kenneth McKellar, Dana, Lulu and George Hamilton IV.
Gordon’s first radio broadcast was in the late 1970’s – it was for a series on Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, produced by Ben Lyons and hosted by Alasdair Gillies. He has broadcast many times since then – on BBC Radio, Radio Forth and Radio Clyde. TV work includes the Jim MacLeod Show, Andy’s Party and Northern Nights (all for Grampian); Thingummyjig (STV) and several Hogmanay shows for all three Scottish Stations.
As well as playing and composing, Gordon writes all his own musical arrangements – and he does them on the piano. He can also “knock out a tune” from the penny whistle and the diatonic harmonica, but he stresses “just for fun”. So, although he may not play Whistling Rufus on the penny whistle when he’s on stage, you may very well see him playing a tune on a small 12 bass accordion he owns. The rest of his accordion collection includes a 1930’s Casali, a V Soprani (which he enjoys playing) and the one he plays most often – his trusty Victoria accordion, which he bought from Bill Wilkie some nineteen years ago. (Unfortunately it is out of warranty now!)
Gordon has had many engagements abroad – mostly as a solo artiste, however he had two memorable trips to Abu Dhabi with the Jim Johnstone Band and went to the Lorient Celtic Festival in France with the Angus Cameron Band. (I believe this was Gordon’s first time on an aeroplane. The band members had taken their seats on the plane and it was about to take off. The engines were revving up and it was getting pretty noisy, as you can imagine. Gordon – who was sitting next to Angus – said “I cannae stand the noise, it’s terrible. Will it make this same noise when we’re up in the air?”
Apart from traditional Scottish music, Gordon likes to hear solo accordionists, fiddlers and pipers. He also listens to a lot of Irish music and pipe band music – and particularly admires the piping of Gordon Duncan.
Here are a few things about Gordon you probably didn’t know –
His favourite album of all time is by the Victoria Police Pipe Band – the album is called Masterblasters.
His favourite band is a French Canadian group called La Bottine Souriante – he saw them live at Celtic Connections. “Brilliant”
His favourite musician is ‘Irish Banjo Wizard’ Gerry O’Connor.
When he’s not busy with his music, he somehow still finds time to work in the farming industry!
Gordon really likes playing at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, because the audience listen and appreciate the music. It’s good to meet up again with people that he’s met over the years – and probably won’t get a chance to see at any other time. It also gives him a chance to hear some young players who are learning the ropes – and he suggests that you “HAVE FUN! .Try to play with and listen to musicians who are better than you – you’ll learn that way. And remember – you never stop learning”
Music in the house influenced Gordon when he was growing up – and similarly Gordon’s own children have become involved in various ways. His eldest son fraser (17) plays pipes and whistles, younger son Alan (15) plays in the Drum Corps of Perth and District Pipe Band and daughter Caroline (12) is a Highland Dancer. In October 2004, Gordon and his wife June celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
Indeed, Fraser is the newest addition to his dad’s Ceilidh Band –
And makes his debut on the latest album Hand Made in Scotland, which is available now. Along with Gordon we have Angie MacEachern (fiddle), John Crawford (piano), Billy Young (guitar and banjo), Brian Cruickshank (bass), Billy Thom (drums) and Fraser Pattullo (small-pipes and whistles). The album includes music that Gordon plays at concerts, Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, dances and ceilidhs. It is really a ceilidh band sound with a few little deviations here and there – so there is something to please everyone.
Perhaps one day he will finally realize his unfulfilled ambitions – to play a gig with La Bottine Souriante, or a duet with Gerry O’Connor. But until then, Gordon Pattullo will continue to be one of the most popular and busiest musicians in the music scene – and we wish him All the Best.
Box and Fiddle
November 2004