Box and Fiddle
Year 12 No 06
March 1989
Price 40p
12 pages
8 month subscription £4.60
Joint Editors – Tom Clark, 55 Sutherland Crescent, Dundee, DD2 2HP or Douglas Adamson, 22 Westfield Drive, Forfar, DD8 1EQ
B&F Treasurer – Mrs Cathy Andrew, 22 Lochinver Crescent, Foxbar, Paisley Tele 2824
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
In recent weeks I have received one or two complaints from Club Secretaries or scribes related to the reports of their meetingsnot appearing in the paper. I have attempted to explain the situation to you in previous issues, but perhaps this has been missed by the Clubs concerned.
A genuine effort is made by the team, to ensure that Clubs are given equal prominence as far as possible. It is always possible however, that a Club may find its reports left out on occasions. This can happen for a variety of reasons. There are times when space available will determine which report is chosen. If a report is the ideal length, then it may well be taken out of order. This may be viewed as slightly unfair, but technical considerations are important at the final stages. In the main, any report left out for this reason would be inserted in the following issue.
I would ask all Secretaries to remember that a lot of work requires to be done following receipt of the reports by me. After reading and editing where required, the reports are placed in order and made ready for dispatch to Forfar, where Doug Adamson has a lot more work to do before items are ready for delivery to the printers. The production team work on a voluntary basis in the evenings and it is not always possible to deal with items immediately they are received. Dou Adamson, takes time off from his business duties to deal with these matters, on a regular basis, during daytime.
We fully appreciate the problems which can arise for some Clubs, when their report does not appear and sincerely apologise to those concerned. We hope however, that you will also appreciate the problems at this end. One way of helping the situation is for reports to be sent in as soon as possible after meetings. This gives us plenty of time to deal with matters – but there are no guarantees!
Tom Clark
“I was Born at a Very Early Age”
Jimmy Yeaman
by Norrie Williams
B.B.C.s “Dallas” has J.R. and we on the Scottish music scene have “J.Y.”- both real characters but as different as ‘chalk and cheese’. If I had to go to Paisley and I thought J.R. was in Glasgow, it would be via Wick and Thurso. But “J.Y.” – that’s a different story. The very mention of his name invariably evokes favourable, one might almost say, affectionate comments from all who have come into contact with him or seen him perform, as compere, soloist, band member, orchestra leader, colleague, and what have you.
He has a disarming manner, an almost childlike wide-eyed innocence, and a genuine interest in his fellow beings, all of which make folk take to him very quickly. He also has an inimitable gentle, clean sense of humour which is always to the fore, his mood is consistently a happy one – he never seems to be up nor down. Only the other day when I rang him to arrange a wee meeting, he had ‘flu but was still cheerful and wisecracking away. I said “this flu will have you depressed”. “no it won’t, but I’ll get depressed going over my career with you and thinking of all the missed chances!”
At first meeting with “J.Y” alias Jimmy Yeaman, as if you hadn’t guessed by now, was on one of my earliest visits to an Accordion and Fiddle Club . Button key player and pipe music enthusiast, Ivor Britton had taken me along to the M.A.F.I.A. which at that time met in “the upper room” of the Black Bull at Milngavie, with Bobby Harvey as Godfather.
The guest on this occasion was Ian Holmes, and there were quite a number of other notables present, John Carmichael, Archie Duncan, Dochie McCallum, Lex Keith, George Stirrat, to name but a few, but I particularly remember this fiddle player, who I had never met before, coming up and after a warm greeting saying “Where do you get all you’re tunes from? They’re new to me, but great stuff”. I got a great kick out of that and felt very much at home. This was typical of the man.
Whilst on the subject of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, it is in large part thanks to these noble institutions that Jimmy has become such a kenspeckle figure. He has been Chairman and compere of the Balloch Club since its inception in 1972, and in the latter capacity he has no peers. His aforementioned incomparable gentle humour takes a trick with audiences and performers alike. When introducing a player he uses asides which coming from others might cause offence, but from Jimmy they have the opposite effect and finish up as unqualified compliments.
As a performer he is now one half of the “D.D.D.” – “Diabolical, Dynamic Duo”, his partner in crime being that very talented musician from Cumbernauld, George Stirrat, but his initial introduction to the Club circuit was as a solo guest artiste. This followed two consecutive wins in the Senior Traditional Fiddle Class at Bill Wilkie’s Perth Accordion Festival in 1965 an ’66.
His first invitation was to do a solo guest spot at the Langholm Club, his accompanist on piano being none other than gamekeeper Billy Bell, a very accomplished fiddle player himself, who is best known for his earlier association with the Eric Goodfellow Band and now with Alan Gardiner, whose band made its debut broadcast in 1988. Booking for the Border Clubs now followed thick and fast, Gretna, Lockerbie, Newton St Boswells, Dumfries, Hexham and so on, with the result that for a period of 5 years or so he was guesting in that area about once a month.
Now, at this time he was a member of the Glasgow based Kelvin Ceilidh Band, of which more later, and for the majority of his Club appearances, he fronted a trio drawn from this group, his colleagues being the late Bob Lillie, on accordion, and Rae Hyslop on piano.
But back to the “D.D.D.” which was formed quite a while after Bob Lillie’s untimely passing, eight and a half years ago.
As Club guest artistes, Jimmy Yeaman and George Stirrat are a knockout, their banter being as good as their music. George’s dry, laid-back comments are the perfect foil for Jimmy’s innocent “leaning forward”, quickfire throwaway quips. A typical example – “What now George, a set of reels?” “Why not” “What key does it start with?” “Please yourself” “What about D?” “Why not.” And off they go in perfect unison – most of the time anyway! George is a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth. Jimmy’s admiration for George’s musical ability knows no bounds, he ranks as one of the best, his technique, interpretation and expertise are there for all to see and hear. He is a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments one can pay is to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man.
George is also a “bit of a wag” and when Jimmy and I were discussing his most recent broadcast, we agreed that some of the “way out” material was included to provoke controversy among the listeners and that the reference to “West Coast”, must surely have referred to the West Coast of Japan, rather than our native shores! When and where did it all start?
EARLY DAYS
On the 2nd of September, 1931 in a house in Rosebank Street in the Hilltown district of Dundee, and I quote “I was born at a very early age, close to my mother” and as fate would have it, only two tram stops from the Coldside Studios whence came many of the live Scottish Dance music programmes in those halcyon days of the late 40’s and early 50’s. We’ll save that for later.
Jimmy is the younger of two. He has a sister who dabbles on the piano, but is not into the Scottish scene. He has a cousin, however, Betty Tyndell who is a very good vamper and who was one third of the excellent Eric Stewart Trio. Her accomplices being 6ft 4 in Eric Brown, accordion – massive finger stretch sounds like two boxes – and George Stewart on drums.
Jimmy’s mother, who died 3 year ago aged 86, did not go out to work but had the fulltime occupation, more common in those days, of housewife. She did not play an instrument herself, but had a great love of music and in her latter years became almost fanatical about the big fiddle sound, travelling far and near to concerts featuring the various Strathspey and Reel Society orchestras.
Jimmy’s father, who drove a lorry (horse-drawn in his earlier days) for G & P Barrie, a Dundee firm of lemonade manufacturers, played the Eb bass in the Dundee Trades Band and Jimmy’s earliest recollections are of spending Saturday and Sunday afternoons in various parks, either listening to his dad’s band or “spying” on other brass ensembles.
Although he enjoyed this scene, it’s sheer concentration may have been responsible for the fact that his musical career has taken a totally different course. How did the violin/fiddle come to be his chosen instrument? Well, at the tender age of 4 he landed in Dundee’s Kings Cross Hospital with scarlet fever. As a present to keep him from wearying, an uncle presented him with a wee toy fiddle made of tinplate and with wire for strings – I can personally remember having one of these in the mid 30’s, they were painted a rich, golden brown colour and were very attractive. Said Jimmy “I was captivated by this fiddle, it was the most marvellous thing that had happened to me, up till then”.
He treasured the little fiddle and became obsessed with learning to play the real thing, so, at the age of 5, after an aptitude test at school (imagine at 5 years old!), he started learning classical violin with an eminent teacher, Mr Routledge Bell, who’s “studio” was in Commercial Street, about 5 or 10 minutes walk from the Yeaman domain.
