Gordon Pattullo
by Bill Brown
B&F January 2018
A 40th anniversary to many conjures up the titles Quadragennial or Ruby, but call it what you like, 40 years is a very long time and a lot of squeezing. As someone able to vividly recall that young ginger haired teenager that took the Scottish accordion fraternity by storm in the late seventies, it’s hard to believe in 2017 Gordon Pattullo has clocked up a staggering 40 years in the music business. The seventies was an interesting decade, presenting us with four prime ministers, four general elections, two property booms, two oil crises, a riot of youth sub-cultures and a pop music revolution whose reverberations still resonate widely today. For lovers of Scottish music we were well catered for with Calum’s Ceilidh, Thingummyjig, Andy Stewart’s Scotch Corner and numerous Hogmanay offerings on the telly. The seventies also saw the birth of Radio’s Clyde and Forth, which back then, also regarded it as their public duty to promote our kind of music on their airwaves. Radio Forth perhaps royally leading the way with Robin Brock’s excellent weekly Folks Around Robin programme produced by Chris Worrell and Sandy Wilkie which gave Take the Floor a run for its money. Gordon began his professional music career in 1977, which many will of course remember as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee year. It was also the year 26 year old Kenny Dalglish made his way South from Celtic to Liverpool, becoming in the process Britain’s most expensive footballer for the princely sum of £440,000, a bit of a bargain by today’s standards! It was also the year the world mourned the death of Elvis Presley and Fleetwood Mac released their Grammy award winning album Rumours. Not to be outdone, the young Gordon himself got in on the recording act that year releasing his second album The Young Traditionals with Addie Harper Jnr on the EMI label.
Gordon’s parents were always interested in accordion music. Jimmy Shand, Arthur Spink, Ian Powrie and Jimmy Blue were just a few of the greats whose sound filled the Pattullo household back then. Gordon’s mum Georgina played piano and violin and his dad James, known to his many friends as Peem, played the melodeon. Sadly Gordon’s father passed away on 2nd April 2016 but his mum is still going strong and I’m sure extremely proud of her talented son. Gordon’s ultimate love affair with the accordion began on his 11th birthday when his parents bought him his very first accordion, a three voice 120 bass Sonola. As history has subsequently decreed a very inspired gift! Next step for Gordon was accordion lessons, so with accordion in hand, the young Gordon was duly dispatched to the Dundee Accordion School of Music to begin his formal music education under the stewardship and watchful eye of the superb Jim Marshall, who along with other tutors worked in what was at the time a very successful music school in Union Street, Dundee. After a few lessons Gordon was hooked. However, there was no slacking at this school for the young Gordon who was encouraged to complete his theory and practical music exams. Jim Marshall gave Gordon excellent grounding in many styles of music, including continental and classical. Two years later at the age of thirteen, Gordon also started receiving lessons from legendary Dundee accordionist John Huband in the nearby village of Muirhead. In contrast to the continental and classical styles Jim Marshall taught, which music examinations demanded back then, John focused more on Scottish traditional music. Gordon remembers feeling a little nervous as he reflects on his very first public performance which took place in 1973 in his own school, Kettins Primary near Coupar Angus. Gordon had only been playing about six months at this stage so any apprehension or nerves in most people’s book would be completely understandable. Eventually having achieved a decent playing standard, Jim Marshall introduced his young protégé to ex world champion accordionist Louis Cabrelli who provided Gordon with more advanced tuition. Louis Cabrelli, a child prodigy of the 1920’s, was held in the highest regard by many of the world’s finest accordion players. Louis enjoyed a close friendship with Jimmy Shand, a relationship forged during their work with Charles Forbes in Dundee where Jimmy demonstrated the virtues of the melodeon while Louis enticed prospective customers by showcasing his amazing skills on the piano accordion. The young Gordon was by this stage well on the road to great things and the competition stage beckoned. Gordon’s first competitive engagement at the age of 13 was the Junior Scottish Traditional section at the infamous Perth Festival organised by the greatly loved and much missed Bill Wilkie. Gordon claims he was lucky to win this section on his first attempt at competing, despite being up against 60 other competitors no doubt as equally keen and determined as Gordon was to get their hands on this accolade, but our man was not to be disappointed and even during those tender formative years Gordon’s star shone brightly.
