Box and Fiddle
Year 30 No 11
July 2007
Price £2.30
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £25.30 + p&p £8.80 (UK)
Editor – Karin Ingram, Hawick
B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
What a fantastic day we had at the AGM and Celebrity Luncheon in The Huntingtower Hotel! We’ll have a full report in the September issue, but meantime many congratulations to our Guests of Honour, Jimmy Burgess and Bobby Colgan, and also to our BAFFI winners – Club of the Year – Haddington, Club Supporter of the Year – James Paterson, CD of the Year – Glencraig SDB and Guest Artiste of the Year – Gordon Pattullo.
Yet another well loved stalwart of the B&F Clubs has passed away. Jim Crawford will be much missed by all who knew him and enjoyed his playing. We will have an obituary next month. This month we pay tribute to Dermot O’Brien and George Stirrat.
Karin Ingram
Lairg Music Festival
by Liz Quinn
The 9th annual Festival of Traditional Music…….
John McAdie’s Dab Hand
by
Among the many young and not so young people …….
Dermot O’Brien (Obituary)
by Rob Howard
Dermot O’Brien passed away on May 22nd in his hometown of Ardee, County Louth, in the Republic of Ireland, following a long battle with cancer. For many years he had lived in New York, but had returned to Ireland following the death of his wife Rosemarie in January 2005. His four children, none of whom followed musical careers, survive him.
A legend of Irish show business, Dermot O’Brien was a many faceted individual, well known not only as an accordionist and singer, but also a multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, trombone and 5-row button accordion), composer, arranger, producer and sportsman (captaining County Louth at Gaelic football).
After becoming an All Ireland Accordion Champion in 1954 and 1959 O’Brien turned professional in 1962, fronting Dermot O’Brien and The clubmen, a showband whose repertoire included everything from pop music to Country and Western to traditional jazz. In 1966, O’Brien’s vocal / accordion single The Merry Ploughboy went straight to No. 1 in the Irish Charts, a feat only otherwise achieved by Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
Dermot O’Brien was the most accomplished and commercially successful accordionists Ireland has produced to date, and his recordings sold in large quantities throughout Ireland, Britain, the USA, and other parts of the English speaking world. He was the first Irish accordionists to make recordings of non-Irish music, and his LPs The Laughing Accordion, Dancing Fingers and The Three Dimensions of Dermot O’Brien popularized a broad range of accordion specialities to a wide audience. His was, in fact, a very individual style of playing that copied no-one but influenced a whole generation of accordionists in Ireland and Britain. Although a product of the Irish traditional music scene, O’Brien’s accordion style was certainly not ‘mainstream’, and reflected his interest in Scottish and Continental music, jazz and swing bands.
Always interested in keeping up with the latest developments in technology, Dermot was the first accordionists to record an LP of Irish traditional music using multi-tracked accordion parts. This 1971 recording, O’Brien’s Cross-road Ceili, featured him playing both lead and harmony parts throughout a selection of reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes and set dances.
By the 1990s Dermot had switched to playing accordion with MIDI, and excelled at producing a very convincing one-man band sound on solo gigs and recordings, in fact, his later recordings were all self-produced, demonstrating his experience and brilliance at studio production and arrangements.
Few accordionists worldwide could match Dermot O’Brien’s stage presence, and his ability to entertain was second to none. He had a huge personal following, and performed in every major theatre in Ireland and the UK, including some top of the bill appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, London. In the middle and late 1960s, Dermot O’Brien and The clubmen were one of the biggest attractions in Ireland, and were regularly featured on Irish radio and television. They toured regularly in Britain, the USA, Canada, Germany and even visited the United Arab Emirates. Dermot was especially popular in Scotland, where his innumerable appearances included an interview with Robbie shepherd on BBC Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’. Whenever he toured Scotland, Dermot made a point of looking up Jimmy Shand in Auchtermuchty, with whom he had a long-standing friendship. His 1974 LP Tribute to Scotland was dedicated to his many Scottish fans.