Jimmy, who had no inclination towards the Scottish Music scene at this stage, stayed with the Routledge Bell School, until in his low teens. Other notable fellow pupils being the late Syd Chalmers, quite a bit older and hence with a different orchestral group, and Ron Gonella, one year older and hence with the same group. Must slip in a wee quote here – Jimmy talking (and crawling) to Ron – “When I’m discussing ages with folk, I always say, I’m one year older than Ron Gonella and Sean Connery” and they say “Who’s Sean Connery?”
The Routledge Bell School of Music Orchestra were certainly in great demand for charity functions (as his friends will tell you Jimmy developed a life-long phobia about them, the mere mention of the word causing the onset of sweating and giddiness) and concerts, and here are one or two wee interesting quotes from newspaper cuttings (Dundee Courier and Advertiser) of the late thirties and early forties – “CONCERT IN AID OF RED CROSS” – Juvenile soloists had to answer repeated encores last night when the pupils of Mr Routledge Bell gave a violin recital….Six and a half years old Jimmy Yeaman showed promising technique in his Scot’s Air and variation. Other soloist were ….and Sydney Chalmers”. Jimmy’s offering was “The Keel Row” with variations but not from a Scottish book, from a folio of Classical Studies.
Another quote, from a different Concert – “Soloists were Jimmy Yeaman, Catherine Fleming, Ronald Gonella, George McMillan….” And again “Rockwell School Hall was crowded last night for a Concert by pupils of Mr Routledge Bell. Three orchestras took part …. And the Primary Orchestra, leader J.Yeaman”. Not bad for a beginner.
Incidentally, Ron Gonella, who became Mr Bell’s star pupil, preceded Jimmy as leader of the Primary Orchestra. There is a very interesting photograph showing both of the lads in short breeks, giving it ‘laldie’ in an orchestral recital but unfortunately the picture is not of a quality to give reasonable reproduction in the B&F.
Now for the next milestone in our hero’s career. At the age of nine, Jimmy joined the Life Boys at his local church, “Bonnet Hill” at the same time as a certain Douglas Cargill, another name which was to become well-known in Scottish Dance circles. At twelve the lads moved up into the 29th Dundee Company of the Boys Brigade. It is amazing now to reflect on how well all the boys were brought up. What went wrong?
In the B.B.’s at this time, indoor marching practice was carried out to a piano played by a Lamont Forbes, and not long afterwards a band evolved which played for the Bible Class singing and for church concerts and other activities. The group consisted of Lamont Forbes (piano/accordion), Lyall Duncan and Jimmy Yeaman (now 14) on fiddles and Dougie Cargill (soprano saxophone).
After a couple of years with the band, Jimmy became heavily involved in studies, football and courting – he met his wife-to-be (May) at night-school –“It was dark at the time”. Music suddenly took second place, but one little trip round about that period sticks out in Jimmy’s memory.
Dougie Cargill had a cousin, Dougie Maxwell, who lived in a house on a farm near Forganbank in Fife – his father, Douglas Snr – being the double bass player with Jimmy Shand, but like many of his contemporaries was multi-instrumental and could also handle piano accordion. Dougie Jnr played trumpet, anyhow, D.C. plus soprano sax took J.Y. plus fiddle across to Fife to visit the Maxwell household and needless to say, a good tune was had by all. The reason for mentioning this visit will become apparent shortly.
Still not really into the Scottish scene, Jimmy was called up in 1950 to do his 2 years National Service as a Storeman in the R.A.F. during which time he was stationed in Germany. The storekeeping side didn’t enter the scheme of things too much and his musical talents kept him busy providing entertainment at camp functions, as a solo turn, as half of a fiddle/accordion duo and as a member of a dance band. It was just like “It ain’t half hot, Mum”. While in Germany he attended night classes to learn the language, he became involved with German music and made a lot of friends amongst the natives.
The real turning point in Jimmy’s musical outlook and career came after demob in 1952. He bought his first record player, quite something in those days and two or three records, Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron, Robert Wilson and the Mansefield Singers. Suddenly J.Y. was becoming aware of what he had been missing in our national and traditional music. He also heard a radio broadcast of a North-east fiddle player, Hector McAndrew by name, and was bowled over by it – he had never heard anything like that before, thought it must be two fiddles. He went straight out and bought a Hector McAndrew record and he was hooked. Thank goodness for that!
He started listening to the Scottish Dance music programmes on the Scottish Home Service and one band fielding a trumpet – not Jim Cameron – registered with him, its name “The Olympians”. Almost immediately after this he bumped into Dougie Cargill, also just out of the R.A.F. in Dundee. Dougie asked “Did you hear The Olympians? It was my cousin Dougie Maxwell on cornet. They want me to join them on double bass, Dougie’s father is going to teach me, and they also want a fiddler – are you interested?”
No second bidding required, J.Y. now 21 accepted. The line-up of the six piece in addition to fiddle was leader on accordion Bobby Crowe (the youngest member at 19), the late David Findlay (piano), Dougie Maxwell (cornet), Dougie Maxwell (double bass) and on drums Tom Robertson.
This was the start of 12 years with this one band, during which time the accordion changed no less than 5 times – Bobby Crowe, Martin Hayes, Jackie Stewart, John Huband and David Cunningham Snr. When Bobby Crowe left to do his National Service, David Findlay took charge of the band and Jimmy is permanently grateful for the experience he gained with him on the organisation and running of a band and also about Scottish country Dancing and dance music. David was an enthusiastic dancer himself, in fact, I understand he had teaching certificates in the art.
Jimmy, now a fanatical listener to the Scottish Dance music programmes (three a week at one time) would get home from work at ten to six, switch on the radio and hear the announcement of the venue and band for the programme to go out at 6.35 p.m. If it was to be at Coldside, a quick tea, onto a tram and into the studio, just in time for the broadcast. Officially there was no studio audience, but because of his “Olympians” involvement and the fact that he knew the head librarian – the studio was an upstairs room in the library – he had no problem gaining access. After the session he would make the acquaintance of the various players, who in those days were the equivalent of the pop stars of today, but because of travel arrangements at that time, were somewhat inaccessible to fans and even to other bands.
With far fewer individual car owners, all the member so a band tended to travel in one vehicle and en route to “gigs” the band wagons instantly recognisable by the double bass, or drum kit on the roof or boot, passed like ships in the night. Very occasionally they would meet up on the way home, one typical rendezvous being the Perth transport café where in the small hours they would have “breakfast” and a blether.
Jimmy recalled one such gathering at a hotel in Beauly. Word had got round that Bobby MacLeod was in the area and homeward bound bands “homed in” on the spot like “bees round a honey pot”. Bert Shorthouse, Ian Powrie, Andrew Rankine and The Olympians. But Bobby had moved on earlier, however, a tremendous time was had by all and someone suggested “Why don’t we organise a Scottish Dance Band Convention every so often on a Sunday when no-one is playing?” Nothing came of it then, but happily the Accordion and Fiddle Club movement came into being and by and large, has been pretty successful in satisfying a long-felt want. The musicians are no longer just a faceless sound on the radio.
Some unusual happenings occurred during the live broadcasts at Coldside. One in particular stands out in J.Y’s mind. A certain band which at that time fielded a “fireside” fiddler came to a waltz selection set in 3 and 4 flats requiring use of the 4th finger. While the continuity announcer in Glasgow was doing his linking spiel there was a flurry of activity in the studio as the fiddler and double bass player swapped roles for that one set! On another occasion, high drama overtook the “Olympians” themselves, when the rivets holding David Cunningham’s accordion straps came adrift and the instrument fell onto his knees – luckily no further. The producer and the technician rushed to his aid with handkerchiefs, cables, string etc but to no avail and the broadcast duly proceeded minus box.
The next day, David Findlay, curious to hear folk’s reaction, asked his work colleagues if they had heard the programme? “Yes” they had “not bad at all, but you want to tell that fiddle player of yours to “hogging” the mike!”