In 1977 the Senior Traditional Scottish Accordion Championship was won by Graham Mitchell, a title surprisingly never won by Gordon and there’s a very good reason for that? Gordon never quite found the time to enter the most coveted Scottish traditional accordion title of them all due to a change in his fortunes. A few years earlier in 1970, Jimmy Blue had started an Accordion & Fiddle Club in Perth which Gordon attended. In 1977 having become acutely aware of Gordon’s outstanding talent on the accordion, Jimmy introduced Gordon to Andy Stewart. This introduction led to a host of professional engagements for the young Gordon who had started to emerge as one of Scotland’s finest exponents of the piano accordion. The first of those engagements was an eight week tour of Canada and America. Not a bad start to a blossoming music career! Throughout the next decade, which back then was the heady days of Scottish variety, Gordon was involved in theatre shows almost every week, the majority of those with the legendary Andy Stewart. Gordon to this day fondly reflects on his years working with Andy and counts himself extremely lucky to have worked with one of the finest Scottish entertainers to ever grace the stage. Interestingly, Gordon met Andy for the very first time at Prestwick Airport, which in the 1970’s was Scotland’s international aviation hub. Due to demanding schedules, Gordon and Andy never found the time to rehearse in Scotland so that was left until they went on tour. As Gordon looks back on those golden years he remains impressed as to how clever Andy was and reflects on his impressive knowledge of Robert Burns and his poetry. If anyone knew how to play and entertain an audience, Andy Stewart did and the young Gordon learnt his craft from the master. Throughout his career Gordon has also had the good fortune to provide support for other legendary names such as Moira Anderson, Kenneth McKellar, Lulu, Dana and George Hamilton IV. During the past four decades Gordon has also been no stranger to television or radio studios. His first radio broadcast was in the late 1970’s, a series on Accordion and Fiddle Clubs produced by Ben Lyons and hosted by another Scottish music legend, the wonderful Alasdair Gillies who I also greatly admire and respect for his outstanding contribution to Scotland’s musical heritage. Gordon has broadcast many times on BBC Radio and Radio’s Forth and Clyde. He’s also featured many times on another box (the telly) appearing on the Jim MacLeod Show, Andy’s Party and Northern Nights (Grampian Television) and Thingummyjig (STV) not to mention numerous Hogmanay shows. The great days of Scottish variety when Andy Stewart, The Alexander Brothers and other great Scottish entertainers sold out two houses on the same night in many of Scotland’s theatres may sadly be behind us but Gordon thinks there is still a market today for traditional music. Work in the 1970’s was plentiful and while there isn’t as much work around today, Gordon is still kept busy playing for Old Tyme dances. Another work outlet that ended two years ago was the Scottish Summer show at the St. James Hotel in Edinburgh, which entertained tourists visiting the Scottish capital for nigh on 30 years. Gordon contributed his accordion skills to this highly successful production for nearly a decade.
