Memories of Bob McMath of Silverburn
29/09/1938 - 03/03/2016
Andrew Stoddart (Penicuik)
I met Bob in the 1960's but didn't get to know him very well at that time. In 1975, having had a successful musical career, I returned to take over the family business when my father retired. I still continued to do the odd gig in clubs using the Cordavox and for repairs I had to go to Clinkscale in Melrose. A friend suggested I try Bob to see if he could help. Bob said he might if I could provide him with the circuit diagrams. This was the start of a close friendship. He was able to keep the Cordavox going for the next 6 or 7 years but it was an instrument that was cumbersome to carry and set up so I bought an Elkavox that had just been produced. I asked Bob to adapt it to take Midi expanders which opened up a new experience with this instrument.
By this time I visited him at least once a week and he would stop working at the bench and put down his tools, get a bottle out, and we would sit in the conservatory and have a dram.
He was a very learned person and could converse on nearly every topic you can think of. At that time he was going to Italy with his friend, George MacIntosh, to the accordion championships and he asked me if I would like to go. I jumped at the chance. This became an annual event. We also visited accordion factories and met a lot of manufacturers. He was well known in Castelfidardo and was known there as Roberto! We also used to go to Blackpool where accordion enthusiasts met at Pontins holiday camp. We did this for several years and made a lot of friends. We met some great players like Frank Morrocco and Art Van Damme who were world champion jazz players.
Bob had long conversations with them at times which resulted in a crowd of us going to Blackpool later one year to get jazz tips from Harry Hussey. It was difficult for me to take it in but Bob, with the brain he had, was able to absorb it and later on to pass it on to us. I suggested we get together on a Sunday night to try out these things and it became a regular session down on the farm.
I think of the times that I travelled with Bob to hear him play with Sandy Nixon and Dick Black. Great memories. He will be sadly missed by many. A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Iain Torquil MacPhail (Balerno)
Bob McMath was one of life’s gentlemen and a man I am privileged to have called a friend.
With Bob, I shared the passion for traditional music in all its forms, as well as the theories and constructs of other genres of music and this would be the focus of many long discussions in his workroom – surrounded by instruments and equipment in various stages of repair as he worked, tirelessly, to meet the needs of so many.
It was through Bob’s skill at repairing instruments that I got to know him and Nan. Being a working musician, there were occasional emergencies when an instrument malfunction occurred. In every instance, Bob put aside other pressures to repair the problem, ensuring that I could perform that evening. I know that similar situations were experienced by others and I often met anxious musicians at the workshop. We all owe Bob a huge debt of gratitude.
Bob was painstaking and reassuringly punctilious in approaching tasks. When he identified the problem it was carefully rectified. His attention to detail was infinite. He generated trust and his workmanship was impeccable e.g. he spent a considerable time putting a MIDI system in my son’s free-bass accordion and this was probably the first in the UK at that time.
Bob was a man o’ pairts: multi-talented, a skilled technician, generous with his time and always helpful, conversant about music and dance with eclectic interests in both, and like myself, deeply interested in the works of Robert Burns and wider Scottish culture.
I will miss Bob for many reasons but am grateful to have shared so much with him.
He will be sadly missed.
Tom Cowing (Hexham)
It is a privilege to pay tribute to my friend Bob McMath.
I first met Bob over forty years ago when he travelled down to Hexham to play a dance with me deputising for Bill Stoddart.
From then we became firm friends as we shared many common interests in engineering and music.
Bob came down play on several occasions with me in The Tyne Valley, then in more recent years with the more famous bands lead by Andrew Stoddart, Sandy Nixon and Dick Black.
Bob was a man of great personal kindness, wisdom, knowledge and dexterity.
I will treasure his memory.
Callum Wilson (Biggar)
I first met Bob back in the late 60’s early 70’s through a mutual friend, fiddler Alec Baptie from Penicuik. At that time we were playing at small local functions, Bob joined us on second box many times and his playing was a great enhancement to our sound. A highlight in the diary was attending the Perth Festival in October each year and I remember enjoying Bob’s company on many of these occasions, at the competitions throughout the day and at the evening concerts in Perth City Hall at that time.
I will remember Bob as a good musician, particularly his second box playing, for his excellent work on accordions and electronics, for his pleasantly laid back personality never getting flustered about anything and for being made so welcome by Bob and his wife Nan at their home at Silverburn.
Keith Dickson (Dolphinton)
Bob was a quietly spoken, intelligent and trustworthy gentleman who offered many people helpful advice, information and support regarding technical and musical matters. Sometimes you had to wait a wee while for this advice to be delivered, but it was always well worth the wait.
If you had a musical instrument or electronic equipment requiring emergency attention Bob would always be there to help you out. He was extremely knowledgeable about accordion construction and was well respected by many top Scottish musicians and well known to the premier Italian accordion manufacturers in Castelfidardo.
