Ian Duncan (21/07/1927 – 23/06/2011) Obituary
by George Anderson (Keith)
B&F September 2011
Ian was born on 21st July 1927 in the Parish of Botriphnie (also home of the famous blacksmith!) some 5 miles outside Keith. The family moved to Keith in 1940 where Ian attended Keith Grammar School. It was during this time that Ian developed an interest in musicwhich led him to teaching himself to play the accordion. Very soon thereafter he joined the local dance band – ‘The Strathisla Melody Makers’.
Unfortunately, Ian developed severe back problems which resulted in him having to give up playing the accordion. However, he was unwilling to abandon his musical career and took up playing the double bass. In that capacity he went on to play with The Regency Quintet, my own band The Chordettes Dance Band (for 22 years), The Ian H. Cruickshank SDB and, for some 30 years, the Elgin S&R Society. It was during an evening engagement with The Chordettes in May 1971 that I approached Ian and the then keyboard player, Ally Gray to discuss the possibility of forming an Accordion and Fiddle Club in Keith. The rest, as they say, is history – on the first Tuesday of September 1971, the North East Accordion and Fiddle Club was officially launched. The enthusiasm shown by Ian resulted in him becoming the Secretary – a position he held for 7 years. Following this Ian remained a Committee member for many years and his numerous contacts in the music world were invaluable in bringing the very best of guest artistes to the Club. Ian was also renowned for his wealth of personal recordings of the monthly club nights and his music room at his home in Keith was an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of personal and commercial recordings.
Ian was also very proud of his role and influence in encouraging the younger members of the North east Club o maintain their interest in Scottish music and indeed, a number of them are still to the fore in the Scottish music and Accordion and Fiddle Club scene today. Ian was a frequent visitor to Shetland in the late 60s / early 70s during which times he fostered great and lasting friendships with many of the weel kent names up there. He was subsequently involved in a project to publish a number of volumes of music composed by his great musician friend Ronnie Cooper. These have become ‘must have’ volumes of music for most of the great musicians since they were first published. Whether it be the Shetland influence or not, Ian was also a prolific composer himself – The Hayfield Two-Step written for Frank and Lillian Chadwick was recorded by Jimmy Blue, and Miss Alison Gray (a reel) was recorded by Max Houliston. In addition, a couple of Ian’s tunes have been published by the RSCDS as original tunes for new dances.
Happily, the North East Accordion and Fiddle Club is still going strong. Ian remained a very staunce and proud member of the Club and missed only the last two meetings due to his failing health. It is very sad that Ian won’t be around to help the Club celebrate its 40th Anniversary on 6th September, but he will certainly be in the thoughts of everyone present that night, and will be fondly remembered for all he did for the Accordion and Fiddle scene in the North East of Scotland over the last 40 years.
Unfortunately, Ian developed severe back problems which resulted in him having to give up playing the accordion. However, he was unwilling to abandon his musical career and took up playing the double bass. In that capacity he went on to play with The Regency Quintet, my own band The Chordettes Dance Band (for 22 years), The Ian H. Cruickshank SDB and, for some 30 years, the Elgin S&R Society. It was during an evening engagement with The Chordettes in May 1971 that I approached Ian and the then keyboard player, Ally Gray to discuss the possibility of forming an Accordion and Fiddle Club in Keith. The rest, as they say, is history – on the first Tuesday of September 1971, the North East Accordion and Fiddle Club was officially launched. The enthusiasm shown by Ian resulted in him becoming the Secretary – a position he held for 7 years. Following this Ian remained a Committee member for many years and his numerous contacts in the music world were invaluable in bringing the very best of guest artistes to the Club. Ian was also renowned for his wealth of personal recordings of the monthly club nights and his music room at his home in Keith was an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of personal and commercial recordings.
Ian was also very proud of his role and influence in encouraging the younger members of the North east Club o maintain their interest in Scottish music and indeed, a number of them are still to the fore in the Scottish music and Accordion and Fiddle Club scene today. Ian was a frequent visitor to Shetland in the late 60s / early 70s during which times he fostered great and lasting friendships with many of the weel kent names up there. He was subsequently involved in a project to publish a number of volumes of music composed by his great musician friend Ronnie Cooper. These have become ‘must have’ volumes of music for most of the great musicians since they were first published. Whether it be the Shetland influence or not, Ian was also a prolific composer himself – The Hayfield Two-Step written for Frank and Lillian Chadwick was recorded by Jimmy Blue, and Miss Alison Gray (a reel) was recorded by Max Houliston. In addition, a couple of Ian’s tunes have been published by the RSCDS as original tunes for new dances.
Happily, the North East Accordion and Fiddle Club is still going strong. Ian remained a very staunce and proud member of the Club and missed only the last two meetings due to his failing health. It is very sad that Ian won’t be around to help the Club celebrate its 40th Anniversary on 6th September, but he will certainly be in the thoughts of everyone present that night, and will be fondly remembered for all he did for the Accordion and Fiddle scene in the North East of Scotland over the last 40 years.