Another important personal pursuit that ended two years ago for Gordon was his work in farming, although he has a lot to thank that profession for as he met his wife June at the Young Farmers Club. Gordon and June have been married for over 30 years and have three children together, although they are no longer kids! Fraser aged 30 is an accountant, Alan 28 works for HMRC and daughter Caroline aged 25 is a Nursery Nurse. Music continues to run through the Pattullo family veins as you would expect. Eldest son Fraser plays pipes and whistle and has often featured in his dad’s excellent ceilidh band making his recording debut on Gordon’s Hand Made in Scotland album. Younger son Alan has played in the Drum Corps of Perth and District Pipe Band and daughter Caroline has also tread the boards as a Highland Dancer. Gordon has demonstrated his wizardry on the accordion both at home and abroad during his 40 year musical career playing in some amazing theatres and auditoriums along the way, but Gordon has a few venues he favours above all others. First on the list is His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen where Gordon enjoyed many a happy summer season with Andy Stewart and also making the cut is the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee. Gordon also gets a great deal of pleasure playing at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs and in small village halls, both of which, can be cracking venues if the atmosphere is right. Gordon senses there is still a very healthy interest in the accordion but expresses concern it isn’t as good or as strong as it once was. Accordion and Fiddle Clubs equally aren’t as vibrant and continue to face many challenges, not least of course an ageing demograph. No respectful article on Gordon’s 40 year career would be complete without highlighting our man’s prolific talents as a composer. Gordon down the years has written more tunes than I would have the time or space to include in this article. When it comes to writing tunes, Gordon is a perfectionist and no tune will see the light of day unless he’s completely happy with it. Second best is never something Gordon has accepted or will countenance. His superb playing and excellent composition skills are proof of that if ever proof was needed. Being a little self-indulgent, the three Gordon Pattullo compositions that standout above all others for me are the Tullybaccart Two Step, the very first Gordon Pattullo recording I ever heard, Bonnie Strathmore, a tune that captures the beauty of the Sidlaw Hills near Gordon’s Perthshire home and of course the one Gordon composition that has become so loved and cherished by many accordion enthusiasts, the fabulous and very evocative Furrows End, a tune Gordon wrote in memory of the late Dave Ford who was a great lover of Scottish music, a family friend and a champion ploughman to boot. Gordon has published one book of his tunes and there are several more compositions available to download from his website. Perhaps one of the most memorable tunes Gordon has written was when Producer Bryce Laing commissioned Gordon to write a tune to mark Jimmy Shand’s 50th year as a recording artiste. Bryce had two copies pressed at Abbey Road Studios in London, one went to Jimmy and the other to Gordon.
Now Gordon has stopped farming most of his time is spent repairing and tuning accordions, a new venture Gordon loves having learnt his craft along the way from John Crawford, one of Scotland’s finest accordion tuners. Big shoes indeed to fill but our Gordon is well on the way to adding another very important string to his bow. Away from the world of accordions, Gordon has a few other interests that may surprise some people. Not least his interest in restoring and displaying his collection of old vintage tractors, at the last count Gordon owned nine. Another interest of Gordon’s that may be less surprising living in Perthshire, is the occasional donning of the waders to indulge in a little loch fishing. If all that wasn’t enough, you may also find Gordon in his vegetable garden. It does make you wonder where Gordon found the time to farm! It’s always intriguing to find out from successful musicians what their tastes in music are and more specifically what they might pop into the car CD player on a long journey. Well Gordon has been a pretty open book in that respect naming Will Starr, Glen Campbell and Don Williams amongst his all time favourites. Gordon also has a liking for folk groups and loves the pipe music of the late Gordon Duncan. It’s rather poignant in Gordon’s 40th year in music that we lost two of his favourite artists who were absolute legends on the country music circuit. It would also be inappropriate, if not disrespectful, not to mention the loss of Dundee’s favourite son in this list and a man whose recordings were often played in the Pattullo household which no doubt inspired the young Gordon, the legendary Arthur Spink. Looking to the future, Gordon’s aim is to continue exactly as he’s doing, playing music and composing tunes, repairing and tuning accordions and mentoring his many students who have the good fortune to benefit and learn at the master’s side. Gordon, we warmly congratulate you on your 40th Anniversary and for entertaining us with your superb music and unique talent for four wonderful decades. You’re well on the way to being a legend yourself. Here’s to the next 40 years!