Dermot had his own show on Irish television, which ran for seven years, and his guests included Bing Crosby and Jimmy Shand. He has also appeared as guest on many other shows, including Irish language programmes, as he was a keen Gaelic speaker. O’Brien wrote several pieces for accordion including Alpine Ski Run, The Laughing Accordion and Alpine Slopes. Alpine Slopes, published by Trivani, has been performed and recorded by countless accordionists in many countries. He also wrote many songs, including Connemara Rose, Farewell to Galway, Dublin ’62, There Has To Be an End, etc. One of his compositions in Irish, Neansai, won the International Pan-Celtic Song Contest in 1980. Other artistes including Paddy Reilly, Brendan Shine, Dermot Hegarty, Bridie Gallagher and Daniel O’Donnell have recorded many of his songs.
Dermot O’Brien moved to New York in 1983. He was already well-known on the American C&W circuit, having toured and performed with Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Buddy Herman, Hank Snow and Bill Haley and the Comets. O’Brien quickly established himself as a favourite on the Irish American club and festival circuit, where his ability to transform any gig into a carnival atmosphere was especially welcomed. He recorded a St Patrick’s Day Special for television with Bing Crosby in Dublin, which was shown coast to coats in the United States.
In later years, Dermot inherited the family home in Ardee, and thereafter divided his time between American and Ireland, making frequent short tours of the UK, appearing as a guest at Accordion and fiddle clubs and Festivals. On some of these dates, his sister, Marie O’Brien, herself a fine singer and keyboard player, accompanied him.
Dermot O’Brien was, with Finland’s Veikko Ahvenainen, co-chief guest at Malcolm Gee’s Autumn Accordion Festival at Caister in November 1991. He also later memorably shared the concert stage at The Wyre Accordion Festival in Fleetwood with Italian maestro Gervasio Marcosignori, and with fellow Irish accordionist Fintan Stanley at the Bolton Irish Centre in Lancashire. From 1995 to 2000, Dermot was part of the celebrated Jury’s Irish Cabaret in 1995 and spent six happy years performing with them in Dublin and on their US tours.
Dermot O’Brien’s music brought pleasure to millions. He made a large number of recordings, from the 1950s to 2005, and several of these are available on CD. There is also a DVD of a concert in Dublin in 1992. Fortunately, Dermot O’Brien’s name, reputation and music will live on through the great memories he has left us over the years, and his many superb recordings and compositions.
All Scottish on MFR
by
Moray Firth Radio…….
The Gordon Duncan Trust
by
A trust fund has now been established……..
George Stirrat (Obituary)
by
Bobby Harvey
Away back in the 70’s, George was a member of my band. At that time we were playing our summer season shows in all the Clyde resorts, having a weekly schedule of Largs, Dunoon, Rothesay and occasional visits to other theatres around Scotland. The show was a mixture of singers, Robert McKechnie and Mhairi MacArthur, pipers, and a team of either Highland or Scottish Country dancers from each location, plus a comedy slide show of Scotland.
One of the features of the show was a solo performance from each member of the band, and since Ivor Britton and Davy Bowen were on accordions we made a big number out of the piano solo, having introduced George as, “One of the most talented musicians in Scotland, and just returned to us tonight from the Royal Yacht Britannia, where he was a member of the Royal Marines Band. This evening he will attempt to play Chopin’s Minute Waltz in fifty-eight seconds flat…..Ladies and Gentlemen, George Stirrat!!!!”
George would then race through the Minute Waltz at full bore and complete it as the rest of the band kept their eye on their watches and always declared “fifty-seven seconds” and George received a thunderous ovation for his new ‘World Record’.
When we made the LP ‘Sailing up the Clyde’ George not only played piano on that disc, but also played a wonderful accompaniment on flute (which was his principal instrument in the Marines) to Mhairi MacArthur singing Rothesay Bay. He was always hilarious company and he prophesied that one day we would make a follow up record called Sailing DOON the Clyde in Ever Decreasing Circles – but that’s another story.
Although most readers of the Box and Fiddle will remember him as a brilliant accordionist and band leader with a wonderfully pawky sense of humour, I always maintained that piano was his forte. He could bring out some wonderfully sensitive accompaniments to singers and fellow instrumentalists, and was certainly one of the most talented musicians on the Scottish scene.
