Jim Crawford
by John McDonald
Well-known Fife musician – Jim Crawford from Edentown, near Ladybank – celebrated his 90th birthday on Wednesday 14th April.
Jim first started to play the melodeon when he was only 6 years of age after listening to his father on their farm near the north Fife hamlet of Logie. When the family moved to a farm near Falkland Jim, who was then 16, took a fancy to a new melodeon and, although money was scarce, his mother allowed him to cycle to Dundee to have a look at the instruments. After leaving his bike at Newport and crossing on the ferry, he made his way to Forbes’s Music Shop in King Street, where he met the late Sir Jimmy Shand, who was salesman/demonstrator with the firm. Guided by Jimmy, Jim made a selection from the vast array of instruments, after which Jimmy Shand picked up the melodeon and played a few tunes, much to Jim’s enjoyment and satisfaction.
On the way home he stopped at the roadside, unwrapped the melodeon, and eagerly attempted to play a few tunes – unfortunately without much success. A bit disappointed, he made his way home, convinced that the instrument he had chosen was not the one he had been given. A few weeks later, Jimmy Shand called at the farm and Jim expressed his disappointment, whereupon Jimmy Shand picked up the melodeon, and played a selection of marches. At that point Jim admitted that it was himself who was at fault and NOT the instrument! This was the start of a lifelong friendship with Sir Jimmy and the Shand family and, in November 1977 Jim was invited to take part in the ‘This is Your Life’ television recording featuring Jimmy Shand.
Jim aspired to a full-size button-key accordion and for over 20 years, he and his five-piece band played every Saturday in the nearby Giffordtown Hall, for old time and country dancing. Other events included charity functions and Burns’ suppers. Jim admitted that there was never much profit in those days and on occasions they were lucky if they earned five shillings (25 pence), but they all enjoyed the music and the social atmosphere.
He entered the competitions at the Perth Accordion Festival in the early fifties and won ‘The Jimmy Shand Shield’ in 1954 (followed by his brother John in 1960). Jim and his band were invited to play at dances throughout the U.K. and they also made regular broadcasts on the BBC Home Service ‘Scottish Dance Music’ radio programmes. A few years ago, he entered a competition at the Musselburgh Festival and won the award for the ‘Champion of the Melodeon’.
He has been the Guest Atriste and many A&F Clubs and only two years ago was the guest at the Stornoway Club.
Along with his 2-row ‘Double Ray’ melodeon, he still plays regularly at the Glenfarg, Ladybank, and Windygates (Button-Key) A&F clubs and the monthly musical ‘get-together’ at Letham Village Hall, organised by Jimmy Shand Junior.
He has played at the three annual ‘Sir Jimmy Shand Tribute Day’ concerts in the Town Hall in St Andrews and recently took part in a television recording at the Windygates Button-Key Club.
Finally, he has just released a 21 track CD entitled Matured to Perfection,, how appropriate for someone at 90 years of age.
I asked Jim if he had any special, or favourite, tune to which he replied, “They’re a’ braw”, but as I left to the strains of Memories of Willie Snaith, a tune composed by his great friend, the late Sir Jimmy Shand, I felt perhaps there was a ‘favourite’!
Box and Fiddle
May 2004
Jim first started to play the melodeon when he was only 6 years of age after listening to his father on their farm near the north Fife hamlet of Logie. When the family moved to a farm near Falkland Jim, who was then 16, took a fancy to a new melodeon and, although money was scarce, his mother allowed him to cycle to Dundee to have a look at the instruments. After leaving his bike at Newport and crossing on the ferry, he made his way to Forbes’s Music Shop in King Street, where he met the late Sir Jimmy Shand, who was salesman/demonstrator with the firm. Guided by Jimmy, Jim made a selection from the vast array of instruments, after which Jimmy Shand picked up the melodeon and played a few tunes, much to Jim’s enjoyment and satisfaction.
On the way home he stopped at the roadside, unwrapped the melodeon, and eagerly attempted to play a few tunes – unfortunately without much success. A bit disappointed, he made his way home, convinced that the instrument he had chosen was not the one he had been given. A few weeks later, Jimmy Shand called at the farm and Jim expressed his disappointment, whereupon Jimmy Shand picked up the melodeon, and played a selection of marches. At that point Jim admitted that it was himself who was at fault and NOT the instrument! This was the start of a lifelong friendship with Sir Jimmy and the Shand family and, in November 1977 Jim was invited to take part in the ‘This is Your Life’ television recording featuring Jimmy Shand.
Jim aspired to a full-size button-key accordion and for over 20 years, he and his five-piece band played every Saturday in the nearby Giffordtown Hall, for old time and country dancing. Other events included charity functions and Burns’ suppers. Jim admitted that there was never much profit in those days and on occasions they were lucky if they earned five shillings (25 pence), but they all enjoyed the music and the social atmosphere.
He entered the competitions at the Perth Accordion Festival in the early fifties and won ‘The Jimmy Shand Shield’ in 1954 (followed by his brother John in 1960). Jim and his band were invited to play at dances throughout the U.K. and they also made regular broadcasts on the BBC Home Service ‘Scottish Dance Music’ radio programmes. A few years ago, he entered a competition at the Musselburgh Festival and won the award for the ‘Champion of the Melodeon’.
He has been the Guest Atriste and many A&F Clubs and only two years ago was the guest at the Stornoway Club.
Along with his 2-row ‘Double Ray’ melodeon, he still plays regularly at the Glenfarg, Ladybank, and Windygates (Button-Key) A&F clubs and the monthly musical ‘get-together’ at Letham Village Hall, organised by Jimmy Shand Junior.
He has played at the three annual ‘Sir Jimmy Shand Tribute Day’ concerts in the Town Hall in St Andrews and recently took part in a television recording at the Windygates Button-Key Club.
Finally, he has just released a 21 track CD entitled Matured to Perfection,, how appropriate for someone at 90 years of age.
I asked Jim if he had any special, or favourite, tune to which he replied, “They’re a’ braw”, but as I left to the strains of Memories of Willie Snaith, a tune composed by his great friend, the late Sir Jimmy Shand, I felt perhaps there was a ‘favourite’!
Box and Fiddle
May 2004