Isobel Harper
by Margo Maclennan
Having driven from Kiltarlity to Caithness in winter conditions, I spent a lovely afternoon with Isobel. I was inspired by her humble, kind and gentle ways and impressed by her enthusiasm to promote traditional music. She teaches and encourages many young musicians to go to local clubs and festivals. She has some enjoyable musical evenings in her home in Wick with many groups, teaching and sorting out the musical arrangements for them. As she says: “Music keeps me young and active!”
Isobel was born into a farming family at Lochend, Dunnet, Caithness to James and Isabella Auld. She started classical piano lessons the age of 12 with Margaret Henderson in Wick who also taught fiddle to Addie Harper, her future husband to be, Isobel’s brother Hamish Auld also had lessons there. Hamish later went on to play double bass part-time with the Wick Scottish Dance Band while he still worked on the family farm.
As a young music student Isobel really wanted to play Scottish and Margaret found that in some of Isobel’s music books were some by Jimmy Shand. Margaret asked Isobel to play Millbank Cottage and that was the start of Isobel learning Scottish dance music! Margaret then agreed to teach half Scottish and half classical!
Isobel left school at 15 and went to work in Wick as a shop assistant. One evening on the 3rd October 1962 she got a telephone call from Addie to come and play the piano in the Rosebank Hotel, Wick. Isobel showed me the book in which Addie had written out all the chords for the different tempos of music that the band played, so Isobel could practice them in her spare time. Isobel now became a part-time, stand-in member of the Wick Scottish Dance Band when their regular pianist, Adam Black, was unable to play. The band became more and more popular, so much so that Isobel at some point stopped her day job and become a full-time musician. This change in working hours delighted Isobel’s mum, Mrs Auld, as she could then help on the farm during the day.
The other band members were Addie Harper (fiddle), Eann Nicolson (accordion and Univox), Hamish Auld (double bass) and John Gunn on drums. They developed a style all of their own ensuring that they were regularly broadcasting and playing to capacity crowds in most parts of Scotland and the Islands, despite hailing from the most northerly tip of Scotland (Just 18 miles from John O’ Groats).
The band members were in a fortunate position that one of them, Eann Nicolson, was also a piano tuner to trade, which meant that the piano was always in tune no matter what hall they played. Before the band travelled to their evening gigs, if there was time, Addie would arrange to entertain in some old folks’ homes or a hospital. A cutting from The Annadale local paper at the time shows a photograph of the Wick Scottish with band members Addie (fiddle), Eann (accordion), Isobel (piano) and on drums a young Robert Cameron.
Each member of the band had their own job to do once the equipment was set up. Isobel went into the kitchen and made a meal or sandwiches, while Eann tuned the piano and Addie checked over the music in advance and recorded some of the modern pop tunes from Radio Luxembourg, so that the band could then include the music in their programme, thus keeping the music fresh and exciting!
The Wick Scottish Dance Band made their first LP ‘The Heather and Shamrock’ in 1965 and it was recorded by Jimmy Johnstone of Grampian Records at 19 Bank Row, Wick. The band line up was Addie Harper on fiddle, banjo and Univox, Hawaiian guitar and 4-string banjo. The Wick Scottish recorded a number of vinyls and EP discs and a number of cassettes. Isobel also recorded with other artists, too many of them to mention. They also received many awards. In 1979 Addie Harper and the Wick Band were presented with the Record Industry Scotstar Award for Scottish Country Dance Band of the year by Clyde Factors. In January 2014 the Wick Senior Citizens award went to The Harper Family for entertaining them over the past 50 years. Also in the collection is an honorary membership of the Wick A & F club presented to Isobel in 1987 for all her work in encouraging young players to attend. In 2015 Isobel was also presented with a Royal Cut Crystal Diamond from the Wick Accordion and Fiddle Club in appreciation of her dedication and loyal support since the start of the club in 1975.