Alan Kitchen
I first met George Stirrat at the recently demolished Kelvin Centre in Glasgow in 1985. Shortly after that I recall my first engagement with George and his band was at Lugton. Members of the band on that occasion were : Alasdair Herron (fiddle), Jennifer Forrest (second box) and Jimmy Hislop (drums).
George gave me my first opportunity to take part in a ‘Take the Floor’ recording for the BBC. I recall at a rehearsal for that broadcast, I ventured to play a little rhythmic embellishment on the piano at one point. Without looking up from the music, George said, “No jazz, please”. He always felt that simplicity was the essence of the dance band, particularly in the back line.
George’s choice of tunes was always governed by the dancers, and what he felt that they liked to hear and to dance to. “Nothing too fancy” he would say. Not that George wasn’t a technician on the accordion when the occasion demanded it. He would often play fast and tricky tunes in a concert situation – having been influenced by Will Starr, with whom he had worked and toured in the 1960’s.
His other great influence was undoubtedly Sir Jimmy Shand. So often there was a tape of Shand in the car cassette player (yes, cassette! I never remember his vehicle having a CD player) that we used to say that Shand’s music came on with the ignition key!
George spent time in the Services (Royal Marines) and from this experience he ran his band with discipline, albeit good humoured. Like many bandleaders he felt responsible for the actions of the band at functions. He sometimes felt that we were rather hasty in partaking of the buffet at weddings, and would announce to the crowd “the buffet will now be served and if you want to know where it is, follow my band”.
George will be greatly missed by players, listeners and dancers alike.
Jimmy Yeaman
George and I did a great many Clubs as a duo in the 1980’s. George was a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth, in 1969 I think, and his musical abilities were second to none. He ranks as one of the all-time best in technique, interpretation and expertise – it was all there for everyone to see and hear. He was a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments anyone could pay him was to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man. He was a ‘true professional’ in every sense of the words. I recall meeting at one Club at the start of a new season, September, having not met since the previous April. Just before we took the stage he asked, “Same programme as last time?” I nodded. We didn’t even have a list of the sets and tunes but he played faultlessly and never missed a note or a change – and that after six months had elapsed!
He had a very keen, dry sense of humour and although he let me do most of the talking when we were on stage, when we were driving to and from the Clubs he kept up a non-stop barrage of jokes and stories. He particularly liked the ones from the old days. On one occasion in the early days, as a relative newcomer to Scottish dance music he had booked a pianist and a drummer by recommendation, but without actually having met them. They performed well throughout the evening and it was only during Auld Lang Syne that George noticed a drop in volume from the back line. A glance to the right revealed that the drummer was playing with one hand while dissembling his kit with the other, then a glance to the left revealed the pianist playing with one hand while unscrewing the keyboard legs with the other! Seconds after finishing the last chord, these two ‘old stagers’ had cased their instruments and were heading for the exit with a cheery wave.
His broadcasts were an interesting mixture of material, old and new, and he was a prolific and competent composer. He had a particularly keen interest in playing for Scottish Country Dancing and helped to keep the whole scene alive by playing at several classes a week over the winter season. He will be sadly missed by many.
