Kenny Thomson (1944 – 2013) - Obituary
by Alasdair, Grant & Stuart Thomson
B&F June 2013
Kenny Thomson was born on 18th March 1944 in Muirkirk,
Ayrshire, the first son of Jim and Eadie Thomson. Jim and Eadie were both
part-time musicians – Eadie played piano and Jim the accordion, both in
Samson’s Band around the Muirkirk area. As a wee boy, Kenny listened intently
to his Dad playing at home and before long started to “accompany” him on his
first “accordion”, a wooden foot stool strapped around his neck! His first real
accordion, an 8 bass Steldini, came courtesy of Santa at Christmas 1947, three
months before his fourth birthday!
Kenny attended Muirkirk Junior Secondary School until he was 15. During this time, he continued to play the accordion, progressing to bigger and better instruments. He received accordion tuition from Robert (Bobby) McFarlane Adamson (another former Muirkirk man) who was at that time considered to be the best music teacher in the district.
Kenny’s first Hohner accordion, an Atlantic IV, was bought new in November 1957. He bought a new Hohner Morino VM in April 1965. Following repeated trips back and forth to McCormack’s in Glasgow for repairs, they ordered a replacement. When it arrived in January 1966, Kenny went to collect it and Neil McCormack opened up the packaging to be met with what is now known as the Morino VN. It has always been presumed to have been (at least one of) the first Morino VNs in Britain. On opening up the case, Neil McCormack was surprised at the “Gola” style couplers in place of the familiar “Domino” couplers of the “M” model, exclaiming,
“Oh my goodness, what do we have here?” (or words to that effect................)
In recent years, Kenny had been finding the weight of the Morino V problematic so, he had his Atlantic restored. He couldn’t bear to part with either but he felt the Atlantic more manageable.
When he was growing up in Muirkirk, there was another budding accordionist in the village - Ronnie Easton. The two used to take turns to play at local functions - Church Guild socials and the like. On one occasion, somebody slipped up and BOTH were asked to play. Each did his first spot and at the interval, they had a “jamming session” backstage and decided to play together in the second half. Thus was born a friendship which lasted for many years. In September 1965, they recorded an EP in Biggar’s Music Studio, Glasgow, as “Ronnie Easton and the Eglinton Dance Band.” The tracks on it were, “The Accordion Polka”, a strathspey “Lochiel’s Rant”, a jig “The New Rigged Ship” and a reel “Roxburgh Castle”.
On leaving School, Kenny had three ambitions. The first was to be an electrician which he achieved after he left school in 1959, when he served an apprenticeship as an electrician with the National Coal Board at Lugar Works. He left that employment in 1967 to follow in his Dad’s footsteps, becoming a bus driver with Western SMT, fulfilling his second ambition. Ambition number three was to play on the radio with Jimmy Shand. While he didn’t fully realise that one, he did play with Jimmy Shand – albeit in Jimmy Junior’s accordion workshop in Auchtermuchty in 1992.
As a bus driver, Kenny had to allow his love of playing music to take second place, shift working being incompatible with band work.
In 1967 Jock Loch persuaded Kenny to help him out by playing with Jock’s “Blackthorn Dance Band” at a dance in Barr. Numerous gigs followed but again, shift working was getting in the way. A change of course was required so during 1970, Kenny became a lorry driver. While still far from ideal, at least he knew he wouldn’t be working “backshift”.
Jock was also responsible for Kenny and his brother Stuart playing their first guest artist spot which was at Straiton Accordion Club in 1975. That in turn led to Kenny competing in the Duos with Stuart, Trios with the addition of Dave Waters (bass) and the Band sections with the aforementioned plus John Holmes (fiddle), in the West of Scotland Accordion Championships. Over consecutive years, considerable success was achieved in each class.