After having played together for many years, Isobel and Addie Harper married 3rd November 1979 and were together until his death in 2002. Together they and from the 70’s onwards Addie Harper jnr. entertained all over Scotland and England. The band played a number of times in Northumberland, hence the tunes Barrowburn Reel, John Keith Laing, Walking on the Moon. All these were written by Addie Harper and are still popular tunes played in many band sets.
Isobel also had many stories to tell about incidents when travelling. On one of their visits to Mallaig, the rest of the band went off the boat to find a taxi and Isobel stayed on board to look after the instruments. The next thing she knew, the boat drew away from the pier and sailed to Armadale, Skye. Isobel got a free trip on the ferry, but still manage to arrive back in Mallaig in time for the band to set up and play their gig.
Another time, again going to a dance in Mallaig, the band van got as far as Fort Augustus and then broke down. The man at the garage said: “You won’t be going to Mallaig in this van!” The band got all their instruments out and lined the street at the bus stop. When the bus arrived, the driver came out and said “We don’t do flittings”. They explained the situation, all the equipment was loaded on, and they continued to Fort William. Here they got a car with a driver, loaded the gear up, although the drums had to go by train. They drove the 40 mile on the single track road to Mallaig, (the drums got there too) and played the gig. The Next morning they got the train to Fort William, then the bus to Fort Augustus, got in the van and up the road to Bonar Bridge and played for another dance. They finally got home about 2.30am - very tired!
In mid-1980s Addie encouraged Isobel to start teaching piano and accordion from home. Isobel’s ambition has always been to have young people playing in groups. One of the young players in the first group of under 10s was Carol-Anne Mackay who now lives in Thurso and teaches accordion and bagpipes. Isobel also helped start Northsound and The Young Traditionals. Another group, the Caithness Scorries, started through Jimmy and Diane Peat and their son Murray. Both Jimmy and Murray came to Addie snr and Isobel to learn accordion. Isobel is also involved with the members of The Tannoch band. Isobel writes out the music and the harmonies for all the groups.
Over the years Isobel has played in many A & F clubs and still continues to accompany and gig with various musicians all over Scotland. She would like to thank all the musicians past and present for their help and support over the years. As she says “I would not be receiving this prestigious award without them”.
Box and Fiddle
April 2016
Isobel was born into a farming family at Lochend, Dunnet, Caithness to James and Isabella Auld. She started classical piano lessons the age of 12 with Margaret Henderson in Wick who also taught fiddle to Addie Harper, her future husband to be, Isobel’s brother Hamish Auld also had lessons there. Hamish later went on to play double bass part-time with the Wick Scottish Dance Band while he still worked on the family farm.
As a young music student Isobel really wanted to play Scottish and Margaret found that in some of Isobel’s music books were some by Jimmy Shand. Margaret asked Isobel to play Millbank Cottage and that was the start of Isobel learning Scottish dance music! Margaret then agreed to teach half Scottish and half classical!
Isobel left school at 15 and went to work in Wick as a shop assistant. One evening on the 3rd October 1962 she got a telephone call from Addie to come and play the piano in the Rosebank Hotel, Wick. Isobel showed me the book in which Addie had written out all the chords for the different tempos of music that the band played, so Isobel could practice them in her spare time. Isobel now became a part-time, stand-in member of the Wick Scottish Dance Band when their regular pianist, Adam Black, was unable to play. The band became more and more popular, so much so that Isobel at some point stopped her day job and become a full-time musician. This change in working hours delighted Isobel’s mum, Mrs Auld, as she could then help on the farm during the day.
The other band members were Addie Harper (fiddle), Eann Nicolson (accordion and Univox), Hamish Auld (double bass) and John Gunn on drums. They developed a style all of their own ensuring that they were regularly broadcasting and playing to capacity crowds in most parts of Scotland and the Islands, despite hailing from the most northerly tip of Scotland (Just 18 miles from John O’ Groats).