During the 50’s, Jimmy’s dad, who had been a Scots Guardsman during the First World War contracted that progressively crippling affliction, Parkinson’s Disease. But, despite this he was still fanatical about his music and attended all the “Olympian’s” broadcast and concerts, and listened avidly to gramophone records, completely wearing out the “Mansefield Singers” disc, mentioned earlier, Sadly, he died prematurely at the age of 58.
We have now reached another very significant stepping off point in Jimmy’s career, both job and music wise, but first a flashback to that band which accompanied the Bible Class at Bonnet Hill Church in the late 1940’s. Although J.Y’s musical interests had taken second place to other ploys, the group continued without him and now included two other Dundonians, fiddler Jack Lindsay and drummer, Freddie Collins. Freddie now lives in Toronto and is the resident drummer with Bobby Brown’s “Cape Breton Symphony” and “The Scottish Accent”, and has recorded with Graham Townsend and Rudy Meeks. The B.B. Band now carried the name “The Gie Gordons”, which was to be perpetuated when they later graduated to broadcasting status with Lyall Duncan leading, but now on double bass, and Lamont Forbes on first accordion.
But now it was “all change”. Up to 1964 Jimmy had worked in the sales office of a Dundee carpet manufacturer, but in April of that year he was promoted to sales representative for the West of Scotland. This meant a move to the Glasgow area and he and his family set up home in Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond, where they stayed until comparatively recently, when they flitted to Drymen, a very desirable area (although less so now!!)
As he had “deserted” his family to such a great extent whilst with the “Olympians”, Jimmy decided after settling in Balloch to join Helensburgh Orchestral Society, revert to his classical roots and spend a lot more time at home with his wife and “weans”. But, the “cookie had different ideas on how it was going to crumble”.
Not long after the shift to the West, J.Y. pulled up at a filling station in Balloch and the owner/attendant just happened to be whistling “John McFadyen of Melfort”, which, of course, led to a chat, which in turn led to a friendship because of mutual interest in Scottish Dance music, which in the late Autumn led to an invitation by the aforementioned owner/attendant, one Tom Lynn, to accompany him on one of his weekly Monday evening jaunts to a dance at the Highlanders Institute in Glasgow and so on and so on.
To cut a long story short, the band on stage on that first visit was led by Fergie MacDonald, the 3-row button-key player from Arharchle in Ardnamurchan. At the interval Jimmy was introduced to F.McD. who said “It just so happens I need a fiddle player for next Monday”. So, along duly went our man plus fiddle, and on this occasion the second box player was John Carmichael who said “I need a fiddle player at Gartocharn on Friday, could you help me out?” OK – second box player at Gartocharn Lex Keith - “What a bit of luck, I need a fiddle….”. Suffice to say that J.Y. who had been with only one East Coast band consistently for 12 years, with the exception of helping out on two isolated occasions in emergency, played with no less than 6 different bands in 6 weeks over in the West.
This underlined one of the salient differences between East and West. In the West these was a far greater population, i.e. Glasgow and surrounding districts, hence more dancers – the queues outside the Glasgow Highlanders Institute used to be about 100 yards long and many of the hopefuls never got in, the more enterprising punters would sometimes offer to carry fiddle or accordion in a last ditch bid to gain entry. There were also fewer top bands in the West, just compare the Dundee area of that era with say, 8 or more broadcasting groups, and Glasgow with 2 or 3. Musicians in the West therefore had to spread themselves very thinly to meet the heavy demand and bandleaders tended to get a booking and then form a band.
Fergie MacDonald was living in Glasgow at that time and deeply involved in the Gaelic music scene and Jimmy, who became a regular member of the band for five years, had to change his style completely to adapt to the “West Coast Sound”, which can now crop up anywhere, but in those days hadn’t made many inroads east of Perth. Fergie also had an incredible ear and memory.
After moving to Balloch, J.Y. had to go back for one broadcast with the “Olympians” and had to play a new set of jigs on sight – no problem. But, the following week when playing with F.MacD. he said “I like these tunes, where did you get them?” “Y-y-you p-p-played them on a broadcast last week!”
When Fergie returned to his native heath to practice his physiotherapy, Jimmy freelanced for a while with a number of bands in the area, including the “Strathclyde” which specialised in Scottish Country Dance playing.
Other popular bands on the Glasgow scene were “Andy MacColl’s” and the “Kelvin Ceilidh Band” led by Eddie Copland on bass, with Bob Lillie and Andy Beveridge 1st and 2nd accordions, George Orr piano and the late Davie Miller on drums. Jimmy joined this group round about 1969 and has been with them ever since, having seen a number of personnel changes. The present 4 man line-up is – leader J.Y. on fiddle, on lead accordion from Kirkfieldbank near Lanark Allan Smith (“now remember that name – you may never hear it again”), 2nd accordion Ian Graham from Carluke and drums Hugh Ferguson from Balloch. If augmented to a five piece, a pianist is employed, Dorothy Lawson from West Linton having carried out this role on several occasions.
There is so much more that could be told about this man, but space is short. He is a popular adjudicator at fiddle festivals – “Adjudicating can be a humbling experience, you must be kind in any criticism, because a wrong word can put people off”. Incidentally, he considers Ron Gonella to be one of the best, if not the best fiddle adjudicator on the scene today.
J.Y. is also Leader and Depute Conductor of the Glasgow Strathspey and Reel Society. “It’s a great social thing and gives a lot of people a lot of happiness, and there are a lot of fiddle players who wouldn’t be playing at all if it wasn’t for organisations like the Cally”.
Enough of Jimmy for the moment – what about his wife and family. May, a native of Dundee is a forthright, vivacious person with a most pleasing, slightly husky voice (Williams, you’re a bigger creep than Yeaman). She is a school teacher and a keen hill walker, does not play an instrument but is quite keen on music in respectable doses, and of course, it goes without saying, she must be a very tolerant person.
May and Jimmy have 3 sons. Neil, the oldest at 32, is a Telecoms engineer, but also plays electric guitar with Jim Wilkie’s Electric Ceilidh Band and had appeared on S.T.V.’s “Sounds Gaelic”.
The middle boy, Gordon, age 30, is also a very accomplished musician, he was a Student of the Year at the RSAMD in Glasgow, is married with two wee ones, firstly David James (3) who inspired Grandad to pen a 4/4 march in the Skinner mode with Shetland overtones, called “David James Yeaman of Skellister”, and Janie 1½ years who can “twist Grandad round her little finger”. Gordon and his wife Marion (also from Balloch) are both teachers, and Marion is taking fiddle lessons from Tom Anderson. When they first moved to the Shetlands, they stayed at Skellister, a few miles north of Lerwick, but they moved to Lerwick itself a couple of year back. Gordon teaches music in the schools and fronts a jazz trio on piano in various hotels in the area.
The youngest lad, Derek (27), is half of a Scots pop duo, “Local Hero”. They had a record in the charts a few months ago with another in the pipeline, and they are all set for a tour with “Shakin’ Stevens” – (whoever he is when he’s at home). “Yeaman” is certainly a name in the music world.
In conclusion, a few wee anecdotes and quotes which sum up the man – I always say “Book Jimmy Yeaman, he’s the poor man’s Ron Gonella, half the price and twice as loud and can run and duck faster. He doesn’t mind people walking out during a performance, it’s when they walk towards him, that’s when he panics”.
Another quote from J.Y. to George Stirrat “Don’t give up the day job George”.
A quote from Ron Gonella, “Jimmy’s a good adjudicator, but the cotton wool in his ears can be a problem”.
Then there is the wee story Jimmy tells us against himself – his first crack at competing in a fiddle festival at Alyth after demob. He read the blurb – “March, Strathspey and Reel selection” and duly turned up ready to play 4 of each. When the first player went on and played one of each, Jimmy thought “What an idiot that is!”, turned to Angus Fitchet and said “What’s the score here?”
Jimmy has always looked younger than his years, but a short while back he “sprouted a beard” which narrowed the gap a bit, and I asked him why he grew it? He replied, “Well it’s like this, I reckoned it cost me 5 minutes a day to shave, that’s 35 minutes a week and 30 hours 20 minutes a year. So in a life span of 3 score years and 10, since I started growing it I’ll get an extra 20 days to play Scottish Dance Music!” – I wish I’d never asked.
