Cumnock & District Accordion and Fiddle Club started in October 1976 in the Royal Hotel, Cumnock. On the first night, we got the guest artistes on the cheap.............It was Derek Lawrence and his Band (in which of course, I played 2nd accordion).
The full band line-up was :
1st accordion.......................................Ronnie Easton
2nd accordion......................................Kenny Thomson
Fiddle.....................................................Jim Barrie
Piano.....................................................Derek Lawrence
Bass........................................................Neil McMillan
Drums.....................................................Sandy Coghill
The club carried on in the Royal Hotel for 2 or 3 years, then the cost became prohibitive. The landlord of a pub just outside Cumnock was very keen to have us in his establishment, but we wanted to stay in Cumnock, so the wheels were set in motion for us to start up in Cumnock Juniors Social Club. However, about one week before our first night there, Cumnock Juniors informed us that it could not now go ahead because the police had warned them that it was contrary to the terms of their licence to hire their premises to an outside organisation and that they would be prosecuted if they did so. I never understood this because I have played at MANY accordion clubs which were held in social clubs, BEFORE AND SINCE! My own opinion is that the aforementioned pub landlord put the boot in!
We did re-start in the Tup Inn, Cumnock and continued there until the club's demise in 1983 due to falling attendances.
I trust this will be of assistance to you.
Kenny Thomson
The full band line-up was :
1st accordion.......................................Ronnie Easton
2nd accordion......................................Kenny Thomson
Fiddle.....................................................Jim Barrie
Piano.....................................................Derek Lawrence
Bass........................................................Neil McMillan
Drums.....................................................Sandy Coghill
The club carried on in the Royal Hotel for 2 or 3 years, then the cost became prohibitive. The landlord of a pub just outside Cumnock was very keen to have us in his establishment, but we wanted to stay in Cumnock, so the wheels were set in motion for us to start up in Cumnock Juniors Social Club. However, about one week before our first night there, Cumnock Juniors informed us that it could not now go ahead because the police had warned them that it was contrary to the terms of their licence to hire their premises to an outside organisation and that they would be prosecuted if they did so. I never understood this because I have played at MANY accordion clubs which were held in social clubs, BEFORE AND SINCE! My own opinion is that the aforementioned pub landlord put the boot in!
We did re-start in the Tup Inn, Cumnock and continued there until the club's demise in 1983 due to falling attendances.
I trust this will be of assistance to you.
Kenny Thomson