END
Gordon Pattullo Discography
A Gordon For You EMI 1976
The Young Traditionals (with Addie Harper Jnr) EMI 1977
The Northlands EMI 1978
Scotland’s Favourite Emerald Gem 1979
Here’s Tae A Gordon Emerald Gem 1980
Gordon Pattullo’s Accordion Favourites Ross Records 1983
Scotch On The Box Ross Records 1986
All The Best Lapwing 1988
Fair Play Lapwing 1991
Scottish Accordion Hits Grasmere 1993
The Sound Of Scottish Music Ross Records 1995
A Scottish Celebration Ross Records 1997
The Best Of Scottish Dance Music Crimson 1997
Ceilidh Dance Party Grasmere 1998
A Guid Scots Night Grasmere 2000
Ceilidh At The Castle Grasmere 2002
Gordon Pattullo & Friends Grasmere 2003
Hand Made In Scotland GP Recordings 2004
Sure As The Sunrise GP Recordings 2006
7 Star Ceilidh GP Recordings 2008
The Very Best Of Gordon Pattullo GP Recordings 2010
Out Of My Hands GP Recordings 2011
Note For Note GP Recordings 2013
The Accordion GP Recordings 2015
The Accordion At Christmas GP Recordings 2017
DVD
Gordon Pattullo His Accordion & His Friends GP Recordings 2007
Gordon Pattullo His Accordion & His Friends 2 GP Recordings 2009
Gordon’s parents were always interested in accordion music. Jimmy Shand, Arthur Spink, Ian Powrie and Jimmy Blue were just a few of the greats whose sound filled the Pattullo household back then. Gordon’s mum Georgina played piano and violin and his dad James, known to his many friends as Peem, played the melodeon. Sadly Gordon’s father passed away on 2nd April 2016 but his mum is still going strong and I’m sure extremely proud of her talented son. Gordon’s ultimate love affair with the accordion began on his 11th birthday when his parents bought him his very first accordion, a three voice 120 bass Sonola. As history has subsequently decreed a very inspired gift! Next step for Gordon was accordion lessons, so with accordion in hand, the young Gordon was duly dispatched to the Dundee Accordion School of Music to begin his formal music education under the stewardship and watchful eye of the superb Jim Marshall, who along with other tutors worked in what was at the time a very successful music school in Union Street, Dundee. After a few lessons Gordon was hooked. However, there was no slacking at this school for the young Gordon who was encouraged to complete his theory and practical music exams. Jim Marshall gave Gordon excellent grounding in many styles of music, including continental and classical. Two years later at the age of thirteen, Gordon also started receiving lessons from legendary Dundee accordionist John Huband in the nearby village of Muirhead. In contrast to the continental and classical styles Jim Marshall taught, which music examinations demanded back then, John focused more on Scottish traditional music. Gordon remembers feeling a little nervous as he reflects on his very first public performance which took place in 1973 in his own school, Kettins Primary near Coupar Angus. Gordon had only been playing about six months at this stage so any apprehension or nerves in most people’s book would be completely understandable. Eventually having achieved a decent playing standard, Jim Marshall introduced his young protégé to ex world champion accordionist Louis Cabrelli who provided Gordon with more advanced tuition. Louis Cabrelli, a child prodigy of the 1920’s, was held in the highest regard by many of the world’s finest accordion players. Louis enjoyed a close friendship with Jimmy Shand, a relationship forged during their work with Charles Forbes in Dundee where Jimmy demonstrated the virtues of the melodeon while Louis enticed prospective customers by showcasing his amazing skills on the piano accordion. The young Gordon was by this stage well on the road to great things and the competition stage beckoned. Gordon’s first competitive engagement at the age of 13 was the Junior Scottish Traditional section at the infamous Perth Festival organised by the greatly loved and much missed Bill Wilkie. Gordon claims he was lucky to win this section on his first attempt at competing, despite being up against 60 other competitors no doubt as equally keen and determined as Gordon was to get their hands on this accolade, but our man was not to be disappointed and even during those tender formative years Gordon’s star shone brightly.
