Bobby Brown’s Visit to Scotland
Bobby Brown was born in Denny Loanhead, near Falkirk, and emigrated to Canada in 1941
when 16 years of age. In Canada he started work in a Department Store in Winnipeg and progressed to become the General Sales Manager of a Toronto-based company before giving that occupation up to become a full-time musician at the age of 32. Bobby married a Canadian girl in 1964 and he and his wife Carol have a 16-year-old son Laird.
As a youngster Bobby could play the piano, but it was not until he went to Canada that he became an accordionist, mainly self-taught.
His family too were musical. Bobby’s mother Jean Day was a popular Scottish soprano in the 40’s and 50’s, working with Harry Gordon and singing at Clan Gatherings, mods and a variety of concerts. His father was a fiddler and several of his uncles were pipers and drummers. Uncle John Day formed one of the early dance bands (consisting of piano, bass, drums, trumpet and saxophone).
After many appearances at concerts and gatherings in Canada as a solo accordionist, Bobby joined Stan Hamilton’s Band in the late 1950’s, Stan’s band being one of the first Scottish Dance Bands of note in Canada, and he remained with the band for 18 years.
During this period, Bobby, always a fiddle enthusiast, worked a lot with fiddlers, playing the piano and producing albums, and in 1973 he formed the Cape Breton Symphony Fiddle, acting as its leader and arranger.
Five year ago he also formed the ’Scottish Accent’ Scottish Dance Band and has blended the two groups together for concert performances and recordings.
The other members of the Scottish Accent Band are Kathie Fraser (piano), Steve Ozorac (second box), Paul Langley (bass) and Fred Collins (drums).
The four fiddlers of the Cape Breton Symphony are John Donald Cameron, Wilfred Gillis, Sandy McIntyre and Buddy MacMaster.
The Cape Breton Symphony Fiddle have two albums released and the Scottish Accent have three. The latter, entitled ‘Tarry a While’ , ‘The Maid of the Mill’ and ‘The Island fling’ are albums for Scottish Country Dancing. All five albums are being released in the UK on the Ross Records label in the near future.
The Scottish Accent are also recording a new dance band album for release before August. It will also be released in the UK by Ross Records.
In North America, the Scottish Accent play mainly for the Royal Scottish Country Dance Association and have played in many American cities such as New York and Boston and also in Alaska.
Bobby’s company, Brownrigg Productions, was formed to provide and distribute Scottish records in North America and during his recent visit to Scotland agreements were made for albums on the Ross Records label to be pressed in Canada.
The other purpose of his visit was to arrange a tour of Scotland for later this year. The tour will start on Friday, 13th August, and continue through to Sunday, 22nd August. Already many Accordion and fiddle Clubs have come forward with offers to organize a night in their own particular area and venues booked include visits to Wick, Kirkwall, Lerwick (two nights), Elgin and Aberdeen, with the first four appearances being in the southern half of the country.
Anyone wishing further information on the tour should contact Gibson Ross at Turriff (08882) 2403. Robbie Shepherd will be compering the concerts in August.
when 16 years of age. In Canada he started work in a Department Store in Winnipeg and progressed to become the General Sales Manager of a Toronto-based company before giving that occupation up to become a full-time musician at the age of 32. Bobby married a Canadian girl in 1964 and he and his wife Carol have a 16-year-old son Laird.
As a youngster Bobby could play the piano, but it was not until he went to Canada that he became an accordionist, mainly self-taught.
His family too were musical. Bobby’s mother Jean Day was a popular Scottish soprano in the 40’s and 50’s, working with Harry Gordon and singing at Clan Gatherings, mods and a variety of concerts. His father was a fiddler and several of his uncles were pipers and drummers. Uncle John Day formed one of the early dance bands (consisting of piano, bass, drums, trumpet and saxophone).
After many appearances at concerts and gatherings in Canada as a solo accordionist, Bobby joined Stan Hamilton’s Band in the late 1950’s, Stan’s band being one of the first Scottish Dance Bands of note in Canada, and he remained with the band for 18 years.
During this period, Bobby, always a fiddle enthusiast, worked a lot with fiddlers, playing the piano and producing albums, and in 1973 he formed the Cape Breton Symphony Fiddle, acting as its leader and arranger.
Five year ago he also formed the ’Scottish Accent’ Scottish Dance Band and has blended the two groups together for concert performances and recordings.
The other members of the Scottish Accent Band are Kathie Fraser (piano), Steve Ozorac (second box), Paul Langley (bass) and Fred Collins (drums).
The four fiddlers of the Cape Breton Symphony are John Donald Cameron, Wilfred Gillis, Sandy McIntyre and Buddy MacMaster.
The Cape Breton Symphony Fiddle have two albums released and the Scottish Accent have three. The latter, entitled ‘Tarry a While’ , ‘The Maid of the Mill’ and ‘The Island fling’ are albums for Scottish Country Dancing. All five albums are being released in the UK on the Ross Records label in the near future.
The Scottish Accent are also recording a new dance band album for release before August. It will also be released in the UK by Ross Records.
In North America, the Scottish Accent play mainly for the Royal Scottish Country Dance Association and have played in many American cities such as New York and Boston and also in Alaska.
Bobby’s company, Brownrigg Productions, was formed to provide and distribute Scottish records in North America and during his recent visit to Scotland agreements were made for albums on the Ross Records label to be pressed in Canada.
The other purpose of his visit was to arrange a tour of Scotland for later this year. The tour will start on Friday, 13th August, and continue through to Sunday, 22nd August. Already many Accordion and fiddle Clubs have come forward with offers to organize a night in their own particular area and venues booked include visits to Wick, Kirkwall, Lerwick (two nights), Elgin and Aberdeen, with the first four appearances being in the southern half of the country.
Anyone wishing further information on the tour should contact Gibson Ross at Turriff (08882) 2403. Robbie Shepherd will be compering the concerts in August.