A “one-off” right enough. Who else but J.Y. could have his destiny moulded by a wee tin fiddle, and a whistling pump attendant. But, my goodness, he’s the better for knowing.
Letters to the Editor
Sir – Because of my advocacy of more variety on the A&F Club scene, it has been suggested in certain quarters that I am anti-traditionalist, or anti-Scottish style.
This is not so, and I trust that the following observation will go some way to putting the record straight.
I have noticed of late that there is an increasing tendency amongst players to end a set, may it be pipe marches, jigs, strathspeys, reels or hornpipes, not on a major or minor chord but a 6th, which is a modern dance band sound and totally alien to the Scottish or Irish tradition. It’s inclusion does nothing to enhance the execution of the set, indeed on reflection, perhaps ‘execution’ is the operative word.
I would therefore urge those who have adopted this practice to adandon it in the interests of the Scottish style.
May I say I found John Caskie’s letter most interesting. However, I have found the majority of Club venues I have visited do not have the facility for dancing.
John Mackie
Sir – Re. the John Caskie letter in the February issue of the ‘B&F’. No sir, in no way do we want dancing at our A&F Clubs.
The Club is for listening to our own kind of music and to have a tune as well, if one plays an instrument opf any kind.
It’s hard enough trying to hear the music, without people dancing or talking. If people want to dance there are plenty of dance halls up and down the country. So please, please in no way do we want dancing at our A&F Clubs.
Willie Cassie
Sir – I have been a member of the Perth A&F Club for some time now. As a playing member, I have had the privilege of playing alongside some most talented musicians.
Joan Blue, on piano has given me great encouragement, as she does for all, especially the youngsters, not all 86.
It has given me great pleasure with Joan blue at my left, very weak hand and Dr Stella Wilkie, a marvelous fiddler, on my right hand. There are no gold medals won at any time without a lot of ability, and Stella has lots of ability.
Simon Howie, piano accordion, one of the most improved players I have listened to and a very fine young gentleman.
Jack Cooper, a first class drummer, playing with the ‘White Heather’ group speaks for itself and Jack is also a fine organizer of events.
Stan Saunders on bass fiddle, a very fine player id Stan. Can be heard playing in most of the top bands. That is surely enough to recommend.
Can I say thanks to all these first class musicians for helping out a real novice.
Hamish MacLaren
Sir – I see it is now possible to purchase videos on just about any subject except Scottish Dance Bands.
I would very much like to obtain videos of the various Scottish Bands, especially those featuring Jimmy Shand, Jimmy Shand Jnr, Bobby MacLeod and the Wick SDB, to name a few of the most obvious names that come to mind.
Perhaps I could suggest, through your paper, that some enterprising Company be persuaded to produce videos of the top Scottish artistes.
We in the south do not often have the opportunity to see any Scottish Bands or Scottish dancing on television. I cannot remember the last time the B.B.C. or I.T.V. broadcast anything concerning Scottish Traditional Music, even at the New Year. They seem to think us ‘Sasenachs’ do not appreciate anything Scottish, well here is one who does!
T.J. Gladman
Sir – May I take this opportunity to say thank you for the support through music and donations etc at Kirsty’s ceilidh.
We were able to donate £500 to the Blind-Deaf School at Carmunnock, near Glasgow, which was gratefully received.
We had a lovely surprise at the last Kirsty’s Ceilidh when Bill Black from Stanley presented us with a cheque for £231, which was collected when Bill’s SDB played at Plockton Outdoors, and the group decided to donate it towards this cause.
It must be very hard never to be able to hear all the lovely music or to see all the talent.
Many thanks to Bill Black and the people of Plockton for the large donation and Bill Wright for sending the photographs.
Kirsty Bisset
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) – 25th April 89 Jim Johnstone SDB
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Armadale (Masonic Arms Hotel) – 6th April 90 Craigowl SDB
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) –
Balloch (Bell Centre, Dumbarton) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) –
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 9th April 89 Currie Brothers
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 11th April 89 Colin Dewar SDB
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) –
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel) 6th April 89 Deirdre Adamson Trio
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (venue? ) –
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 18th April 89 Neil Copland Trio
Dundee (The Marquee) –
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (King’s Park Hotel, Rutherglen) – 27th April 89 Bill Black SDB
Edinburgh (Abbey Suite, Abbey Lane) –
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 24th April 89 Deirdre Adamson
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 26th March 89 Neil MacEachern SDB
Forres (Brig Motel) – 12th April 89 Ian Holmes SDB
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Theo’s Restaurant, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Gorebridge (Rangers FC Social Club) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) –
Islesteps (Driveway Inn) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 29th March 89 Rigadoon
26th April Dennis Morrison SDB
8th April 89 Dinner Dance at the Tait Hotel
Kintore (Crown Hotel) –
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 13th April 89 Peter Wood SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate) 21st March 89 Robert Whitehead
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) - 28th March 89 Ian Powrie
25th April 89 Jacqueline Dick Trio
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant)
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th April 89 Garioch Blend
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 27th March 89 Jennifer Forrest SDB
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) –
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) – 15th March 89 Paddy Neary
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) –
Oban (Highlander Restaurant) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Peebles (Countryside Inn) – 30th March 89 Oakbank Sound
Perth (Station Hotel) – 21st March 89 Angus Fitchet SDB
18th April 89 James Lindsay SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloom) –
Rothbury (Jubilee Hall
Shetland (venue?) -
Stranraer (Railway Club) –
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 11th April 89 Deirdre Adamson
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Balloch
3. Banff
4. Biggar
5. Blairgowrie
6. Button Key
7. Castle Douglas
8. Coalburn
9. Dingwall & District
10. Dunblane
11. Forfar
12. Forres
13. Highland
14. Islesteps
15. Lesmahagow
16. Livingston
17. M.A.F.I.A.
18. Mauchline
19. Montrose
20. Newtongrange
21. North Cumbria
22. Ormiston
23. Peebles
24. Perth
25. Premier
26. Renfrew
27. Rothbury
28. Shetland
29. Thurso
30. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1988 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
3. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
4. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Button Key A&F Club (
13. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
14. Coalburn A&F Club
15. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
16. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
17. Derwentside A&F Club
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
20. Dundee & District A&F Club
21. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
22. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
23. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
24. Ellon A&F Club (
25. Fintry A&F Club
26. Forfar A&F Club
27. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
28. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
29. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
30. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
31. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
32. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
36. Kintore A&F Club
37. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
38. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
39. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
40. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
41. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
42. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
43. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
44. Mull A&F Club
45. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
46. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
47. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
48. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
49. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
50. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
51. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
52. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
53. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
54. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
55. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
56. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
57. Sutherland A&F Club (
58. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
59. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
60. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
61. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
63. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
64. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Buchan A&F Club
68. Callander A&F Club (
69. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
70. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
71. Club Accord
72. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
73. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
74. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
75. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
76. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
77. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
78. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
79. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
80. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
81. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
82. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
83. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
84. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
85. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
86. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
87. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
88. Newcastleton Accordion Club
89. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
90. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
91. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
92. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
93. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
94. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
95. Wellbank A&F Club
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B&F Treasurer – Mrs Cathy Andrew, 22 Lochinver Crescent, Foxbar, Paisley Tele 2824
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
In recent weeks I have received one or two complaints from Club Secretaries or scribes related to the reports of their meetingsnot appearing in the paper. I have attempted to explain the situation to you in previous issues, but perhaps this has been missed by the Clubs concerned.
A genuine effort is made by the team, to ensure that Clubs are given equal prominence as far as possible. It is always possible however, that a Club may find its reports left out on occasions. This can happen for a variety of reasons. There are times when space available will determine which report is chosen. If a report is the ideal length, then it may well be taken out of order. This may be viewed as slightly unfair, but technical considerations are important at the final stages. In the main, any report left out for this reason would be inserted in the following issue.
I would ask all Secretaries to remember that a lot of work requires to be done following receipt of the reports by me. After reading and editing where required, the reports are placed in order and made ready for dispatch to Forfar, where Doug Adamson has a lot more work to do before items are ready for delivery to the printers. The production team work on a voluntary basis in the evenings and it is not always possible to deal with items immediately they are received. Dou Adamson, takes time off from his business duties to deal with these matters, on a regular basis, during daytime.