Also attending the accordion club circuit around this time was his old acquaintance Ronnie Easton. In 1976, they both joined a new band being formed by Derek Lawrence. What Kenny didn’t know was that Derek’s intention was for the band to audition for BBC Radio Scotland’s “Scottish Dance Music” programme. The band successfully passed the BBC audition, going on to record a number of broadcasts both there and at Radio Forth. Within a couple of years Derek emigrated to Canada, at which point Ronnie took over the band. Sadly in 1979, Ronnie also left to work in England. This put Kenny in charge of the band and Ian Muir took over the vacant position of lead accordion. This was the birth of “Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band”. Under Kenny’s professional leadership, the band had a successful career, performing regularly on “Take the Floor” and recording a number of LPs and CDs as well as playing at Scottish Country Dances and Ceilidhs throughout the UK. During his musical career, Kenny played in many locations from Shetland in the north to Lewes in the south of England in addition to Georgia US; Toronto, Sweden, Malta, and Tunisia.
Watching Kenny play, his concentration was often misinterpreted as ‘dourness!’ This couldn’t have been further from the truth; in private he was kind, humorous and even prone to the odd romantic gesture.
It was while driving with Western SMT at Cumnock that Kenny met his future wife Cathy. They started going out together in 1969. When Kenny used to drive the miners' bus that passed Cathy’s family home; she would wait at the gate in anticipation, and he would throw red roses to her as he passed.
Kenny and Cathy married on 3rd October 1970 and later, they settled in Cumnock, going on to raise a family of their own. Elder son Grant was born in June 1977 and Alasdair followed in March 1986. They inherited Kenny’s interest in transport; his strong work ethic; his droll sense of humour - and, of course, his love of music, which was nurtured in them from early childhood. They each in turn had filled in with the band at the odd gig over the years, Grant on fiddle, and Alasdair on bass.
They enjoyed family holidays together in a touring caravan in the ‘80s and ‘90s, visiting places like Blackpool, Oban and Fort William. Kenny’s Dad had links with Dumfries & Galloway region. This resulted in one place becoming a particular favourite haunt - quiet Kirkcudbright.
Kenny also forged a link with Gatehouse of Fleet when, in 1979, he was asked to play for the local RSCDS Branch. It must have gone well – he played there annually for the next 33 years, latterly for Gatehouse Scottish Country Dance Class. Kenny’s final appearance there was in December 2012.
In recent years, many an enjoyable “New Year’s Night” musical evening took place in the family home - Kenny and Stuart playing the boxes, Grant and Alasdair on fiddle and bass respectively. Cathy and Stuart’s wife Audrey would sing along like Fran and Anna, but making up the words as they went along! On these occasions, it was traditional for Kenny to refer to his 'Drink-Barometer;' basically, if he could still play the first four bars of “The Tushkar”, he hadn't had enough!
As Alasdair was growing up, he helped Kenny discover a latent interest in sport. Towards the end of a nice "boys' day out" in Glasgow when Alasdair was 13, Kenny asked him to look in the glove box of the car, where he found an envelope containing two tickets to an evening kick-off at Ibrox. It was the first time either of them had been to a football match, and it was to be the first of several matches they attended together over the years. On the car journeys back, they would discuss football tactics, transfer policy and linesman's decisions as men do - as if either of them knew what they were talking about!
Kenny retired from his job as a lorry driver with T French & Son, in September 2009 – having counted down the days for the preceding five years. Then, of course, he went straight back out to drive for French part-time –
“Well, it’s different when you don’t HAVE to do it,” he reasoned!
He maintained a connection with his bus driving days too, by becoming a member of the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, near Dunfermline. Whenever he had a free Sunday, he enjoyed being around and driving some of the bus types he had driven during his time with Western SMT.
The family had matured and Kenny and Cathy had been introduced to the joys of cruise holidays in 2005, taking two that year! They never looked back.
After Scottish Dance Music, Kenny’s other great musical love was Jazz. (Hence the saxophone tattoo on his right forearm. It isn’t commonly known that Kenny used to play both sax and clarinet. The reason he decided to concentrate on the accordion was that he was never satisfied with the clarity of sound he achieved on high notes).
