Half a Century Playing for Dancing
by Robin Ellis
B&F January 2006
This year, 2005, I realised that it was half a century ago that I first played for Scottish Dancing, although in those days I was merely a class pianist. You may ask, “What on earth was a young man in the south-east of England doing playing for that style of dancing?” Although I have spent all my life in Kent many of my family came from Greenock so maybe it was ‘in the blood’ as they say. Whilst still at school I was introduced to Scottish dancing, it would seem that even in those days there was a shortage of men. I very soon found that although I liked the dancing I actually like the music even more and so spent much of my pocket money buying my first records. They were mainly Parlophone 78s of Jimmy Shand plus a few rather exclusive ones from the Beltona company. After a short time, a dancing class was started in my area and they were looking for a pianist. As a hard up University student I took the job. I seem to remember being paid 10/6d (about 52p) for an evening – quite a respectable fee in those days! I then continued playing and dancing for some years until, in the late 50s, an unexpected chance came to sit in with Jimmy Shand on some of his regular trips to London. This was a wonderful experience and I decided there and then that playing was for me. At that time there were very few bands in the south-east so the only way forward, as I saw it, was to form my own band and to do that I must learn to play the accordion. There were few accordion teachers available and certainly nobody with any knowledge of Scottish music so it was simply a question of teaching myself. This I did. After playing solo for a few years, through the dancing I met up with a pianist, Margaret Wall, a drummer Tom Furlong, and a young accordion player Frank Reid. Although bands were still in short supply there were, in the sixties, very large numbers of dancers – so in 1965 the band was born and soon we were being asked to play for most of the local societies. I must admit the early days were somewhat nerve wracking but as we had all been dancers at least we knew more or less what was expected of us.
For a few years things were going very nicely when suddenly Margaret announced that she was leaving the district to get married. Soon after that Frank decided to join forces with his two brothers and sister to form his own band. It seemed that it would all come to a rather sudden end. However replacements were found with Eric Eunson on keyboard, Roland Hayes on second box and Nevil Osborne on bass. We were in business again. Subsequently there have only been a few changes in personnel. In the early eighties Roland moved away and his place was taken by John Stevens (from Australia would you believe) and Catherine Lowe on accordions. A few years ago Tom Furlong who had been our drummer for some 35 years retired due to ill health and was duly replaced by John Rayfield. Thus we have always managed to find suitable musicians remembering of course the additional help given by accordionist Chris Gilbert, fiddlers Margaret Kendall, Karin Parks, Graham Hetherington and Graeme Forrester, piper and drummer Alan Breedin, drummer Eric Lowe and even bass players Diana Hetherington and Keith Pinnock for occasions when fees allow. Keith also has the distinction of, as far as I know, being the first black SCD musician. Finding replacements is not easy so far from Scotland, but with a great deal of good luck and some excellent friends we have continued now, uninterrupted for 40 years.
Recently we held a dance to which we invited representatives from all the societies for whom we still play as well as a number of the musicians from years gone by. A ten-piece band – now that’s what I call fun! The 70s, 80s and early 90s were a very busy time in the Scottish dance world and we were very much in demand both at home and overseas. Although most of our playing was in England we were also performing in much of Europe as well as the USA. We even managed a Caribbean cruise. On these trips we were playing either for societies abroad, folk festivals or dancing holidays of which we did some 35 over an 18 year period. These trips were very enjoyable but, as the many playing readers will know, usually quite hard work, particularly the traveling. I can’t think why but the equipment and instruments in their flight cases seem to get even heavier as time passes. We were very lucky as in all those years we never sustained any damage to our instruments unlike a number of our fellows.
However a few years ago we reluctantly decided that, with advancing years, we would give up long journeys and only accept local engagements. Fortunately there are still more than enough. Like many musicians I have tried my hand at composing and have produced some 120 tunes and, although most of them remain unpublished, they are well used at our functions. Although I have been known as an accordionist for most of the past 40 years I am happiest, as I started all those years ago, playing piano. There is nothing I like more than a good session on piano with other musicians.
The situation in the south of England is much like everywhere else. The number of dancers is getting fewer and the average age is rising fast. There are now not many dancers under 60. What does the future hold? We must just wait and see but the dancing scene may well be very different in 20 years’ time. Ceilidh dancing which has helped to bring in the younger element in Scotland, has made only a modest impact down here and it is largely country dancing that we are asked to play for.
The present band is usually a 5-piece, two accordions, fiddle, keyboard and drums. As with most bands the increase in the number of dances published, from about 250 when I started playing to some 12,000 now does cause problems from time to time. The recommended tune is often hard to find or even unknown in many cases. A few are surprisingly difficult to play or on other occasions simply unsuitable. I say recommended tune because that is what so many are today, few dances seem to have an original tune ion the true sense of the word. Although we endeavour to play the recommended tune where possible it is very noticeable that quite a few bands don’t even try. Indeed I was dancing at one function a few years ago where not one of the recommended tunes was played in the entire programme! I thought some of the dancers might comment, but no, not a single complaint. Sometimes I wonder why we bother!
Some ten years ago being rather frustrated by the fact that all the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs were 400 miles or more from my home town, I decided that the only solution was to start my own. This has been a very enjoyable if somewhat modest success. Cpmpared to many of those in Scotland we are small in numbers. Our average audience is about 40 and I think almost everybody would be classed as a ‘senior citizen’. Some of long standing in fact, we have quite a few octogenarians! As with dancers but unlike musicians in Scotland there are no young players or even listeners coming along and so I fear the days of an Englisg A&F Club will be very much numbered.