We fully appreciate the problems which can arise for some Clubs, when their report does not appear and sincerely apologise to those concerned. We hope however, that you will also appreciate the problems at this end. One way of helping the situation is for reports to be sent in as soon as possible after meetings. This gives us plenty of time to deal with matters – but there are no guarantees!
Tom Clark
“I was Born at a Very Early Age”
Jimmy Yeaman
by Norrie Williams
B.B.C.s “Dallas” has J.R. and we on the Scottish music scene have “J.Y.”- both real characters but as different as ‘chalk and cheese’. If I had to go to Paisley and I thought J.R. was in Glasgow, it would be via Wick and Thurso. But “J.Y.” – that’s a different story. The very mention of his name invariably evokes favourable, one might almost say, affectionate comments from all who have come into contact with him or seen him perform, as compere, soloist, band member, orchestra leader, colleague, and what have you.
He has a disarming manner, an almost childlike wide-eyed innocence, and a genuine interest in his fellow beings, all of which make folk take to him very quickly. He also has an inimitable gentle, clean sense of humour which is always to the fore, his mood is consistently a happy one – he never seems to be up nor down. Only the other day when I rang him to arrange a wee meeting, he had ‘flu but was still cheerful and wisecracking away. I said “this flu will have you depressed”. “no it won’t, but I’ll get depressed going over my career with you and thinking of all the missed chances!”
At first meeting with “J.Y” alias Jimmy Yeaman, as if you hadn’t guessed by now, was on one of my earliest visits to an Accordion and Fiddle Club . Button key player and pipe music enthusiast, Ivor Britton had taken me along to the M.A.F.I.A. which at that time met in “the upper room” of the Black Bull at Milngavie, with Bobby Harvey as Godfather.
The guest on this occasion was Ian Holmes, and there were quite a number of other notables present, John Carmichael, Archie Duncan, Dochie McCallum, Lex Keith, George Stirrat, to name but a few, but I particularly remember this fiddle player, who I had never met before, coming up and after a warm greeting saying “Where do you get all you’re tunes from? They’re new to me, but great stuff”. I got a great kick out of that and felt very much at home. This was typical of the man.
Whilst on the subject of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs, it is in large part thanks to these noble institutions that Jimmy has become such a kenspeckle figure. He has been Chairman and compere of the Balloch Club since its inception in 1972, and in the latter capacity he has no peers. His aforementioned incomparable gentle humour takes a trick with audiences and performers alike. When introducing a player he uses asides which coming from others might cause offence, but from Jimmy they have the opposite effect and finish up as unqualified compliments.
As a performer he is now one half of the “D.D.D.” – “Diabolical, Dynamic Duo”, his partner in crime being that very talented musician from Cumbernauld, George Stirrat, but his initial introduction to the Club circuit was as a solo guest artiste. This followed two consecutive wins in the Senior Traditional Fiddle Class at Bill Wilkie’s Perth Accordion Festival in 1965 an ’66.
His first invitation was to do a solo guest spot at the Langholm Club, his accompanist on piano being none other than gamekeeper Billy Bell, a very accomplished fiddle player himself, who is best known for his earlier association with the Eric Goodfellow Band and now with Alan Gardiner, whose band made its debut broadcast in 1988. Booking for the Border Clubs now followed thick and fast, Gretna, Lockerbie, Newton St Boswells, Dumfries, Hexham and so on, with the result that for a period of 5 years or so he was guesting in that area about once a month.
Now, at this time he was a member of the Glasgow based Kelvin Ceilidh Band, of which more later, and for the majority of his Club appearances, he fronted a trio drawn from this group, his colleagues being the late Bob Lillie, on accordion, and Rae Hyslop on piano.
But back to the “D.D.D.” which was formed quite a while after Bob Lillie’s untimely passing, eight and a half years ago.
As Club guest artistes, Jimmy Yeaman and George Stirrat are a knockout, their banter being as good as their music. George’s dry, laid-back comments are the perfect foil for Jimmy’s innocent “leaning forward”, quickfire throwaway quips. A typical example – “What now George, a set of reels?” “Why not” “What key does it start with?” “Please yourself” “What about D?” “Why not.” And off they go in perfect unison – most of the time anyway! George is a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth. Jimmy’s admiration for George’s musical ability knows no bounds, he ranks as one of the best, his technique, interpretation and expertise are there for all to see and hear. He is a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments one can pay is to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man.
George is also a “bit of a wag” and when Jimmy and I were discussing his most recent broadcast, we agreed that some of the “way out” material was included to provoke controversy among the listeners and that the reference to “West Coast”, must surely have referred to the West Coast of Japan, rather than our native shores! When and where did it all start?
EARLY DAYS
On the 2nd of September, 1931 in a house in Rosebank Street in the Hilltown district of Dundee, and I quote “I was born at a very early age, close to my mother” and as fate would have it, only two tram stops from the Coldside Studios whence came many of the live Scottish Dance music programmes in those halcyon days of the late 40’s and early 50’s. We’ll save that for later.
Jimmy is the younger of two. He has a sister who dabbles on the piano, but is not into the Scottish scene. He has a cousin, however, Betty Tyndell who is a very good vamper and who was one third of the excellent Eric Stewart Trio. Her accomplices being 6ft 4 in Eric Brown, accordion – massive finger stretch sounds like two boxes – and George Stewart on drums.
Jimmy’s mother, who died 3 year ago aged 86, did not go out to work but had the fulltime occupation, more common in those days, of housewife. She did not play an instrument herself, but had a great love of music and in her latter years became almost fanatical about the big fiddle sound, travelling far and near to concerts featuring the various Strathspey and Reel Society orchestras.
Jimmy’s father, who drove a lorry (horse-drawn in his earlier days) for G & P Barrie, a Dundee firm of lemonade manufacturers, played the Eb bass in the Dundee Trades Band and Jimmy’s earliest recollections are of spending Saturday and Sunday afternoons in various parks, either listening to his dad’s band or “spying” on other brass ensembles.
Although he enjoyed this scene, it’s sheer concentration may have been responsible for the fact that his musical career has taken a totally different course. How did the violin/fiddle come to be his chosen instrument? Well, at the tender age of 4 he landed in Dundee’s Kings Cross Hospital with scarlet fever. As a present to keep him from wearying, an uncle presented him with a wee toy fiddle made of tinplate and with wire for strings – I can personally remember having one of these in the mid 30’s, they were painted a rich, golden brown colour and were very attractive. Said Jimmy “I was captivated by this fiddle, it was the most marvellous thing that had happened to me, up till then”.
He treasured the little fiddle and became obsessed with learning to play the real thing, so, at the age of 5, after an aptitude test at school (imagine at 5 years old!), he started learning classical violin with an eminent teacher, Mr Routledge Bell, who’s “studio” was in Commercial Street, about 5 or 10 minutes walk from the Yeaman domain.
Jimmy, who had no inclination towards the Scottish Music scene at this stage, stayed with the Routledge Bell School, until in his low teens. Other notable fellow pupils being the late Syd Chalmers, quite a bit older and hence with a different orchestral group, and Ron Gonella, one year older and hence with the same group. Must slip in a wee quote here – Jimmy talking (and crawling) to Ron – “When I’m discussing ages with folk, I always say, I’m one year older than Ron Gonella and Sean Connery” and they say “Who’s Sean Connery?”
The Routledge Bell School of Music Orchestra were certainly in great demand for charity functions (as his friends will tell you Jimmy developed a life-long phobia about them, the mere mention of the word causing the onset of sweating and giddiness) and concerts, and here are one or two wee interesting quotes from newspaper cuttings (Dundee Courier and Advertiser) of the late thirties and early forties – “CONCERT IN AID OF RED CROSS” – Juvenile soloists had to answer repeated encores last night when the pupils of Mr Routledge Bell gave a violin recital….Six and a half years old Jimmy Yeaman showed promising technique in his Scot’s Air and variation. Other soloist were ….and Sydney Chalmers”. Jimmy’s offering was “The Keel Row” with variations but not from a Scottish book, from a folio of Classical Studies.