It was on that first cruise of 2005, he was able to satisfy a lengthy desire, by visiting New Orleans and sampling the Mardi-Gras atmosphere. They were to repeat the visit in March 2013, and it was in the latter stages of this cruise that Kenny first became unwell. He passed away peacefully on the 5th April in Ayr Hospital, after a short illness, surrounded by his family.
Kenny Thomson was a much-loved husband, dad, brother, brother-in-law, father-in-law, granddad, highly respected musician, bandleader, colleague and friend who will be sorely missed.
Cathy, Grant, Alasdair, Stuart and their respective families would like to extend their thanks to all who attended Kenny’s funeral, sent cards or messages of sympathy, or contributed to the Retiral Collection, which raised the sum of £900. This was split between Cancer Support UK and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Suzanne Croy
Kenny Thomson’s sound and style of arrangements always held great appeal for me. I wore down many cassette recordings of radio broadcasts by listening and re-listening to various tracks. The first time I met Kenny was as a teenager when I had my own band. We had entered the band competition at Ayr Music Festival and we were all delighted that Kenny gave the band a super score and commented favourably on the selection we played (which was heavily influenced by the medleys and arrangements of Kenny and Ronnie Easton!)
I was absolutely thrilled called me in 1999 to play bas in The Wardlaw Band. I remember the first rehearsal. Often, it takes some time for a band to settle down when there is a change of personnel; getting familiar with members’ styles and embellishments, but I remember feeling completely at home from eight bars in. That was because of the musicianship and professionalism of Kenny and his Band. What a privilege to have had 14 years of fantastic music, recordings, fun and friendship. Kenny was a perfectionist. His solid leadership qualities and sense of musicality when arranging music are second to none. He had the ability to understand the role of each instrument in the band and bring out the best in the musicians around him. He remains the only Scottish Dance Band leader I have played with who scored the drum parts and indicated which octave the bass was to play certain notes. Kenny was a leader who knew the sound he wanted and never compromised on this. I admired him hugely for this even if we had one difference of opinion in all these years! Kenny preferred the sound of my electric guitar and electric double bass to the acoustic!
Kenny loved to play strathspeys, even recording an 8 x 32 bar dance on Take the Floor. Despite some reservations regarding how listeners would react to this, after recording the track, the producer exclaimed ‘lovely’. Kenny had a knack for putting sets together and creating the right level of interest in each measure.
Over the years, Kenny and I became good friends. Kenny was a genuine man with a huge intellect. Far from the normal topics of conversation on the way to gigs, the Wardlaw Band could find themselves engrossed in discussing subjects as diverse as Scottish history to current affairs. Kenny also had a keen sense of humour and was a thoughtful man. As he arrived at my daughter Rachel’s christening, he presented us with a lovely march he had written. It has pride of place on the house!
Kenny was also a true friend who has supported me over the years, well outwith the remit of ‘just’ being my bandleader. I am still deeply shocked and saddened that we have lost such a brilliant, talented, musician and one of the most decent, genuine people I have ever been privileged enough to consider my friend. Kenny, I thank you for the opportunity of being part of your Band for so many years. It is the end of an era and I will treasure all the recordings and memories.
Derek Hamilton
I suppose you could say I was Kenny Thomson's record producer.
I first new Kenny back in the late 60s early 70s through the Accordion Club movement and in those early days he always struck me as a 'dapper' young man. I don't think I ever saw Kenny in casual clothes – he was always very well dressed wherever he was.
That was to prove to be a measure of the man – everything polished, neat and tidy and perfect. That was Kenny and that was his music.
I got to know him properly in 1980 when, having taken over Ronnie Easton's very successful band and formed it into the Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band, he was keen to make an album. George Fleming and I had started a new record label – Ayrespin Music and Kenny and the band used the studio to practice for broadcasts for the BBC and Radio Forth. I recorded these practices and Kenny knew that I knew what sort of sound he wanted so it was quite natural that he recorded his debut album at Ayrespin. 'Double First' was the title as it was Kenny's first and it was Ayrespin's first commercial album.