What have been the most memorable occasions over the half century? Was it the tour to USA where we played 14 gigs in 13 days – all in different locations? A Caribbean cruise where Scottish dancing on a rolling ship in a heavy gale meant that all the sets ended up on one side of the dance floor and trying to play an accordion was even more hectic? Or maybe the occasion where we had to deputise for a well-known Scottish band at a few hours’ notice because they were snowbound in Perthshire? Well perhaps! In reality I can honestly say that all our dances have been memorable and enjoyable occasions – well almost all. In our 40 years we have had only a very few functions at which I was longing to reach the end. Most of those were due to freezing halls in those long forgotten days of fuel shortages. I can only say that playing at a well run Scottish Country Dance, whether it be large or small is a most enjoyable experience and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Here’s to the next 50 years – well, shall we say the next 10 anyway!!!
For a few years things were going very nicely when suddenly Margaret announced that she was leaving the district to get married. Soon after that Frank decided to join forces with his two brothers and sister to form his own band. It seemed that it would all come to a rather sudden end. However replacements were found with Eric Eunson on keyboard, Roland Hayes on second box and Nevil Osborne on bass. We were in business again. Subsequently there have only been a few changes in personnel. In the early eighties Roland moved away and his place was taken by John Stevens (from Australia would you believe) and Catherine Lowe on accordions. A few years ago Tom Furlong who had been our drummer for some 35 years retired due to ill health and was duly replaced by John Rayfield. Thus we have always managed to find suitable musicians remembering of course the additional help given by accordionist Chris Gilbert, fiddlers Margaret Kendall, Karin Parks, Graham Hetherington and Graeme Forrester, piper and drummer Alan Breedin, drummer Eric Lowe and even bass players Diana Hetherington and Keith Pinnock for occasions when fees allow. Keith also has the distinction of, as far as I know, being the first black SCD musician. Finding replacements is not easy so far from Scotland, but with a great deal of good luck and some excellent friends we have continued now, uninterrupted for 40 years.
Recently we held a dance to which we invited representatives from all the societies for whom we still play as well as a number of the musicians from years gone by. A ten-piece band – now that’s what I call fun! The 70s, 80s and early 90s were a very busy time in the Scottish dance world and we were very much in demand both at home and overseas. Although most of our playing was in England we were also performing in much of Europe as well as the USA. We even managed a Caribbean cruise. On these trips we were playing either for societies abroad, folk festivals or dancing holidays of which we did some 35 over an 18 year period. These trips were very enjoyable but, as the many playing readers will know, usually quite hard work, particularly the traveling. I can’t think why but the equipment and instruments in their flight cases seem to get even heavier as time passes. We were very lucky as in all those years we never sustained any damage to our instruments unlike a number of our fellows.
However a few years ago we reluctantly decided that, with advancing years, we would give up long journeys and only accept local engagements. Fortunately there are still more than enough. Like many musicians I have tried my hand at composing and have produced some 120 tunes and, although most of them remain unpublished, they are well used at our functions. Although I have been known as an accordionist for most of the past 40 years I am happiest, as I started all those years ago, playing piano. There is nothing I like more than a good session on piano with other musicians.
The situation in the south of England is much like everywhere else. The number of dancers is getting fewer and the average age is rising fast. There are now not many dancers under 60. What does the future hold? We must just wait and see but the dancing scene may well be very different in 20 years’ time. Ceilidh dancing which has helped to bring in the younger element in Scotland, has made only a modest impact down here and it is largely country dancing that we are asked to play for.
The present band is usually a 5-piece, two accordions, fiddle, keyboard and drums. As with most bands the increase in the number of dances published, from about 250 when I started playing to some 12,000 now does cause problems from time to time. The recommended tune is often hard to find or even unknown in many cases. A few are surprisingly difficult to play or on other occasions simply unsuitable. I say recommended tune because that is what so many are today, few dances seem to have an original tune ion the true sense of the word. Although we endeavour to play the recommended tune where possible it is very noticeable that quite a few bands don’t even try. Indeed I was dancing at one function a few years ago where not one of the recommended tunes was played in the entire programme! I thought some of the dancers might comment, but no, not a single complaint. Sometimes I wonder why we bother!
Some ten years ago being rather frustrated by the fact that all the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs were 400 miles or more from my home town, I decided that the only solution was to start my own. This has been a very enjoyable if somewhat modest success. Cpmpared to many of those in Scotland we are small in numbers. Our average audience is about 40 and I think almost everybody would be classed as a ‘senior citizen’. Some of long standing in fact, we have quite a few octogenarians! As with dancers but unlike musicians in Scotland there are no young players or even listeners coming along and so I fear the days of an Englisg A&F Club will be very much numbered.
What have been the most memorable occasions over the half century? Was it the tour to USA where we played 14 gigs in 13 days – all in different locations? A Caribbean cruise where Scottish dancing on a rolling ship in a heavy gale meant that all the sets ended up on one side of the dance floor and trying to play an accordion was even more hectic? Or maybe the occasion where we had to deputise for a well-known Scottish band at a few hours’ notice because they were snowbound in Perthshire? Well perhaps! In reality I can honestly say that all our dances have been memorable and enjoyable occasions – well almost all. In our 40 years we have had only a very few functions at which I was longing to reach the end. Most of those were due to freezing halls in those long forgotten days of fuel shortages. I can only say that playing at a well run Scottish Country Dance, whether it be large or small is a most enjoyable experience and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Here’s to the next 50 years – well, shall we say the next 10 anyway!!!