Another quote, from a different Concert – “Soloists were Jimmy Yeaman, Catherine Fleming, Ronald Gonella, George McMillan….” And again “Rockwell School Hall was crowded last night for a Concert by pupils of Mr Routledge Bell. Three orchestras took part …. And the Primary Orchestra, leader J.Yeaman”. Not bad for a beginner.
Incidentally, Ron Gonella, who became Mr Bell’s star pupil, preceded Jimmy as leader of the Primary Orchestra. There is a very interesting photograph showing both of the lads in short breeks, giving it ‘laldie’ in an orchestral recital but unfortunately the picture is not of a quality to give reasonable reproduction in the B&F.
Now for the next milestone in our hero’s career. At the age of nine, Jimmy joined the Life Boys at his local church, “Bonnet Hill” at the same time as a certain Douglas Cargill, another name which was to become well-known in Scottish Dance circles. At twelve the lads moved up into the 29th Dundee Company of the Boys Brigade. It is amazing now to reflect on how well all the boys were brought up. What went wrong?
In the B.B.’s at this time, indoor marching practice was carried out to a piano played by a Lamont Forbes, and not long afterwards a band evolved which played for the Bible Class singing and for church concerts and other activities. The group consisted of Lamont Forbes (piano/accordion), Lyall Duncan and Jimmy Yeaman (now 14) on fiddles and Dougie Cargill (soprano saxophone).
After a couple of years with the band, Jimmy became heavily involved in studies, football and courting – he met his wife-to-be (May) at night-school –“It was dark at the time”. Music suddenly took second place, but one little trip round about that period sticks out in Jimmy’s memory.
Dougie Cargill had a cousin, Dougie Maxwell, who lived in a house on a farm near Forganbank in Fife – his father, Douglas Snr – being the double bass player with Jimmy Shand, but like many of his contemporaries was multi-instrumental and could also handle piano accordion. Dougie Jnr played trumpet, anyhow, D.C. plus soprano sax took J.Y. plus fiddle across to Fife to visit the Maxwell household and needless to say, a good tune was had by all. The reason for mentioning this visit will become apparent shortly.
Still not really into the Scottish scene, Jimmy was called up in 1950 to do his 2 years National Service as a Storeman in the R.A.F. during which time he was stationed in Germany. The storekeeping side didn’t enter the scheme of things too much and his musical talents kept him busy providing entertainment at camp functions, as a solo turn, as half of a fiddle/accordion duo and as a member of a dance band. It was just like “It ain’t half hot, Mum”. While in Germany he attended night classes to learn the language, he became involved with German music and made a lot of friends amongst the natives.
The real turning point in Jimmy’s musical outlook and career came after demob in 1952. He bought his first record player, quite something in those days and two or three records, Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron, Robert Wilson and the Mansefield Singers. Suddenly J.Y. was becoming aware of what he had been missing in our national and traditional music. He also heard a radio broadcast of a North-east fiddle player, Hector McAndrew by name, and was bowled over by it – he had never heard anything like that before, thought it must be two fiddles. He went straight out and bought a Hector McAndrew record and he was hooked. Thank goodness for that!
He started listening to the Scottish Dance music programmes on the Scottish Home Service and one band fielding a trumpet – not Jim Cameron – registered with him, its name “The Olympians”. Almost immediately after this he bumped into Dougie Cargill, also just out of the R.A.F. in Dundee. Dougie asked “Did you hear The Olympians? It was my cousin Dougie Maxwell on cornet. They want me to join them on double bass, Dougie’s father is going to teach me, and they also want a fiddler – are you interested?”
No second bidding required, J.Y. now 21 accepted. The line-up of the six piece in addition to fiddle was leader on accordion Bobby Crowe (the youngest member at 19), the late David Findlay (piano), Dougie Maxwell (cornet), Dougie Maxwell (double bass) and on drums Tom Robertson.
This was the start of 12 years with this one band, during which time the accordion changed no less than 5 times – Bobby Crowe, Martin Hayes, Jackie Stewart, John Huband and David Cunningham Snr. When Bobby Crowe left to do his National Service, David Findlay took charge of the band and Jimmy is permanently grateful for the experience he gained with him on the organisation and running of a band and also about Scottish country Dancing and dance music. David was an enthusiastic dancer himself, in fact, I understand he had teaching certificates in the art.
Jimmy, now a fanatical listener to the Scottish Dance music programmes (three a week at one time) would get home from work at ten to six, switch on the radio and hear the announcement of the venue and band for the programme to go out at 6.35 p.m. If it was to be at Coldside, a quick tea, onto a tram and into the studio, just in time for the broadcast. Officially there was no studio audience, but because of his “Olympians” involvement and the fact that he knew the head librarian – the studio was an upstairs room in the library – he had no problem gaining access. After the session he would make the acquaintance of the various players, who in those days were the equivalent of the pop stars of today, but because of travel arrangements at that time, were somewhat inaccessible to fans and even to other bands.
With far fewer individual car owners, all the member so a band tended to travel in one vehicle and en route to “gigs” the band wagons instantly recognisable by the double bass, or drum kit on the roof or boot, passed like ships in the night. Very occasionally they would meet up on the way home, one typical rendezvous being the Perth transport café where in the small hours they would have “breakfast” and a blether.
Jimmy recalled one such gathering at a hotel in Beauly. Word had got round that Bobby MacLeod was in the area and homeward bound bands “homed in” on the spot like “bees round a honey pot”. Bert Shorthouse, Ian Powrie, Andrew Rankine and The Olympians. But Bobby had moved on earlier, however, a tremendous time was had by all and someone suggested “Why don’t we organise a Scottish Dance Band Convention every so often on a Sunday when no-one is playing?” Nothing came of it then, but happily the Accordion and Fiddle Club movement came into being and by and large, has been pretty successful in satisfying a long-felt want. The musicians are no longer just a faceless sound on the radio.
Some unusual happenings occurred during the live broadcasts at Coldside. One in particular stands out in J.Y’s mind. A certain band which at that time fielded a “fireside” fiddler came to a waltz selection set in 3 and 4 flats requiring use of the 4th finger. While the continuity announcer in Glasgow was doing his linking spiel there was a flurry of activity in the studio as the fiddler and double bass player swapped roles for that one set! On another occasion, high drama overtook the “Olympians” themselves, when the rivets holding David Cunningham’s accordion straps came adrift and the instrument fell onto his knees – luckily no further. The producer and the technician rushed to his aid with handkerchiefs, cables, string etc but to no avail and the broadcast duly proceeded minus box.
The next day, David Findlay, curious to hear folk’s reaction, asked his work colleagues if they had heard the programme? “Yes” they had “not bad at all, but you want to tell that fiddle player of yours to “hogging” the mike!”
During the 50’s, Jimmy’s dad, who had been a Scots Guardsman during the First World War contracted that progressively crippling affliction, Parkinson’s Disease. But, despite this he was still fanatical about his music and attended all the “Olympian’s” broadcast and concerts, and listened avidly to gramophone records, completely wearing out the “Mansefield Singers” disc, mentioned earlier, Sadly, he died prematurely at the age of 58.
We have now reached another very significant stepping off point in Jimmy’s career, both job and music wise, but first a flashback to that band which accompanied the Bible Class at Bonnet Hill Church in the late 1940’s. Although J.Y’s musical interests had taken second place to other ploys, the group continued without him and now included two other Dundonians, fiddler Jack Lindsay and drummer, Freddie Collins. Freddie now lives in Toronto and is the resident drummer with Bobby Brown’s “Cape Breton Symphony” and “The Scottish Accent”, and has recorded with Graham Townsend and Rudy Meeks. The B.B. Band now carried the name “The Gie Gordons”, which was to be perpetuated when they later graduated to broadcasting status with Lyall Duncan leading, but now on double bass, and Lamont Forbes on first accordion.
But now it was “all change”. Up to 1964 Jimmy had worked in the sales office of a Dundee carpet manufacturer, but in April of that year he was promoted to sales representative for the West of Scotland. This meant a move to the Glasgow area and he and his family set up home in Balloch at the southern end of Loch Lomond, where they stayed until comparatively recently, when they flitted to Drymen, a very desirable area (although less so now!!)
