George Bell
by Sandy Tulloch
When Doug asked me to write an appreciation of George Bell for the Box and Fiddle, I accepted with pleasure. It’s not so long since we had another long session putting his most recent compositions on paper, but we had another meeting the other day to confirm some details of his extraordinary career.
George was sent to music lessons – piano – when he was eight years old. A reluctant pupil, I think, from what he says. But, at the age of twelve his father gave him a 12 bass Hohner he had “acquired” in Germany with the forces. A year or two later he went to Bill Wilkie’s School of Accordion and changed to a full sized Scandalli. He was taught classical accordion, but his heart was in Scottish music. He does not play classical at all now, and always regrets not taking up “Continental”, but first and foremost Scottish Dance Music was his great love.
Fellow pupils at the Wilkie School were Jimmy Blue, Bobby Campbell and Mickey Ainsworth amongst many others.
George was mainly playing solo at the time, but by the time he was eighteen he had formed his own band with Bill Black on fiddle, Martin Hayes on second box, Bill Cormack on piano and Jock Stewart on drums. At that time, like many others, Bobby MacLeod’s swinging style was the one he most admired although George is the first to admit his admiration and the tremendous influence of Shand, Cameron and Rennie.
George, as a reader, recalls the few books available at that time , so different to the present day – Kerr’s Merry Melodies, Jimmy Shand’s books, Angus Fitchet’s and Bobby MacLeod’s collections and later Adam Rennie on Acos music sheets.
He was never a ‘live’ player, although later events were to make this a necessity, but by that time he was musician enough to stamp his own style on the playing and not merely copy others.
As the 1950’s passed he gained more and more experience in band work playing with many well known musicians and he particularly remember playing for the “Daily Express Gaytown Contest” hosted by Kathy Kay and Archie McCulloch. He still has a tape of one of their practice sessions.
George married Muriel in 1960, but in 1962 had the great misfortune to suffer from a giant tear of the retina and total retinal detachment. Despite all efforts I found it impossible to save any sight in this eye and could only advise for the future. Heavy lifting and strain had to be avoided and he went back to playing piano for a time, but in 1966 disaster struck. The retina of the other eye tore and again became totally detached. He was now totally blind, not even a glimmer of light. Muriel must have been a tower of strength then, and continues to be to this day.
George realised that life had to go on. His previous trades were impossible, but with training at Ceres and Edinburgh he passed and qualified as a Post Office telephonist.
He took up accordion again and started playing once more. He started teaching and at one time had as many as forty pupils. He applied for, and was appointed Appeals Organiser for the Royal National Institute for the Blind and until recently when he retired was, with Muriel’s help, a tireless champion of the visually handicapped. Through their efforts thousands of pounds were raised to help the society. George’s scrap book is a revelation of his activity over the years, and many thanks to his mother for keeping such a marvellous record of achievement.
The loss of sight was apparently no drawback. With Muriel’s help he entered a new phase of life, one so full that it is difficult to grasp. It left ordinary folk standing still.
His interest in Scottish music continued to grow and with his work, his teaching and increasing band and broadcasting commitments, it hardly seemed possible to do more, and yet he did just that.
Again with Muriel’s help and enlisting his son Brian, he organised and started the Blairgowrie Music Festival held on the Saturday of the Braemar Games with 12 competitive sections in the Halls, four band platforms in the Wellmeadow, visiting celebrities and judges, ceilidhs everywhere and a grand Concert and Dance to finish the day in style. This was a huge event requiring an immense amount of homework. Mention any great name in the Scottish music scene of the time and George was involved as a personal friend as well as professional basis.
And, as if that was not enough, he also started and organised the first Blairgowrie Accordion and Fiddle Club with meetings in the Muirton House Hotel, and hosted many celebrities over the years. The original Club no longer exists, but there are many fond memories of the meetings and the great players who attended.
A further skill which developed after his blindness was in composing music. He had written his first tune “Airlie Castle” at the age of twelve, but it was a long time before other tunes followed. Some of these remain as popular today as they were then, and George is always grateful for Max Houliston’s support at that time.
Lately, there has been a flow of compositions which I have helped to put on paper for him, and this year saw the publication of a selection of tunes. He has also decided to register his music, and at my last count I have 237 compositions in my “George Bell” folder. It is just as well these are on manuscript as even ‘Superman’ George would be hard put to remember them all. The tape recorder and home computer helps – which brings me to another of his hobbies and skills, that of expert and internationally known cage bird breeder.
George’s father kept and raced pigeons, and later George turned to budgies, but decided that he much preferred a songbird to a ‘cheeper’. He therefore concentrated on Roller Canaries which produce the finest song. In the garden is a custom built aviary housing up to 50 canaries which George tends twice daily. He knows each bird individually by his own system and can relate their histories without difficulty. All George’s birds are recorded on his voice synthesizer which compliments his remarkable memory.
A further interest and skill is that he is an internationally known “radio ham”. His collection of exchange cards is more than impressive – they are from every corner of the globe. To any fellow radio operator, George’s call number is GM4XLL.
Lately his hands have been giving trouble and playing is not so easy. Any playing he does is for hospitals and retrial homes, but like many of us he gets great satisfaction from so doing.