CD Reviews – See Hear with Judith Linton
Devil’s Advocate – Chris Stout Quintet – CDTRAX305 – Greentrax
Thistle Hall – Dancing to the Kiwi Band – Peter Elmes’ SCDB – RSCDS N.Z. Branch
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 20.30 with Robbie Shepherd
Repeats
7th July 07 – Ian Muir SDB (Live from Celtic Connections)
14th July 07 – Pentlands Ceilidh Band (Feature with Douglas Muir Band)
21st July 07 – Graeme Mitchell SDB (OB from the Lonach Hall, Strathdon)
28th July 07 - tbc
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) –
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 15th July 07 – Judith Linton Trio
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) -
Armadale (Masonic Hall) –
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) –
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Belford (Community Centre) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 10th July 07 - tbc
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 12th July 07 – Alex McIntyre
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) -
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary’s Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) –
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) -
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel)
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dalriada (Argyll Hotel, Lochgilphead)
Dingwall (National Hotel) –
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) –
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel) 13th / 14th July 07 – Jim MacKay SDB 15th July 07 – Ian Hutson SDB
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate)
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 24th July 07 – Daniel McPhee
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (The Royal Hotel) - 29th July 07 – Glencriag SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) –
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel, Wooler) –
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 4th July 07 – John Crawford & Friends
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) - 31st July 07 – Steven Carcary & his Young Accordionists
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Waterside Hotel) –
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) -
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) –
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) - 19th July 07 – Rosely Ceilidh Band
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) –
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 5th July 07 – John Carmichael
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 4th July 07 – Craig Paton SDB
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) -
Newmill-on-Teviot (Newmill Country Inn) -
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Oban (McTavish’s Kitchen) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Phoenix (Argyll Arms hotel, Ardrishaig)
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) - 8th July 07 – All Players Welcome
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) -
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Turriff (Commercail Hotel, Cuminestown) – 5th July 07 – Michael Philip SDB
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 19th July 07 – Gordon Brown SDB
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Alnwick
3. Annan
4. Arbroath
5. Armadale
6. Banff
7. Blairgowrie
8. Button-key
9. Forfar
10. Forres
11. Glenrothes
12. Isle of Skye
13. Kelso
14. Kintore
15. Lewis & Harris
16. Livingston
17. Newburgh
18. Rothbury
19. Sutherland
20. Turriff
21. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2006
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brittania B&F Club ( joined 07-08
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
21. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
22. Cults A & F Club (
23. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
24. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
25. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
26. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
27. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
28. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
29. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
30. Ellon A&F Club (
31. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
32. Forfar A&F Club (
33. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
41. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
42. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
48. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
49. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
50. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
51. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
52. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
53. Maine Valley A&F Club (
54. Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
55. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
56. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
57. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999
58. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
59. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
60. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
61. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
62. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
63. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
64. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
65. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
66. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
67. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
68. Selkirk A&F Club (
69. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
70. Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
71. Sutherland A&F Club (
72. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
73. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
74. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
75. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
76. West Barnes ( - present)
77. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
78. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
79. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
80. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
81. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
82. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
83. Buchan A&F Club
84 Callander A&F Club (
85 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
86 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
87 Club Accord
88 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
89. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
90. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
91. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
92. Derwentside A&F Club
93. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
94. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
95. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
96. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
97. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
98. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
99. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
100. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
101. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
102. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
103. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
104. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
105. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
106. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
107. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
108. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
109. Mull A&F Club
110. Newcastleton Accordion Club
111. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
112. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
113. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
114. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
115. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
116. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
117. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
118. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
119. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
120. Tranent A&F Club
121. Vancouver
122. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
123. Wellbank A&F Club
124. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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B&F Treasurer – Charlie Todd, Thankerton
The main features in the above issue were as follows (this is not a comprehensive detail of all it contained. The Club reports, in particular, are too time consuming at this stage to retype).
Editorial
What a fantastic day we had at the AGM and Celebrity Luncheon in The Huntingtower Hotel! We’ll have a full report in the September issue, but meantime many congratulations to our Guests of Honour, Jimmy Burgess and Bobby Colgan, and also to our BAFFI winners – Club of the Year – Haddington, Club Supporter of the Year – James Paterson, CD of the Year – Glencraig SDB and Guest Artiste of the Year – Gordon Pattullo.
Yet another well loved stalwart of the B&F Clubs has passed away. Jim Crawford will be much missed by all who knew him and enjoyed his playing. We will have an obituary next month. This month we pay tribute to Dermot O’Brien and George Stirrat.
Karin Ingram
Lairg Music Festival
by Liz Quinn
The 9th annual Festival of Traditional Music…….
John McAdie’s Dab Hand
by
Among the many young and not so young people …….
Dermot O’Brien (Obituary)
by Rob Howard
Dermot O’Brien passed away on May 22nd in his hometown of Ardee, County Louth, in the Republic of Ireland, following a long battle with cancer. For many years he had lived in New York, but had returned to Ireland following the death of his wife Rosemarie in January 2005. His four children, none of whom followed musical careers, survive him.