The band members were in a fortunate position that one of them, Eann Nicolson, was also a piano tuner to trade, which meant that the piano was always in tune no matter what hall they played. Before the band travelled to their evening gigs, if there was time, Addie would arrange to entertain in some old folks’ homes or a hospital. A cutting from The Annadale local paper at the time shows a photograph of the Wick Scottish with band members Addie (fiddle), Eann (accordion), Isobel (piano) and on drums a young Robert Cameron.
Each member of the band had their own job to do once the equipment was set up. Isobel went into the kitchen and made a meal or sandwiches, while Eann tuned the piano and Addie checked over the music in advance and recorded some of the modern pop tunes from Radio Luxembourg, so that the band could then include the music in their programme, thus keeping the music fresh and exciting!
The Wick Scottish Dance Band made their first LP ‘The Heather and Shamrock’ in 1965 and it was recorded by Jimmy Johnstone of Grampian Records at 19 Bank Row, Wick. The band line up was Addie Harper on fiddle, banjo and Univox, Hawaiian guitar and 4-string banjo. The Wick Scottish recorded a number of vinyls and EP discs and a number of cassettes. Isobel also recorded with other artists, too many of them to mention. They also received many awards. In 1979 Addie Harper and the Wick Band were presented with the Record Industry Scotstar Award for Scottish Country Dance Band of the year by Clyde Factors. In January 2014 the Wick Senior Citizens award went to The Harper Family for entertaining them over the past 50 years. Also in the collection is an honorary membership of the Wick A & F club presented to Isobel in 1987 for all her work in encouraging young players to attend. In 2015 Isobel was also presented with a Royal Cut Crystal Diamond from the Wick Accordion and Fiddle Club in appreciation of her dedication and loyal support since the start of the club in 1975.
After having played together for many years, Isobel and Addie Harper married 3rd November 1979 and were together until his death in 2002. Together they and from the 70’s onwards Addie Harper jnr. entertained all over Scotland and England. The band played a number of times in Northumberland, hence the tunes Barrowburn Reel, John Keith Laing, Walking on the Moon. All these were written by Addie Harper and are still popular tunes played in many band sets.
Isobel also had many stories to tell about incidents when travelling. On one of their visits to Mallaig, the rest of the band went off the boat to find a taxi and Isobel stayed on board to look after the instruments. The next thing she knew, the boat drew away from the pier and sailed to Armadale, Skye. Isobel got a free trip on the ferry, but still manage to arrive back in Mallaig in time for the band to set up and play their gig.
Another time, again going to a dance in Mallaig, the band van got as far as Fort Augustus and then broke down. The man at the garage said: “You won’t be going to Mallaig in this van!” The band got all their instruments out and lined the street at the bus stop. When the bus arrived, the driver came out and said “We don’t do flittings”. They explained the situation, all the equipment was loaded on, and they continued to Fort William. Here they got a car with a driver, loaded the gear up, although the drums had to go by train. They drove the 40 mile on the single track road to Mallaig, (the drums got there too) and played the gig. The Next morning they got the train to Fort William, then the bus to Fort Augustus, got in the van and up the road to Bonar Bridge and played for another dance. They finally got home about 2.30am - very tired!
In mid-1980s Addie encouraged Isobel to start teaching piano and accordion from home. Isobel’s ambition has always been to have young people playing in groups. One of the young players in the first group of under 10s was Carol-Anne Mackay who now lives in Thurso and teaches accordion and bagpipes. Isobel also helped start Northsound and The Young Traditionals. Another group, the Caithness Scorries, started through Jimmy and Diane Peat and their son Murray. Both Jimmy and Murray came to Addie snr and Isobel to learn accordion. Isobel is also involved with the members of The Tannoch band. Isobel writes out the music and the harmonies for all the groups.
Over the years Isobel has played in many A & F clubs and still continues to accompany and gig with various musicians all over Scotland. She would like to thank all the musicians past and present for their help and support over the years. As she says “I would not be receiving this prestigious award without them”.
Box and Fiddle
April 2016