My lasting regret is that I was unable to save his sight, but my lasting sincere thanks are due to his acceptance of advice to surmount his disability and the way he has done this is plain for all to see.
Box and Fiddle
October 1993
George was sent to music lessons – piano – when he was eight years old. A reluctant pupil, I think, from what he says. But, at the age of twelve his father gave him a 12 bass Hohner he had “acquired” in Germany with the forces. A year or two later he went to Bill Wilkie’s School of Accordion and changed to a full sized Scandalli. He was taught classical accordion, but his heart was in Scottish music. He does not play classical at all now, and always regrets not taking up “Continental”, but first and foremost Scottish Dance Music was his great love.
Fellow pupils at the Wilkie School were Jimmy Blue, Bobby Campbell and Mickey Ainsworth amongst many others.
George was mainly playing solo at the time, but by the time he was eighteen he had formed his own band with Bill Black on fiddle, Martin Hayes on second box, Bill Cormack on piano and Jock Stewart on drums. At that time, like many others, Bobby MacLeod’s swinging style was the one he most admired although George is the first to admit his admiration and the tremendous influence of Shand, Cameron and Rennie.
George, as a reader, recalls the few books available at that time , so different to the present day – Kerr’s Merry Melodies, Jimmy Shand’s books, Angus Fitchet’s and Bobby MacLeod’s collections and later Adam Rennie on Acos music sheets.
He was never a ‘live’ player, although later events were to make this a necessity, but by that time he was musician enough to stamp his own style on the playing and not merely copy others.
As the 1950’s passed he gained more and more experience in band work playing with many well known musicians and he particularly remember playing for the “Daily Express Gaytown Contest” hosted by Kathy Kay and Archie McCulloch. He still has a tape of one of their practice sessions.
George married Muriel in 1960, but in 1962 had the great misfortune to suffer from a giant tear of the retina and total retinal detachment. Despite all efforts I found it impossible to save any sight in this eye and could only advise for the future. Heavy lifting and strain had to be avoided and he went back to playing piano for a time, but in 1966 disaster struck. The retina of the other eye tore and again became totally detached. He was now totally blind, not even a glimmer of light. Muriel must have been a tower of strength then, and continues to be to this day.
George realised that life had to go on. His previous trades were impossible, but with training at Ceres and Edinburgh he passed and qualified as a Post Office telephonist.
He took up accordion again and started playing once more. He started teaching and at one time had as many as forty pupils. He applied for, and was appointed Appeals Organiser for the Royal National Institute for the Blind and until recently when he retired was, with Muriel’s help, a tireless champion of the visually handicapped. Through their efforts thousands of pounds were raised to help the society. George’s scrap book is a revelation of his activity over the years, and many thanks to his mother for keeping such a marvellous record of achievement.
The loss of sight was apparently no drawback. With Muriel’s help he entered a new phase of life, one so full that it is difficult to grasp. It left ordinary folk standing still.
His interest in Scottish music continued to grow and with his work, his teaching and increasing band and broadcasting commitments, it hardly seemed possible to do more, and yet he did just that.
Again with Muriel’s help and enlisting his son Brian, he organised and started the Blairgowrie Music Festival held on the Saturday of the Braemar Games with 12 competitive sections in the Halls, four band platforms in the Wellmeadow, visiting celebrities and judges, ceilidhs everywhere and a grand Concert and Dance to finish the day in style. This was a huge event requiring an immense amount of homework. Mention any great name in the Scottish music scene of the time and George was involved as a personal friend as well as professional basis.
And, as if that was not enough, he also started and organised the first Blairgowrie Accordion and Fiddle Club with meetings in the Muirton House Hotel, and hosted many celebrities over the years. The original Club no longer exists, but there are many fond memories of the meetings and the great players who attended.
A further skill which developed after his blindness was in composing music. He had written his first tune “Airlie Castle” at the age of twelve, but it was a long time before other tunes followed. Some of these remain as popular today as they were then, and George is always grateful for Max Houliston’s support at that time.
Lately, there has been a flow of compositions which I have helped to put on paper for him, and this year saw the publication of a selection of tunes. He has also decided to register his music, and at my last count I have 237 compositions in my “George Bell” folder. It is just as well these are on manuscript as even ‘Superman’ George would be hard put to remember them all. The tape recorder and home computer helps – which brings me to another of his hobbies and skills, that of expert and internationally known cage bird breeder.
George’s father kept and raced pigeons, and later George turned to budgies, but decided that he much preferred a songbird to a ‘cheeper’. He therefore concentrated on Roller Canaries which produce the finest song. In the garden is a custom built aviary housing up to 50 canaries which George tends twice daily. He knows each bird individually by his own system and can relate their histories without difficulty. All George’s birds are recorded on his voice synthesizer which compliments his remarkable memory.
A further interest and skill is that he is an internationally known “radio ham”. His collection of exchange cards is more than impressive – they are from every corner of the globe. To any fellow radio operator, George’s call number is GM4XLL.
Lately his hands have been giving trouble and playing is not so easy. Any playing he does is for hospitals and retrial homes, but like many of us he gets great satisfaction from so doing.
My lasting regret is that I was unable to save his sight, but my lasting sincere thanks are due to his acceptance of advice to surmount his disability and the way he has done this is plain for all to see.
Box and Fiddle
October 1993