A legend of Irish show business, Dermot O’Brien was a many faceted individual, well known not only as an accordionist and singer, but also a multi-instrumentalist (piano, guitar, trombone and 5-row button accordion), composer, arranger, producer and sportsman (captaining County Louth at Gaelic football).
After becoming an All Ireland Accordion Champion in 1954 and 1959 O’Brien turned professional in 1962, fronting Dermot O’Brien and The clubmen, a showband whose repertoire included everything from pop music to Country and Western to traditional jazz. In 1966, O’Brien’s vocal / accordion single The Merry Ploughboy went straight to No. 1 in the Irish Charts, a feat only otherwise achieved by Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
Dermot O’Brien was the most accomplished and commercially successful accordionists Ireland has produced to date, and his recordings sold in large quantities throughout Ireland, Britain, the USA, and other parts of the English speaking world. He was the first Irish accordionists to make recordings of non-Irish music, and his LPs The Laughing Accordion, Dancing Fingers and The Three Dimensions of Dermot O’Brien popularized a broad range of accordion specialities to a wide audience. His was, in fact, a very individual style of playing that copied no-one but influenced a whole generation of accordionists in Ireland and Britain. Although a product of the Irish traditional music scene, O’Brien’s accordion style was certainly not ‘mainstream’, and reflected his interest in Scottish and Continental music, jazz and swing bands.
Always interested in keeping up with the latest developments in technology, Dermot was the first accordionists to record an LP of Irish traditional music using multi-tracked accordion parts. This 1971 recording, O’Brien’s Cross-road Ceili, featured him playing both lead and harmony parts throughout a selection of reels, jigs, waltzes, hornpipes and set dances.
By the 1990s Dermot had switched to playing accordion with MIDI, and excelled at producing a very convincing one-man band sound on solo gigs and recordings, in fact, his later recordings were all self-produced, demonstrating his experience and brilliance at studio production and arrangements.
Few accordionists worldwide could match Dermot O’Brien’s stage presence, and his ability to entertain was second to none. He had a huge personal following, and performed in every major theatre in Ireland and the UK, including some top of the bill appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, London. In the middle and late 1960s, Dermot O’Brien and The clubmen were one of the biggest attractions in Ireland, and were regularly featured on Irish radio and television. They toured regularly in Britain, the USA, Canada, Germany and even visited the United Arab Emirates. Dermot was especially popular in Scotland, where his innumerable appearances included an interview with Robbie shepherd on BBC Scotland’s ‘Take the Floor’. Whenever he toured Scotland, Dermot made a point of looking up Jimmy Shand in Auchtermuchty, with whom he had a long-standing friendship. His 1974 LP Tribute to Scotland was dedicated to his many Scottish fans.
Dermot had his own show on Irish television, which ran for seven years, and his guests included Bing Crosby and Jimmy Shand. He has also appeared as guest on many other shows, including Irish language programmes, as he was a keen Gaelic speaker. O’Brien wrote several pieces for accordion including Alpine Ski Run, The Laughing Accordion and Alpine Slopes. Alpine Slopes, published by Trivani, has been performed and recorded by countless accordionists in many countries. He also wrote many songs, including Connemara Rose, Farewell to Galway, Dublin ’62, There Has To Be an End, etc. One of his compositions in Irish, Neansai, won the International Pan-Celtic Song Contest in 1980. Other artistes including Paddy Reilly, Brendan Shine, Dermot Hegarty, Bridie Gallagher and Daniel O’Donnell have recorded many of his songs.
Dermot O’Brien moved to New York in 1983. He was already well-known on the American C&W circuit, having toured and performed with Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Buddy Herman, Hank Snow and Bill Haley and the Comets. O’Brien quickly established himself as a favourite on the Irish American club and festival circuit, where his ability to transform any gig into a carnival atmosphere was especially welcomed. He recorded a St Patrick’s Day Special for television with Bing Crosby in Dublin, which was shown coast to coats in the United States.
In later years, Dermot inherited the family home in Ardee, and thereafter divided his time between American and Ireland, making frequent short tours of the UK, appearing as a guest at Accordion and fiddle clubs and Festivals. On some of these dates, his sister, Marie O’Brien, herself a fine singer and keyboard player, accompanied him.