As he had “deserted” his family to such a great extent whilst with the “Olympians”, Jimmy decided after settling in Balloch to join Helensburgh Orchestral Society, revert to his classical roots and spend a lot more time at home with his wife and “weans”. But, the “cookie had different ideas on how it was going to crumble”.
Not long after the shift to the West, J.Y. pulled up at a filling station in Balloch and the owner/attendant just happened to be whistling “John McFadyen of Melfort”, which, of course, led to a chat, which in turn led to a friendship because of mutual interest in Scottish Dance music, which in the late Autumn led to an invitation by the aforementioned owner/attendant, one Tom Lynn, to accompany him on one of his weekly Monday evening jaunts to a dance at the Highlanders Institute in Glasgow and so on and so on.
To cut a long story short, the band on stage on that first visit was led by Fergie MacDonald, the 3-row button-key player from Arharchle in Ardnamurchan. At the interval Jimmy was introduced to F.McD. who said “It just so happens I need a fiddle player for next Monday”. So, along duly went our man plus fiddle, and on this occasion the second box player was John Carmichael who said “I need a fiddle player at Gartocharn on Friday, could you help me out?” OK – second box player at Gartocharn Lex Keith - “What a bit of luck, I need a fiddle….”. Suffice to say that J.Y. who had been with only one East Coast band consistently for 12 years, with the exception of helping out on two isolated occasions in emergency, played with no less than 6 different bands in 6 weeks over in the West.
This underlined one of the salient differences between East and West. In the West these was a far greater population, i.e. Glasgow and surrounding districts, hence more dancers – the queues outside the Glasgow Highlanders Institute used to be about 100 yards long and many of the hopefuls never got in, the more enterprising punters would sometimes offer to carry fiddle or accordion in a last ditch bid to gain entry. There were also fewer top bands in the West, just compare the Dundee area of that era with say, 8 or more broadcasting groups, and Glasgow with 2 or 3. Musicians in the West therefore had to spread themselves very thinly to meet the heavy demand and bandleaders tended to get a booking and then form a band.
Fergie MacDonald was living in Glasgow at that time and deeply involved in the Gaelic music scene and Jimmy, who became a regular member of the band for five years, had to change his style completely to adapt to the “West Coast Sound”, which can now crop up anywhere, but in those days hadn’t made many inroads east of Perth. Fergie also had an incredible ear and memory.
After moving to Balloch, J.Y. had to go back for one broadcast with the “Olympians” and had to play a new set of jigs on sight – no problem. But, the following week when playing with F.MacD. he said “I like these tunes, where did you get them?” “Y-y-you p-p-played them on a broadcast last week!”
When Fergie returned to his native heath to practice his physiotherapy, Jimmy freelanced for a while with a number of bands in the area, including the “Strathclyde” which specialised in Scottish Country Dance playing.
Other popular bands on the Glasgow scene were “Andy MacColl’s” and the “Kelvin Ceilidh Band” led by Eddie Copland on bass, with Bob Lillie and Andy Beveridge 1st and 2nd accordions, George Orr piano and the late Davie Miller on drums. Jimmy joined this group round about 1969 and has been with them ever since, having seen a number of personnel changes. The present 4 man line-up is – leader J.Y. on fiddle, on lead accordion from Kirkfieldbank near Lanark Allan Smith (“now remember that name – you may never hear it again”), 2nd accordion Ian Graham from Carluke and drums Hugh Ferguson from Balloch. If augmented to a five piece, a pianist is employed, Dorothy Lawson from West Linton having carried out this role on several occasions.
There is so much more that could be told about this man, but space is short. He is a popular adjudicator at fiddle festivals – “Adjudicating can be a humbling experience, you must be kind in any criticism, because a wrong word can put people off”. Incidentally, he considers Ron Gonella to be one of the best, if not the best fiddle adjudicator on the scene today.
J.Y. is also Leader and Depute Conductor of the Glasgow Strathspey and Reel Society. “It’s a great social thing and gives a lot of people a lot of happiness, and there are a lot of fiddle players who wouldn’t be playing at all if it wasn’t for organisations like the Cally”.
Enough of Jimmy for the moment – what about his wife and family. May, a native of Dundee is a forthright, vivacious person with a most pleasing, slightly husky voice (Williams, you’re a bigger creep than Yeaman). She is a school teacher and a keen hill walker, does not play an instrument but is quite keen on music in respectable doses, and of course, it goes without saying, she must be a very tolerant person.
May and Jimmy have 3 sons. Neil, the oldest at 32, is a Telecoms engineer, but also plays electric guitar with Jim Wilkie’s Electric Ceilidh Band and had appeared on S.T.V.’s “Sounds Gaelic”.
The middle boy, Gordon, age 30, is also a very accomplished musician, he was a Student of the Year at the RSAMD in Glasgow, is married with two wee ones, firstly David James (3) who inspired Grandad to pen a 4/4 march in the Skinner mode with Shetland overtones, called “David James Yeaman of Skellister”, and Janie 1½ years who can “twist Grandad round her little finger”. Gordon and his wife Marion (also from Balloch) are both teachers, and Marion is taking fiddle lessons from Tom Anderson. When they first moved to the Shetlands, they stayed at Skellister, a few miles north of Lerwick, but they moved to Lerwick itself a couple of year back. Gordon teaches music in the schools and fronts a jazz trio on piano in various hotels in the area.
The youngest lad, Derek (27), is half of a Scots pop duo, “Local Hero”. They had a record in the charts a few months ago with another in the pipeline, and they are all set for a tour with “Shakin’ Stevens” – (whoever he is when he’s at home). “Yeaman” is certainly a name in the music world.
In conclusion, a few wee anecdotes and quotes which sum up the man – I always say “Book Jimmy Yeaman, he’s the poor man’s Ron Gonella, half the price and twice as loud and can run and duck faster. He doesn’t mind people walking out during a performance, it’s when they walk towards him, that’s when he panics”.
Another quote from J.Y. to George Stirrat “Don’t give up the day job George”.
A quote from Ron Gonella, “Jimmy’s a good adjudicator, but the cotton wool in his ears can be a problem”.
Then there is the wee story Jimmy tells us against himself – his first crack at competing in a fiddle festival at Alyth after demob. He read the blurb – “March, Strathspey and Reel selection” and duly turned up ready to play 4 of each. When the first player went on and played one of each, Jimmy thought “What an idiot that is!”, turned to Angus Fitchet and said “What’s the score here?”
Jimmy has always looked younger than his years, but a short while back he “sprouted a beard” which narrowed the gap a bit, and I asked him why he grew it? He replied, “Well it’s like this, I reckoned it cost me 5 minutes a day to shave, that’s 35 minutes a week and 30 hours 20 minutes a year. So in a life span of 3 score years and 10, since I started growing it I’ll get an extra 20 days to play Scottish Dance Music!” – I wish I’d never asked.
A “one-off” right enough. Who else but J.Y. could have his destiny moulded by a wee tin fiddle, and a whistling pump attendant. But, my goodness, he’s the better for knowing.
Letters to the Editor
Sir – Because of my advocacy of more variety on the A&F Club scene, it has been suggested in certain quarters that I am anti-traditionalist, or anti-Scottish style.
This is not so, and I trust that the following observation will go some way to putting the record straight.
I have noticed of late that there is an increasing tendency amongst players to end a set, may it be pipe marches, jigs, strathspeys, reels or hornpipes, not on a major or minor chord but a 6th, which is a modern dance band sound and totally alien to the Scottish or Irish tradition. It’s inclusion does nothing to enhance the execution of the set, indeed on reflection, perhaps ‘execution’ is the operative word.
I would therefore urge those who have adopted this practice to adandon it in the interests of the Scottish style.
May I say I found John Caskie’s letter most interesting. However, I have found the majority of Club venues I have visited do not have the facility for dancing.
John Mackie
Sir – Re. the John Caskie letter in the February issue of the ‘B&F’. No sir, in no way do we want dancing at our A&F Clubs.
The Club is for listening to our own kind of music and to have a tune as well, if one plays an instrument opf any kind.
It’s hard enough trying to hear the music, without people dancing or talking. If people want to dance there are plenty of dance halls up and down the country. So please, please in no way do we want dancing at our A&F Clubs.