I remember at the end of the session when it was all 'in the can' I chastised Kenny for not praising the guys for their superb contribution during a fairly long day. The best they got was ' Aye well I suppose it'll dae'! But Kenny explained that he was bad at lifting spirits not like Derek Lawrence who was the ultimate optimist and enthusiast. Kenny had played in that band and knew how Derek worked but just wasn't able to be anything other than how he was.
Following on from 'Double First' Kenny did at least two albums for the RSCDS and one for Sue Petyt of Dumfries and I produced a further three on the Bryansroom Label.
I can't say if he took the same attitude with the others but for the albums I produced he certainly looked for perfection in the recording. To all intents and purposes he surrounded himself with people he knew would give him a good solid performance and that left him to worry only about his own. Which he did to the point of almost destruction! When it came to things like that, Kenny had ears like a bat as well as perfect pitch. He had an obsession with correct timing for the dances. If he was a second or two out he would ask me to 'sort it' He just liked things to be right.
He never was totally pleased with anything he recorded but then I used to tell him 'That's fine Kenny – at least you've got somewhere to go next time. One you reach total perfection and satisfaction it's time to give up!'
Kenny never did give up – oh he threatened a few times but never actually got round to it I'm glad to say.
The world could do with more musicians like Kenny Thomson. He knew what he wanted and he normally got it because he knew how to get it. He was also one of the most capable musicians I have ever met.
He will be sadly missed by me and many others.
RONNIE EASTON (Lifelong friend and fellow accordionist)
The first time I came across Kenny was when we were both booked to do an old folks concert in Muirkirk. I was only 12 or 13 at the time and Kenny was just a wee boy. I realised then that he could certainly play the box a lot better than his years displayed.
Later we were both taught by the same teacher, Robert McF Adamson of Cumnock who famously composed the Triumph March.
Kenny's similar thinking to mine drew us together and he came to my house regularly to play tunes.
As the years progressed it was obvious to me that Kenny had a great talent on not only the box but on the Saxaphone which he took up as a teenager. He travelled up to Glasgow for lessons and was eventually so good at it that he was offered a professional job down south with a big band. Kenny turned that opportunity down and gave up the sax in favour of the box. As I recall this was because there were certain elements of sax playing he was failing to master and in his frustration just decided enough was enough.
That showed me what Kenny was – a total perfectionist. He really was just that in everything he did. It had to be right and he expected the same from everyone else.
Brian Griffin and I had become good friends and when the Accordion Clubs started up he and I played duets around many of them. Eventually, in 1974 or 1975 I think it was, Brian joined the Iain MacPhail Band.
I was introduced to Derek Lawrence at a concert in Ayr where Derek was accompanying a singer and, having heard me do my first spot, asked if he could play piano for me in the second half. Derek had been playing with Bobby Jack but was trying to start his own band and asked me to join. He was looking for a second box player and had some bookings so I suggested that the very man for the job was Kenny Thomson. We all had similar likes in music – great fans on the Ian Powrie Band.
'Just bring the chords you want' I said to Derek, 'and the 'wee man' will play exactly what you want'.
And Kenny did. That was another great asset he had – he gave you what you wanted musically.
When Derek left for Canada I took over the band retaining Kenny on second box – well, lead plus block chords Mickie Ainsworth style.
In 1979 I decided to go down south to get better work in the day job and left Kenny to take over the band. To replace me he brought in Ian Muir, and the Wardlaw Band was born. The rest is history as they say.
I will always remember Kenny for his absolute conviction to the music. He was a total perfectionist and it showed. I'll miss him.
Ian Muir
I first started playing with Kenny and The Wardlaw Band in 1980, playing Scottish Country dances, ceilidhs, broadcasts for the BBC, Radio Forth and West Sound. I was also involved in the Band’s first commercial recording ‘Double first’, which was first for The Wardlaw and first for Ayrespin Records, the label started by George Fleming and Derek Hamilton. I learned a lot from Kenny, being only 16 years of age when I joined the band I had a lot to learn and I remember sitting in Gordon Simpson’s house at a practice session before Ronnie Easton’s final BBC broadcast thinking to myself that I would never be able to cope! The band was in great form!