Dermot O’Brien was, with Finland’s Veikko Ahvenainen, co-chief guest at Malcolm Gee’s Autumn Accordion Festival at Caister in November 1991. He also later memorably shared the concert stage at The Wyre Accordion Festival in Fleetwood with Italian maestro Gervasio Marcosignori, and with fellow Irish accordionist Fintan Stanley at the Bolton Irish Centre in Lancashire. From 1995 to 2000, Dermot was part of the celebrated Jury’s Irish Cabaret in 1995 and spent six happy years performing with them in Dublin and on their US tours.
Dermot O’Brien’s music brought pleasure to millions. He made a large number of recordings, from the 1950s to 2005, and several of these are available on CD. There is also a DVD of a concert in Dublin in 1992. Fortunately, Dermot O’Brien’s name, reputation and music will live on through the great memories he has left us over the years, and his many superb recordings and compositions.
All Scottish on MFR
by
Moray Firth Radio…….
The Gordon Duncan Trust
by
A trust fund has now been established……..
George Stirrat (Obituary)
by
Bobby Harvey
Away back in the 70’s, George was a member of my band. At that time we were playing our summer season shows in all the Clyde resorts, having a weekly schedule of Largs, Dunoon, Rothesay and occasional visits to other theatres around Scotland. The show was a mixture of singers, Robert McKechnie and Mhairi MacArthur, pipers, and a team of either Highland or Scottish Country dancers from each location, plus a comedy slide show of Scotland.
One of the features of the show was a solo performance from each member of the band, and since Ivor Britton and Davy Bowen were on accordions we made a big number out of the piano solo, having introduced George as, “One of the most talented musicians in Scotland, and just returned to us tonight from the Royal Yacht Britannia, where he was a member of the Royal Marines Band. This evening he will attempt to play Chopin’s Minute Waltz in fifty-eight seconds flat…..Ladies and Gentlemen, George Stirrat!!!!”
George would then race through the Minute Waltz at full bore and complete it as the rest of the band kept their eye on their watches and always declared “fifty-seven seconds” and George received a thunderous ovation for his new ‘World Record’.
When we made the LP ‘Sailing up the Clyde’ George not only played piano on that disc, but also played a wonderful accompaniment on flute (which was his principal instrument in the Marines) to Mhairi MacArthur singing Rothesay Bay. He was always hilarious company and he prophesied that one day we would make a follow up record called Sailing DOON the Clyde in Ever Decreasing Circles – but that’s another story.
Although most readers of the Box and Fiddle will remember him as a brilliant accordionist and band leader with a wonderfully pawky sense of humour, I always maintained that piano was his forte. He could bring out some wonderfully sensitive accompaniments to singers and fellow instrumentalists, and was certainly one of the most talented musicians on the Scottish scene.
Alan Kitchen
I first met George Stirrat at the recently demolished Kelvin Centre in Glasgow in 1985. Shortly after that I recall my first engagement with George and his band was at Lugton. Members of the band on that occasion were : Alasdair Herron (fiddle), Jennifer Forrest (second box) and Jimmy Hislop (drums).
George gave me my first opportunity to take part in a ‘Take the Floor’ recording for the BBC. I recall at a rehearsal for that broadcast, I ventured to play a little rhythmic embellishment on the piano at one point. Without looking up from the music, George said, “No jazz, please”. He always felt that simplicity was the essence of the dance band, particularly in the back line.
George’s choice of tunes was always governed by the dancers, and what he felt that they liked to hear and to dance to. “Nothing too fancy” he would say. Not that George wasn’t a technician on the accordion when the occasion demanded it. He would often play fast and tricky tunes in a concert situation – having been influenced by Will Starr, with whom he had worked and toured in the 1960’s.
His other great influence was undoubtedly Sir Jimmy Shand. So often there was a tape of Shand in the car cassette player (yes, cassette! I never remember his vehicle having a CD player) that we used to say that Shand’s music came on with the ignition key!
George spent time in the Services (Royal Marines) and from this experience he ran his band with discipline, albeit good humoured. Like many bandleaders he felt responsible for the actions of the band at functions. He sometimes felt that we were rather hasty in partaking of the buffet at weddings, and would announce to the crowd “the buffet will now be served and if you want to know where it is, follow my band”.
