In Memory –
Florence Lawie (formerly Burns) (1940 – 26th Feb 2020)
by Robbie Shepherd
B&F May 2020
As Esma and I sat in the impressive Baldarroch Crematorium on Deeside gazing at the photos being flashed up on the screen afore the ceremony was to begin, the memories came flooding back to both of us of a dear friend over mony years an’ of such a lovely unassuming lady, better known to the wider Scottish music scene as Florence Burns, a great exponent of traditional fiddle music who partly because of her own laid back modest demeanour didn’t get the recognition she so richly deserved.
Music was to be interwoven into her life and she was aye happiest playin’ wi onybody and aabody that shared the same enthusiasm. Florence was just Florence and among her early influences was playing along wi her mentor Hector MacAndrew, one of the finest exponents of the art of playing and interpretating traditional Scots fiddle music.
Through these musical circles and impromptu sessions Florence was to meet Mackie Burns, a most talented singer / musician who had left his native Shetland to settle in Aberdeen. Well do we remember these days of our concerts and soirees round the north East, and by then they were married and had two sons and a daughter, Malcolm, Kenny and Frances. Though they were to go their separate ways – one now in America and another in Moscow – they remained close to their proud and adoring mum and all were able to get home and pay their last respects on the day.
Florence was to join Alastair Hunter & The Lorne SDB, the leader having moved across to the North East from Oban in 1957, and they broadcast regularly on BBC Scottish Dance Music programmes. The line up was Alastair (lead accordion), Jessie Cruickshank (piano), Florence (fiddle), Alasdair Cameron (bass) and Jack Stephen (drums) – alas all now gone, and all musical friends of the two of us.
It was in 1969, with Mackie in demand as a solo artist, that Florence, a mother and again pregnant, had to be cajoled to enter a special competition organized by BBC producer James Hunter as part of a major concert in the City Halls in Perth to celebrate St Andrew’s Day. Out of over a hundred entries in an event with heats leading up to the final, Florence on the day was to come third equal with Angus Cameron (Kirriemuir). Second was Willie MacPherson (Elgin) and crowned ‘Champion Fiddle Player of Scotland’ was Arthur Scott Robertson from Shetland. Nae bad for the modest quine fae Aberdeen.
After Mackie’s death Florence was to continue to bow the strings in the way she loved the best with small groups here and there just for the sheer enjoyment of it, and mony a nicht we had together with such as Alastair, Alex Green and Madeline.
It was through that scene that she met Charlie Lawie, who again was aye willing to join in wi a tune on his accordion, and the two o’ them spent 15 years of happy married life and were still attending the Aberdeen A&F Club till a few months before she was taken away from us.
I can still hear the strains of her playing, as she did in that competition, one of my favourite tunes, the slow air Dargai, which tho in the pipe idiom was composed by Scott Skinner.
A lovely lass wi a deep understanding in playing traditional Scottish music and so sadly missed by us all who knew and loved her.
Music was to be interwoven into her life and she was aye happiest playin’ wi onybody and aabody that shared the same enthusiasm. Florence was just Florence and among her early influences was playing along wi her mentor Hector MacAndrew, one of the finest exponents of the art of playing and interpretating traditional Scots fiddle music.
Through these musical circles and impromptu sessions Florence was to meet Mackie Burns, a most talented singer / musician who had left his native Shetland to settle in Aberdeen. Well do we remember these days of our concerts and soirees round the north East, and by then they were married and had two sons and a daughter, Malcolm, Kenny and Frances. Though they were to go their separate ways – one now in America and another in Moscow – they remained close to their proud and adoring mum and all were able to get home and pay their last respects on the day.
Florence was to join Alastair Hunter & The Lorne SDB, the leader having moved across to the North East from Oban in 1957, and they broadcast regularly on BBC Scottish Dance Music programmes. The line up was Alastair (lead accordion), Jessie Cruickshank (piano), Florence (fiddle), Alasdair Cameron (bass) and Jack Stephen (drums) – alas all now gone, and all musical friends of the two of us.
It was in 1969, with Mackie in demand as a solo artist, that Florence, a mother and again pregnant, had to be cajoled to enter a special competition organized by BBC producer James Hunter as part of a major concert in the City Halls in Perth to celebrate St Andrew’s Day. Out of over a hundred entries in an event with heats leading up to the final, Florence on the day was to come third equal with Angus Cameron (Kirriemuir). Second was Willie MacPherson (Elgin) and crowned ‘Champion Fiddle Player of Scotland’ was Arthur Scott Robertson from Shetland. Nae bad for the modest quine fae Aberdeen.
After Mackie’s death Florence was to continue to bow the strings in the way she loved the best with small groups here and there just for the sheer enjoyment of it, and mony a nicht we had together with such as Alastair, Alex Green and Madeline.
It was through that scene that she met Charlie Lawie, who again was aye willing to join in wi a tune on his accordion, and the two o’ them spent 15 years of happy married life and were still attending the Aberdeen A&F Club till a few months before she was taken away from us.
I can still hear the strains of her playing, as she did in that competition, one of my favourite tunes, the slow air Dargai, which tho in the pipe idiom was composed by Scott Skinner.
A lovely lass wi a deep understanding in playing traditional Scottish music and so sadly missed by us all who knew and loved her.