Although his hallway got narrower each year, with the increasing number of repair jobs waiting to be completed, he always appeared patient and calm and was very encouraging, particularly towards the younger musicians – with many of them “jumping the queue” to get their instrument repaired.
Interesting conversations in his workplace could include him looking at you through a giant magnifying glass or pointing a soldering iron in your direction when making his point, but continuing with the repair job at the same time.
Away from repairing accordions Bob enjoyed playing the accordion and he appeared to have a particular interest regarding musical harmony – playing second accordion with several bands over many years. He appreciated listening to virtuoso accordionists and he attended musical events at home and abroad to experience them at first hand.
Silverburn has lost one of its finest citizens – and I, along with many others, will miss him.
Sandy Nixon (Dundonald)
I met Bob in late 1975. Max Ketchin introduced me to him. Max & I were playing at that time with the late Bobby More from Kirkcaldy. Bob knew Bobby too! I don’t know too much about Bob’s playing career prior to 1975 but on enquiring it seems that he played regularly at the Alan Ramsay Hotel at Carlops with Jim Martin (“Chuckles”) and Davy Kemp. The trio was very popular, with music and comedy to the fore. I began playing with Bob (McMath) in 1976---we played at a few gigs while Bobby (More) was recuperating after his car accident. I started to play more gigs of my own after that and Bob started playing 2nd box regularly with me. Our first BBC broadcast went out in January 1984. Bob played regularly with me for the next ten years or so and we became good friends as well as band colleagues. He had to stop playing for a while due to carpal tunnel syndrome. He had “sair hands & couldn’t feel his fingers!” He stopped playing regularly then but did join us occasionally after that once he had had surgery for the carpal tunnel problem. I asked him to join us to do a few tracks on our “Morino Magic” CD in 1999. He duly obliged, after some persuasion! (Hamish Smith was the regular 2nd box player by then as he had been since Bob “retired.”) I kept in touch with Bob after that. I considered him to be a genius. I don’t know anyone else who could turn his hand to anything and make a first class job of it, whether it be taking an engine out of a car or van, tuning/repairing accordions, fitting midi systems, etc., etc. Not only was he good with his hands, including playing an accordion, he was also very well-read and had a phenomenal wealth of knowledge. I have been very fortunate in respect of Bob passing on some of his knowledge to me regarding accordion tuning, repairs, etc.---“I won’t be around forever so it is just as well someone else learns how to do it!” Sadly, I did not realise then how little time Bob would have with us. I still have a LOT to learn and feel I am only scratching the surface, but am grateful for the knowledge and skills passed on to me by the “master.” I will miss him as a good friend, former band colleague and as the genius that he was!
I met Bob in the 1960's but didn't get to know him very well at that time. In 1975, having had a successful musical career, I returned to take over the family business when my father retired. I still continued to do the odd gig in clubs using the Cordavox and for repairs I had to go to Clinkscale in Melrose. A friend suggested I try Bob to see if he could help. Bob said he might if I could provide him with the circuit diagrams. This was the start of a close friendship. He was able to keep the Cordavox going for the next 6 or 7 years but it was an instrument that was cumbersome to carry and set up so I bought an Elkavox that had just been produced. I asked Bob to adapt it to take Midi expanders which opened up a new experience with this instrument.
By this time I visited him at least once a week and he would stop working at the bench and put down his tools, get a bottle out, and we would sit in the conservatory and have a dram.
He was a very learned person and could converse on nearly every topic you can think of. At that time he was going to Italy with his friend, George MacIntosh, to the accordion championships and he asked me if I would like to go. I jumped at the chance. This became an annual event. We also visited accordion factories and met a lot of manufacturers. He was well known in Castelfidardo and was known there as Roberto! We also used to go to Blackpool where accordion enthusiasts met at Pontins holiday camp. We did this for several years and made a lot of friends. We met some great players like Frank Morrocco and Art Van Damme who were world champion jazz players.
Bob had long conversations with them at times which resulted in a crowd of us going to Blackpool later one year to get jazz tips from Harry Hussey. It was difficult for me to take it in but Bob, with the brain he had, was able to absorb it and later on to pass it on to us. I suggested we get together on a Sunday night to try out these things and it became a regular session down on the farm.
I think of the times that I travelled with Bob to hear him play with Sandy Nixon and Dick Black. Great memories. He will be sadly missed by many. A true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Iain Torquil MacPhail (Balerno)
Bob McMath was one of life’s gentlemen and a man I am privileged to have called a friend.
With Bob, I shared the passion for traditional music in all its forms, as well as the theories and constructs of other genres of music and this would be the focus of many long discussions in his workroom – surrounded by instruments and equipment in various stages of repair as he worked, tirelessly, to meet the needs of so many.
It was through Bob’s skill at repairing instruments that I got to know him and Nan. Being a working musician, there were occasional emergencies when an instrument malfunction occurred. In every instance, Bob put aside other pressures to repair the problem, ensuring that I could perform that evening. I know that similar situations were experienced by others and I often met anxious musicians at the workshop. We all owe Bob a huge debt of gratitude.