George will be greatly missed by players, listeners and dancers alike.
Jimmy Yeaman
George and I did a great many Clubs as a duo in the 1980’s. George was a former winner of the Jimmy Shand Shield at Perth, in 1969 I think, and his musical abilities were second to none. He ranks as one of the all-time best in technique, interpretation and expertise – it was all there for everyone to see and hear. He was a Jimmy Shand fanatic and one of the greatest compliments anyone could pay him was to liken his slightly staccato button-key style to that of the great man. He was a ‘true professional’ in every sense of the words. I recall meeting at one Club at the start of a new season, September, having not met since the previous April. Just before we took the stage he asked, “Same programme as last time?” I nodded. We didn’t even have a list of the sets and tunes but he played faultlessly and never missed a note or a change – and that after six months had elapsed!
He had a very keen, dry sense of humour and although he let me do most of the talking when we were on stage, when we were driving to and from the Clubs he kept up a non-stop barrage of jokes and stories. He particularly liked the ones from the old days. On one occasion in the early days, as a relative newcomer to Scottish dance music he had booked a pianist and a drummer by recommendation, but without actually having met them. They performed well throughout the evening and it was only during Auld Lang Syne that George noticed a drop in volume from the back line. A glance to the right revealed that the drummer was playing with one hand while dissembling his kit with the other, then a glance to the left revealed the pianist playing with one hand while unscrewing the keyboard legs with the other! Seconds after finishing the last chord, these two ‘old stagers’ had cased their instruments and were heading for the exit with a cheery wave.
His broadcasts were an interesting mixture of material, old and new, and he was a prolific and competent composer. He had a particularly keen interest in playing for Scottish Country Dancing and helped to keep the whole scene alive by playing at several classes a week over the winter season. He will be sadly missed by many.
CD Reviews – See Hear with Judith Linton
Devil’s Advocate – Chris Stout Quintet – CDTRAX305 – Greentrax
Thistle Hall – Dancing to the Kiwi Band – Peter Elmes’ SCDB – RSCDS N.Z. Branch
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 20.30 with Robbie Shepherd
Repeats
7th July 07 – Ian Muir SDB (Live from Celtic Connections)
14th July 07 – Pentlands Ceilidh Band (Feature with Douglas Muir Band)
21st July 07 – Graeme Mitchell SDB (OB from the Lonach Hall, Strathdon)
28th July 07 - tbc
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) –
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms – Shilbottle)
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 15th July 07 – Judith Linton Trio
Arbroath (Viewfield Hotel) -
Armadale (Masonic Hall) –
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) –
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) –
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) –
Beith & District (Anderson Hotel) –
Belford (Community Centre) –
Biggar (Municipal Hall) –
Blairgowrie (Moorfield Hotel) - 10th July 07 - tbc
Bromley (Trinity United Reform Church) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 12th July 07 – Alex McIntyre
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) -
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary’s Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) –
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) -
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel)
Cults (Culter Sports & Social Club)
Dalriada (Argyll Hotel, Lochgilphead)
Dingwall (National Hotel) –
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) –
Dunfermline (Headwell Bowling Club) –
Dunoon & Cowal (McColl’s Hotel) 13th / 14th July 07 – Jim MacKay SDB 15th July 07 – Ian Hutson SDB
Duns (Royal British Legion Club, Langtongate)
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 24th July 07 – Daniel McPhee
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) –
Forfar (The Royal Hotel) - 29th July 07 – Glencriag SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) –
Galashiels (Abbotsford Arms Hotel) –
Glendale (Black Bull Hotel, Wooler) –
Glenfarg (Lomond Hotel) - 4th July 07 – John Crawford & Friends
Glenrothes (Victoria Hall, Coaltown of Balgownie) - 31st July 07 – Steven Carcary & his Young Accordionists
Gretna (Athlitic & Social Club) -
Haddington (Railway Inn) -
Highland (Waterside Hotel) –
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) -
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) -
Islesteps (The Embassy Hotel) –
Kelso (Cross Keys Hotel) –
Kintore (Torryburn Arms Hotel) –
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) - 19th July 07 – Rosely Ceilidh Band
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (Eskdale Hotel) –
Lewis & Harris (Stornoway Legion) - 5th July 07 – John Carmichael
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn)
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) -
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) -
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 4th July 07 – Craig Paton SDB
Newburgh (The Ship Inn) -
Newmill-on-Teviot (Newmill Country Inn) -
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) –
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) –
Oban (McTavish’s Kitchen) –
Orkney (Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) –
Perth (Salutation Hotel) –
Phoenix (Argyll Arms hotel, Ardrishaig)
Premier NI (Chimney Corner Hotel) -
Reading Scottish Fiddlers (Willowbank Infant School, Woodley) -
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) –
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) -
Scottish Accordion Music (Banchory) - 8th July 07 – All Players Welcome
Selkirk (Angus O’Malley’s) -
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) -
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) -
Sutherland (Rogart Hall) -
Thornhill (Bowling Club Hall) -
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) –
Turriff (Commercail Hotel, Cuminestown) – 5th July 07 – Michael Philip SDB
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 19th July 07 – Gordon Brown SDB
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn)
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) –
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Aberdeen
2. Alnwick
3. Annan
4. Arbroath
5. Armadale
6. Banff
7. Blairgowrie
8. Button-key
9. Forfar
10. Forres
11. Glenrothes
12. Isle of Skye
13. Kelso
14. Kintore
15. Lewis & Harris
16. Livingston
17. Newburgh
18. Rothbury
19. Sutherland
20. Turriff
21. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2006