In 1977 the Senior Traditional Scottish Accordion Championship was won by Graham Mitchell, a title surprisingly never won by Gordon and there’s a very good reason for that? Gordon never quite found the time to enter the most coveted Scottish traditional accordion title of them all due to a change in his fortunes. A few years earlier in 1970, Jimmy Blue had started an Accordion & Fiddle Club in Perth which Gordon attended. In 1977 having become acutely aware of Gordon’s outstanding talent on the accordion, Jimmy introduced Gordon to Andy Stewart. This introduction led to a host of professional engagements for the young Gordon who had started to emerge as one of Scotland’s finest exponents of the piano accordion. The first of those engagements was an eight week tour of Canada and America. Not a bad start to a blossoming music career! Throughout the next decade, which back then was the heady days of Scottish variety, Gordon was involved in theatre shows almost every week, the majority of those with the legendary Andy Stewart. Gordon to this day fondly reflects on his years working with Andy and counts himself extremely lucky to have worked with one of the finest Scottish entertainers to ever grace the stage. Interestingly, Gordon met Andy for the very first time at Prestwick Airport, which in the 1970’s was Scotland’s international aviation hub. Due to demanding schedules, Gordon and Andy never found the time to rehearse in Scotland so that was left until they went on tour. As Gordon looks back on those golden years he remains impressed as to how clever Andy was and reflects on his impressive knowledge of Robert Burns and his poetry. If anyone knew how to play and entertain an audience, Andy Stewart did and the young Gordon learnt his craft from the master. Throughout his career Gordon has also had the good fortune to provide support for other legendary names such as Moira Anderson, Kenneth McKellar, Lulu, Dana and George Hamilton IV. During the past four decades Gordon has also been no stranger to television or radio studios. His first radio broadcast was in the late 1970’s, a series on Accordion and Fiddle Clubs produced by Ben Lyons and hosted by another Scottish music legend, the wonderful Alasdair Gillies who I also greatly admire and respect for his outstanding contribution to Scotland’s musical heritage. Gordon has broadcast many times on BBC Radio and Radio’s Forth and Clyde. He’s also featured many times on another box (the telly) appearing on the Jim MacLeod Show, Andy’s Party and Northern Nights (Grampian Television) and Thingummyjig (STV) not to mention numerous Hogmanay shows. The great days of Scottish variety when Andy Stewart, The Alexander Brothers and other great Scottish entertainers sold out two houses on the same night in many of Scotland’s theatres may sadly be behind us but Gordon thinks there is still a market today for traditional music. Work in the 1970’s was plentiful and while there isn’t as much work around today, Gordon is still kept busy playing for Old Tyme dances. Another work outlet that ended two years ago was the Scottish Summer show at the St. James Hotel in Edinburgh, which entertained tourists visiting the Scottish capital for nigh on 30 years. Gordon contributed his accordion skills to this highly successful production for nearly a decade.
Another important personal pursuit that ended two years ago for Gordon was his work in farming, although he has a lot to thank that profession for as he met his wife June at the Young Farmers Club. Gordon and June have been married for over 30 years and have three children together, although they are no longer kids! Fraser aged 30 is an accountant, Alan 28 works for HMRC and daughter Caroline aged 25 is a Nursery Nurse. Music continues to run through the Pattullo family veins as you would expect. Eldest son Fraser plays pipes and whistle and has often featured in his dad’s excellent ceilidh band making his recording debut on Gordon’s Hand Made in Scotland album. Younger son Alan has played in the Drum Corps of Perth and District Pipe Band and daughter Caroline has also tread the boards as a Highland Dancer. Gordon has demonstrated his wizardry on the accordion both at home and abroad during his 40 year musical career playing in some amazing theatres and auditoriums along the way, but Gordon has a few venues he favours above all others. First on the list is His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen where Gordon enjoyed many a happy summer season with Andy Stewart and also making the cut is the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee. Gordon also gets a great deal of pleasure playing at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs and in small village halls, both of which, can be cracking venues if the atmosphere is right. Gordon senses there is still a very healthy interest in the accordion but expresses concern it isn’t as good or as strong as it once was. Accordion and Fiddle Clubs equally aren’t as vibrant and continue to face many challenges, not least of course an ageing demograph. No respectful article on Gordon’s 40 year career would be complete without highlighting our man’s prolific talents as a composer. Gordon down the years has written more tunes than I would have the time or space to include in this article. When it comes to writing tunes, Gordon is a perfectionist and no tune will see the light of day unless he’s completely happy with it. Second best is never something Gordon has accepted or will countenance. His superb playing and excellent composition skills are proof of that if ever proof was needed. Being a little self-indulgent, the three Gordon Pattullo compositions that standout above all others for me are the Tullybaccart Two Step, the very first Gordon Pattullo recording I ever heard, Bonnie Strathmore, a tune that captures the beauty of the Sidlaw Hills near Gordon’s Perthshire home and of course the one Gordon composition that has become so loved and cherished by many accordion enthusiasts, the fabulous and very evocative Furrows End, a tune Gordon wrote in memory of the late Dave Ford who was a great lover of Scottish music, a family friend and a champion ploughman to boot. Gordon has published one book of his tunes and there are several more compositions available to download from his website. Perhaps one of the most memorable tunes Gordon has written was when Producer Bryce Laing commissioned Gordon to write a tune to mark Jimmy Shand’s 50th year as a recording artiste. Bryce had two copies pressed at Abbey Road Studios in London, one went to Jimmy and the other to Gordon.