Kenny was a perfectionist in every aspect of his playing career and in everything he did in life. His professional standards were of the highest level and he expected everyone around him to aspire to the same standards, from his meticulous playing, exact musical arrangements through to dress code and equipment care and maintenance. (His cable wrapping was an art form in itself!)
I remember one of the first Box and Fiddle Clubs we did as a six-piece; it was Perth and Kanny wanted us all to be on our ‘mettle’ for it. John Gibson was playing piano at the time; he didn’t own a red shirt, so Kenny insisted on him buying one for the Perth gig. We arrived in Perth to find John already there and sporting a brand new Red shirt – probably the brightest red shirt I have ever seen! Only problem was that it was made from some kind of plasticky rubbery material and was so shiny that you could have used it as a mirror! Kenny’s face was a study – he just shook his head and muttered in his Cumnock twang “Well, ah suppose it’s rid…”
Kenny was an inspiration to many of us and will be a huge loss to our music scene. A man of many talents not least of which was his ability to scoff two whole digestive biscuits….in one go!!
Kenny attended Muirkirk Junior Secondary School until he was 15. During this time, he continued to play the accordion, progressing to bigger and better instruments. He received accordion tuition from Robert (Bobby) McFarlane Adamson (another former Muirkirk man) who was at that time considered to be the best music teacher in the district.
Kenny’s first Hohner accordion, an Atlantic IV, was bought new in November 1957. He bought a new Hohner Morino VM in April 1965. Following repeated trips back and forth to McCormack’s in Glasgow for repairs, they ordered a replacement. When it arrived in January 1966, Kenny went to collect it and Neil McCormack opened up the packaging to be met with what is now known as the Morino VN. It has always been presumed to have been (at least one of) the first Morino VNs in Britain. On opening up the case, Neil McCormack was surprised at the “Gola” style couplers in place of the familiar “Domino” couplers of the “M” model, exclaiming,
“Oh my goodness, what do we have here?” (or words to that effect................)
In recent years, Kenny had been finding the weight of the Morino V problematic so, he had his Atlantic restored. He couldn’t bear to part with either but he felt the Atlantic more manageable.
When he was growing up in Muirkirk, there was another budding accordionist in the village - Ronnie Easton. The two used to take turns to play at local functions - Church Guild socials and the like. On one occasion, somebody slipped up and BOTH were asked to play. Each did his first spot and at the interval, they had a “jamming session” backstage and decided to play together in the second half. Thus was born a friendship which lasted for many years. In September 1965, they recorded an EP in Biggar’s Music Studio, Glasgow, as “Ronnie Easton and the Eglinton Dance Band.” The tracks on it were, “The Accordion Polka”, a strathspey “Lochiel’s Rant”, a jig “The New Rigged Ship” and a reel “Roxburgh Castle”.
On leaving School, Kenny had three ambitions. The first was to be an electrician which he achieved after he left school in 1959, when he served an apprenticeship as an electrician with the National Coal Board at Lugar Works. He left that employment in 1967 to follow in his Dad’s footsteps, becoming a bus driver with Western SMT, fulfilling his second ambition. Ambition number three was to play on the radio with Jimmy Shand. While he didn’t fully realise that one, he did play with Jimmy Shand – albeit in Jimmy Junior’s accordion workshop in Auchtermuchty in 1992.
As a bus driver, Kenny had to allow his love of playing music to take second place, shift working being incompatible with band work.
In 1967 Jock Loch persuaded Kenny to help him out by playing with Jock’s “Blackthorn Dance Band” at a dance in Barr. Numerous gigs followed but again, shift working was getting in the way. A change of course was required so during 1970, Kenny became a lorry driver. While still far from ideal, at least he knew he wouldn’t be working “backshift”.
Jock was also responsible for Kenny and his brother Stuart playing their first guest artist spot which was at Straiton Accordion Club in 1975. That in turn led to Kenny competing in the Duos with Stuart, Trios with the addition of Dave Waters (bass) and the Band sections with the aforementioned plus John Holmes (fiddle), in the West of Scotland Accordion Championships. Over consecutive years, considerable success was achieved in each class.