(Clubs didn’t necessarily notify the Assoc when they closed so the following may not be entirely correct. Only the clubs submitting the reports or in the Club Diary above were definitely open.)
1. Aberdeen A&F Club (1975 – present)
2. Alnwick A&F Club (Aug 1975 – present)
3. Annan A&F Club (joined Assoc in 1996 but started 1985 – present)
4. Arbroath A&F Club (1991? – present)
5. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Closed early 08-09
6. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
7. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
8. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
9. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
10. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
11. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
12. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
13. Brittania B&F Club ( joined 07-08
14. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
15. Button Key A&F Club (
16. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
17. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
18. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
19. Coalburn A&F Club (
20. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
21. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
22. Cults A & F Club (
23. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
24. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
25. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
26. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
27. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
28. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
29. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
30. Ellon A&F Club (
31. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
32. Forfar A&F Club (
33. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
34. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
35. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
36. Glendale Accordion Club (Jan 1973)
37. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
38. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93?
39. Gretna A&F Club (1991) Known as North Cumbria A&F Club previously (originally called Gretna when started in June 1966 but later had to move to venues in the North of England and changed name. No breaks in the continuity of the Club)
40. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
41. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
42. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
43. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
44. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
45. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
46. Kintore A&F Club (
47. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
48. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
49. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
50. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 -
51. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
52. Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
53. Maine Valley A&F Club (
54. Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
55. Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
56. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded
57. Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999
58. Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
59. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
60. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
61. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
62. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
63. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
64. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
65. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
66. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
67. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
68. Selkirk A&F Club (
69. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
70. Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
71. Sutherland A&F Club (
72. Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
73. Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
74. Turriff A&F Club (March 1982 - present)
75. Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
76. West Barnes ( - present)
77. Wick A&F Club (Oct 1975 - present)
Not on official list at the start of the season (closed, did not renew membership or omitted in error?)
78. Acharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
79. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
80. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
81. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
82. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
83. Buchan A&F Club
84 Callander A&F Club (
85 Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
86 Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
87 Club Accord
88 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
89. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
90. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
91. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
92. Derwentside A&F Club
93. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
94. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
95. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
96. Dundee & District A&F Club (1970? – 1995?)
97. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
98. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
99. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
100. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
101. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
102. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
103. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
104. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
105. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
106. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
107. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
108. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
109. Mull A&F Club
110. Newcastleton Accordion Club
111. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
112. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
113. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
114. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
115. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
116. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
117. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
118. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
119. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
120. Tranent A&F Club
121. Vancouver
122. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
123. Wellbank A&F Club
124. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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