Willie Cassie
Sir – I have been a member of the Perth A&F Club for some time now. As a playing member, I have had the privilege of playing alongside some most talented musicians.
Joan Blue, on piano has given me great encouragement, as she does for all, especially the youngsters, not all 86.
It has given me great pleasure with Joan blue at my left, very weak hand and Dr Stella Wilkie, a marvelous fiddler, on my right hand. There are no gold medals won at any time without a lot of ability, and Stella has lots of ability.
Simon Howie, piano accordion, one of the most improved players I have listened to and a very fine young gentleman.
Jack Cooper, a first class drummer, playing with the ‘White Heather’ group speaks for itself and Jack is also a fine organizer of events.
Stan Saunders on bass fiddle, a very fine player id Stan. Can be heard playing in most of the top bands. That is surely enough to recommend.
Can I say thanks to all these first class musicians for helping out a real novice.
Hamish MacLaren
Sir – I see it is now possible to purchase videos on just about any subject except Scottish Dance Bands.
I would very much like to obtain videos of the various Scottish Bands, especially those featuring Jimmy Shand, Jimmy Shand Jnr, Bobby MacLeod and the Wick SDB, to name a few of the most obvious names that come to mind.
Perhaps I could suggest, through your paper, that some enterprising Company be persuaded to produce videos of the top Scottish artistes.
We in the south do not often have the opportunity to see any Scottish Bands or Scottish dancing on television. I cannot remember the last time the B.B.C. or I.T.V. broadcast anything concerning Scottish Traditional Music, even at the New Year. They seem to think us ‘Sasenachs’ do not appreciate anything Scottish, well here is one who does!
T.J. Gladman
Sir – May I take this opportunity to say thank you for the support through music and donations etc at Kirsty’s ceilidh.
We were able to donate £500 to the Blind-Deaf School at Carmunnock, near Glasgow, which was gratefully received.
We had a lovely surprise at the last Kirsty’s Ceilidh when Bill Black from Stanley presented us with a cheque for £231, which was collected when Bill’s SDB played at Plockton Outdoors, and the group decided to donate it towards this cause.
It must be very hard never to be able to hear all the lovely music or to see all the talent.
Many thanks to Bill Black and the people of Plockton for the large donation and Bill Wright for sending the photographs.
Kirsty Bisset
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Dee Motel) – 25th April 89 Jim Johnstone SDB
Alnwick (Golden Fleece) – members only
Armadale (Masonic Arms Hotel) – 6th April 90 Craigowl SDB
Ayr (Gartferry Hotel) –
Balloch (Bell Centre, Dumbarton) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Beith & District (Hotel de Croft, Dalry) –
Belford (Community Club) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) – 9th April 89 Currie Brothers
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 11th April 89 Colin Dewar SDB
Bridge of Allan (Walmer Hotel) -
Buchan (Buchaness Hotel) –
Button Key (Windygates Institute) –
Callander (Glengarry Hotel) –
Campbeltown (Royal Hotel) –
Castle Douglas (Ernespie Hotel) –
Coupar Angus (Royal Hotel) –
Crieff & District (Drummond Arms Hotel) 6th April 89 Deirdre Adamson Trio
Dalriada (Royal Hotel, Lochgilphead) –
Derwentside (Working Men’s Club, Consett) –
Dingwall (venue? ) –
Dunblane (Westlands Hotel) – 18th April 89 Neil Copland Trio
Dundee (The Marquee) –
Dunfermline (Northern Roadhouse) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel)
East Kilbride (King’s Park Hotel, Rutherglen) – 27th April 89 Bill Black SDB
Edinburgh (Abbey Suite, Abbey Lane) –
Ellon (Ladbroke Hotel) –
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 24th April 89 Deirdre Adamson
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 26th March 89 Neil MacEachern SDB
Forres (Brig Motel) – 12th April 89 Ian Holmes SDB
Fort William (Alexandra Hotel) –
Galashiels (Maxwell Hotel) –
Galston (Theo’s Restaurant, Galston) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel – Wooler) –
Gorebridge (Rangers FC Social Club) –
Highland (Drumossie Hotel) –
Islesteps (Driveway Inn) –
Kelso (Ednam House Hotel) – 29th March 89 Rigadoon
26th April Dennis Morrison SDB
8th April 89 Dinner Dance at the Tait Hotel
Kintore (Crown Hotel) –
Langholm (Crown Hotel) –
Lesmahagow (Masonic Hall) – 13th April 89 Peter Wood SDB
Livingston (Golden Circle Hotel, Bathgate) 21st March 89 Robert Whitehead
Lockerbie (Bluebell Hotel) - 28th March 89 Ian Powrie
25th April 89 Jacqueline Dick Trio
Mauchline (The Jean Armour Restaurant)
M.A.F.I.A. (Masonic Hall, Milngavie) –
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 5th April 89 Garioch Blend
New Cumnock (Crown Hotel) –
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 27th March 89 Jennifer Forrest SDB
Newton St Boswells (Railway Hotel) –
North Cumbria (Golden Fleece, Ruleholme) (prev called Gretna Club) – 15th March 89 Paddy Neary
North East (Seafield Hotel, Keith) –
Oban (Highlander Restaurant) –
Orkney ( venue?) –
Ormiston (Miners’ Welfare Social Club) –
Peebles (Countryside Inn) – 30th March 89 Oakbank Sound
Perth (Station Hotel) – 21st March 89 Angus Fitchet SDB
18th April 89 James Lindsay SDB
Premier NI (Camlin function Rooms) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloom) –
Rothbury (Jubilee Hall
Shetland (venue?) -
Stranraer (Railway Club) –
Thornhill (?)
Thurso (McKay’s Hotel) –
Turriff (Royal Oak Hotel) –
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 11th April 89 Deirdre Adamson
Wick (McKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Balloch
3. Banff
4. Biggar
5. Blairgowrie
6. Button Key
7. Castle Douglas
8. Coalburn
9. Dingwall & District
10. Dunblane
11. Forfar
12. Forres
13. Highland
14. Islesteps
15. Lesmahagow
16. Livingston
17. M.A.F.I.A.
18. Mauchline
19. Montrose
20. Newtongrange
21. North Cumbria
22. Ormiston
23. Peebles
24. Perth
25. Premier
26. Renfrew
27. Rothbury
28. Shetland
29. Thurso
30. Wick
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT SEPT 1988 (Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975)
2. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
3. Alnwick A&F Club (Sept 1976)
4. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months)
5. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition)
9. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
10. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974)
11. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
12. Button Key A&F Club (
13. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980)
14. Coalburn A&F Club
15. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
16. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
17. Derwentside A&F Club
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971)
20. Dundee & District A&F Club
21. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
22. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
23. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980)
24. Ellon A&F Club (
25. Fintry A&F Club
26. Forfar A&F Club
27. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
28. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
29. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
30. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
31. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
32. Highland A&F Club (Inverness)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976)
36. Kintore A&F Club
37. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967)
38. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
39. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – per first edition)
40. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973)
41. M.A.F.I.A. (early)
42. Mauchline A&F Club (first mention 1986?)
43. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
44. Mull A&F Club
45. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1979)
46. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
47. North Cumbria A&F Club (originally Gretna started June 1966 – had to move to a venue in the North of England and changed name – eventually changed back when they returned to the Halcrow Stadium. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
48. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971)
49. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975)
50. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978)
51. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club
52. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981)
53. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970)
54. Premier A&F Club NI (cNov 1980)
55. Rothbury Accordion Club (1987??)
56. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978)
57. Sutherland A&F Club (
58. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition)
59. Thurso A&F Club (cSept 1981)
60. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982)
61. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980)
63. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
64. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition)
65. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
66. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
67. Buchan A&F Club
68. Callander A&F Club (
69. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
70. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
71. Club Accord
72. Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2?)
73. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
74. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
75. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
76. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
77. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
78. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
79. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
80. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
81. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
82. Gretna A&F Club (June 1966)
83. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
84. Kinlochsheil A&F Club (
85. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
86. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
87. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
88. Newcastleton Accordion Club
89. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
90. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
91. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
92. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
93. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
94. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
95. Wellbank A&F Club
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