Also attending the accordion club circuit around this time was his old acquaintance Ronnie Easton. In 1976, they both joined a new band being formed by Derek Lawrence. What Kenny didn’t know was that Derek’s intention was for the band to audition for BBC Radio Scotland’s “Scottish Dance Music” programme. The band successfully passed the BBC audition, going on to record a number of broadcasts both there and at Radio Forth. Within a couple of years Derek emigrated to Canada, at which point Ronnie took over the band. Sadly in 1979, Ronnie also left to work in England. This put Kenny in charge of the band and Ian Muir took over the vacant position of lead accordion. This was the birth of “Kenny Thomson & the Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band”. Under Kenny’s professional leadership, the band had a successful career, performing regularly on “Take the Floor” and recording a number of LPs and CDs as well as playing at Scottish Country Dances and Ceilidhs throughout the UK. During his musical career, Kenny played in many locations from Shetland in the north to Lewes in the south of England in addition to Georgia US; Toronto, Sweden, Malta, and Tunisia.
Watching Kenny play, his concentration was often misinterpreted as ‘dourness!’ This couldn’t have been further from the truth; in private he was kind, humorous and even prone to the odd romantic gesture.
It was while driving with Western SMT at Cumnock that Kenny met his future wife Cathy. They started going out together in 1969. When Kenny used to drive the miners' bus that passed Cathy’s family home; she would wait at the gate in anticipation, and he would throw red roses to her as he passed.
Kenny and Cathy married on 3rd October 1970 and later, they settled in Cumnock, going on to raise a family of their own. Elder son Grant was born in June 1977 and Alasdair followed in March 1986. They inherited Kenny’s interest in transport; his strong work ethic; his droll sense of humour - and, of course, his love of music, which was nurtured in them from early childhood. They each in turn had filled in with the band at the odd gig over the years, Grant on fiddle, and Alasdair on bass.
They enjoyed family holidays together in a touring caravan in the ‘80s and ‘90s, visiting places like Blackpool, Oban and Fort William. Kenny’s Dad had links with Dumfries & Galloway region. This resulted in one place becoming a particular favourite haunt - quiet Kirkcudbright.
Kenny also forged a link with Gatehouse of Fleet when, in 1979, he was asked to play for the local RSCDS Branch. It must have gone well – he played there annually for the next 33 years, latterly for Gatehouse Scottish Country Dance Class. Kenny’s final appearance there was in December 2012.
In recent years, many an enjoyable “New Year’s Night” musical evening took place in the family home - Kenny and Stuart playing the boxes, Grant and Alasdair on fiddle and bass respectively. Cathy and Stuart’s wife Audrey would sing along like Fran and Anna, but making up the words as they went along! On these occasions, it was traditional for Kenny to refer to his 'Drink-Barometer;' basically, if he could still play the first four bars of “The Tushkar”, he hadn't had enough!
As Alasdair was growing up, he helped Kenny discover a latent interest in sport. Towards the end of a nice "boys' day out" in Glasgow when Alasdair was 13, Kenny asked him to look in the glove box of the car, where he found an envelope containing two tickets to an evening kick-off at Ibrox. It was the first time either of them had been to a football match, and it was to be the first of several matches they attended together over the years. On the car journeys back, they would discuss football tactics, transfer policy and linesman's decisions as men do - as if either of them knew what they were talking about!
Kenny retired from his job as a lorry driver with T French & Son, in September 2009 – having counted down the days for the preceding five years. Then, of course, he went straight back out to drive for French part-time –
“Well, it’s different when you don’t HAVE to do it,” he reasoned!
He maintained a connection with his bus driving days too, by becoming a member of the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, near Dunfermline. Whenever he had a free Sunday, he enjoyed being around and driving some of the bus types he had driven during his time with Western SMT.
The family had matured and Kenny and Cathy had been introduced to the joys of cruise holidays in 2005, taking two that year! They never looked back.