Now Gordon has stopped farming most of his time is spent repairing and tuning accordions, a new venture Gordon loves having learnt his craft along the way from John Crawford, one of Scotland’s finest accordion tuners. Big shoes indeed to fill but our Gordon is well on the way to adding another very important string to his bow. Away from the world of accordions, Gordon has a few other interests that may surprise some people. Not least his interest in restoring and displaying his collection of old vintage tractors, at the last count Gordon owned nine. Another interest of Gordon’s that may be less surprising living in Perthshire, is the occasional donning of the waders to indulge in a little loch fishing. If all that wasn’t enough, you may also find Gordon in his vegetable garden. It does make you wonder where Gordon found the time to farm! It’s always intriguing to find out from successful musicians what their tastes in music are and more specifically what they might pop into the car CD player on a long journey. Well Gordon has been a pretty open book in that respect naming Will Starr, Glen Campbell and Don Williams amongst his all time favourites. Gordon also has a liking for folk groups and loves the pipe music of the late Gordon Duncan. It’s rather poignant in Gordon’s 40th year in music that we lost two of his favourite artists who were absolute legends on the country music circuit. It would also be inappropriate, if not disrespectful, not to mention the loss of Dundee’s favourite son in this list and a man whose recordings were often played in the Pattullo household which no doubt inspired the young Gordon, the legendary Arthur Spink. Looking to the future, Gordon’s aim is to continue exactly as he’s doing, playing music and composing tunes, repairing and tuning accordions and mentoring his many students who have the good fortune to benefit and learn at the master’s side. Gordon, we warmly congratulate you on your 40th Anniversary and for entertaining us with your superb music and unique talent for four wonderful decades. You’re well on the way to being a legend yourself. Here’s to the next 40 years!
END
Gordon Pattullo Discography
A Gordon For You EMI 1976
The Young Traditionals (with Addie Harper Jnr) EMI 1977
The Northlands EMI 1978
Scotland’s Favourite Emerald Gem 1979
Here’s Tae A Gordon Emerald Gem 1980
Gordon Pattullo’s Accordion Favourites Ross Records 1983
Scotch On The Box Ross Records 1986
All The Best Lapwing 1988
Fair Play Lapwing 1991
Scottish Accordion Hits Grasmere 1993
The Sound Of Scottish Music Ross Records 1995
A Scottish Celebration Ross Records 1997
The Best Of Scottish Dance Music Crimson 1997
Ceilidh Dance Party Grasmere 1998
A Guid Scots Night Grasmere 2000
Ceilidh At The Castle Grasmere 2002
Gordon Pattullo & Friends Grasmere 2003
Hand Made In Scotland GP Recordings 2004
Sure As The Sunrise GP Recordings 2006
7 Star Ceilidh GP Recordings 2008
The Very Best Of Gordon Pattullo GP Recordings 2010
Out Of My Hands GP Recordings 2011
Note For Note GP Recordings 2013
The Accordion GP Recordings 2015
The Accordion At Christmas GP Recordings 2017
DVD
Gordon Pattullo His Accordion & His Friends GP Recordings 2007
Gordon Pattullo His Accordion & His Friends 2 GP Recordings 2009