Bob was painstaking and reassuringly punctilious in approaching tasks. When he identified the problem it was carefully rectified. His attention to detail was infinite. He generated trust and his workmanship was impeccable e.g. he spent a considerable time putting a MIDI system in my son’s free-bass accordion and this was probably the first in the UK at that time.
Bob was a man o’ pairts: multi-talented, a skilled technician, generous with his time and always helpful, conversant about music and dance with eclectic interests in both, and like myself, deeply interested in the works of Robert Burns and wider Scottish culture.
I will miss Bob for many reasons but am grateful to have shared so much with him.
He will be sadly missed.
Tom Cowing (Hexham)
It is a privilege to pay tribute to my friend Bob McMath.
I first met Bob over forty years ago when he travelled down to Hexham to play a dance with me deputising for Bill Stoddart.
From then we became firm friends as we shared many common interests in engineering and music.
Bob came down play on several occasions with me in The Tyne Valley, then in more recent years with the more famous bands lead by Andrew Stoddart, Sandy Nixon and Dick Black.
Bob was a man of great personal kindness, wisdom, knowledge and dexterity.
I will treasure his memory.
Callum Wilson (Biggar)
I first met Bob back in the late 60’s early 70’s through a mutual friend, fiddler Alec Baptie from Penicuik. At that time we were playing at small local functions, Bob joined us on second box many times and his playing was a great enhancement to our sound. A highlight in the diary was attending the Perth Festival in October each year and I remember enjoying Bob’s company on many of these occasions, at the competitions throughout the day and at the evening concerts in Perth City Hall at that time.
I will remember Bob as a good musician, particularly his second box playing, for his excellent work on accordions and electronics, for his pleasantly laid back personality never getting flustered about anything and for being made so welcome by Bob and his wife Nan at their home at Silverburn.
Keith Dickson (Dolphinton)
Bob was a quietly spoken, intelligent and trustworthy gentleman who offered many people helpful advice, information and support regarding technical and musical matters. Sometimes you had to wait a wee while for this advice to be delivered, but it was always well worth the wait.
If you had a musical instrument or electronic equipment requiring emergency attention Bob would always be there to help you out. He was extremely knowledgeable about accordion construction and was well respected by many top Scottish musicians and well known to the premier Italian accordion manufacturers in Castelfidardo.
Although his hallway got narrower each year, with the increasing number of repair jobs waiting to be completed, he always appeared patient and calm and was very encouraging, particularly towards the younger musicians – with many of them “jumping the queue” to get their instrument repaired.
Interesting conversations in his workplace could include him looking at you through a giant magnifying glass or pointing a soldering iron in your direction when making his point, but continuing with the repair job at the same time.
Away from repairing accordions Bob enjoyed playing the accordion and he appeared to have a particular interest regarding musical harmony – playing second accordion with several bands over many years. He appreciated listening to virtuoso accordionists and he attended musical events at home and abroad to experience them at first hand.
Silverburn has lost one of its finest citizens – and I, along with many others, will miss him.
Sandy Nixon (Dundonald)
I met Bob in late 1975. Max Ketchin introduced me to him. Max & I were playing at that time with the late Bobby More from Kirkcaldy. Bob knew Bobby too! I don’t know too much about Bob’s playing career prior to 1975 but on enquiring it seems that he played regularly at the Alan Ramsay Hotel at Carlops with Jim Martin (“Chuckles”) and Davy Kemp. The trio was very popular, with music and comedy to the fore. I began playing with Bob (McMath) in 1976---we played at a few gigs while Bobby (More) was recuperating after his car accident. I started to play more gigs of my own after that and Bob started playing 2nd box regularly with me. Our first BBC broadcast went out in January 1984. Bob played regularly with me for the next ten years or so and we became good friends as well as band colleagues. He had to stop playing for a while due to carpal tunnel syndrome. He had “sair hands & couldn’t feel his fingers!” He stopped playing regularly then but did join us occasionally after that once he had had surgery for the carpal tunnel problem. I asked him to join us to do a few tracks on our “Morino Magic” CD in 1999. He duly obliged, after some persuasion! (Hamish Smith was the regular 2nd box player by then as he had been since Bob “retired.”) I kept in touch with Bob after that. I considered him to be a genius. I don’t know anyone else who could turn his hand to anything and make a first class job of it, whether it be taking an engine out of a car or van, tuning/repairing accordions, fitting midi systems, etc., etc. Not only was he good with his hands, including playing an accordion, he was also very well-read and had a phenomenal wealth of knowledge. I have been very fortunate in respect of Bob passing on some of his knowledge to me regarding accordion tuning, repairs, etc.---“I won’t be around forever so it is just as well someone else learns how to do it!” Sadly, I did not realise then how little time Bob would have with us. I still have a LOT to learn and feel I am only scratching the surface, but am grateful for the knowledge and skills passed on to me by the “master.” I will miss him as a good friend, former band colleague and as the genius that he was!