After Scottish Dance Music, Kenny’s other great musical love was Jazz. (Hence the saxophone tattoo on his right forearm. It isn’t commonly known that Kenny used to play both sax and clarinet. The reason he decided to concentrate on the accordion was that he was never satisfied with the clarity of sound he achieved on high notes).
It was on that first cruise of 2005, he was able to satisfy a lengthy desire, by visiting New Orleans and sampling the Mardi-Gras atmosphere. They were to repeat the visit in March 2013, and it was in the latter stages of this cruise that Kenny first became unwell. He passed away peacefully on the 5th April in Ayr Hospital, after a short illness, surrounded by his family.
Kenny Thomson was a much-loved husband, dad, brother, brother-in-law, father-in-law, granddad, highly respected musician, bandleader, colleague and friend who will be sorely missed.
Cathy, Grant, Alasdair, Stuart and their respective families would like to extend their thanks to all who attended Kenny’s funeral, sent cards or messages of sympathy, or contributed to the Retiral Collection, which raised the sum of £900. This was split between Cancer Support UK and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Suzanne Croy
Kenny Thomson’s sound and style of arrangements always held great appeal for me. I wore down many cassette recordings of radio broadcasts by listening and re-listening to various tracks. The first time I met Kenny was as a teenager when I had my own band. We had entered the band competition at Ayr Music Festival and we were all delighted that Kenny gave the band a super score and commented favourably on the selection we played (which was heavily influenced by the medleys and arrangements of Kenny and Ronnie Easton!)
I was absolutely thrilled called me in 1999 to play bas in The Wardlaw Band. I remember the first rehearsal. Often, it takes some time for a band to settle down when there is a change of personnel; getting familiar with members’ styles and embellishments, but I remember feeling completely at home from eight bars in. That was because of the musicianship and professionalism of Kenny and his Band. What a privilege to have had 14 years of fantastic music, recordings, fun and friendship. Kenny was a perfectionist. His solid leadership qualities and sense of musicality when arranging music are second to none. He had the ability to understand the role of each instrument in the band and bring out the best in the musicians around him. He remains the only Scottish Dance Band leader I have played with who scored the drum parts and indicated which octave the bass was to play certain notes. Kenny was a leader who knew the sound he wanted and never compromised on this. I admired him hugely for this even if we had one difference of opinion in all these years! Kenny preferred the sound of my electric guitar and electric double bass to the acoustic!
Kenny loved to play strathspeys, even recording an 8 x 32 bar dance on Take the Floor. Despite some reservations regarding how listeners would react to this, after recording the track, the producer exclaimed ‘lovely’. Kenny had a knack for putting sets together and creating the right level of interest in each measure.
Over the years, Kenny and I became good friends. Kenny was a genuine man with a huge intellect. Far from the normal topics of conversation on the way to gigs, the Wardlaw Band could find themselves engrossed in discussing subjects as diverse as Scottish history to current affairs. Kenny also had a keen sense of humour and was a thoughtful man. As he arrived at my daughter Rachel’s christening, he presented us with a lovely march he had written. It has pride of place on the house!
Kenny was also a true friend who has supported me over the years, well outwith the remit of ‘just’ being my bandleader. I am still deeply shocked and saddened that we have lost such a brilliant, talented, musician and one of the most decent, genuine people I have ever been privileged enough to consider my friend. Kenny, I thank you for the opportunity of being part of your Band for so many years. It is the end of an era and I will treasure all the recordings and memories.
Derek Hamilton
I suppose you could say I was Kenny Thomson's record producer.
I first new Kenny back in the late 60s early 70s through the Accordion Club movement and in those early days he always struck me as a 'dapper' young man. I don't think I ever saw Kenny in casual clothes – he was always very well dressed wherever he was.
That was to prove to be a measure of the man – everything polished, neat and tidy and perfect. That was Kenny and that was his music.
I got to know him properly in 1980 when, having taken over Ronnie Easton's very successful band and formed it into the Wardlaw Scottish Dance Band, he was keen to make an album. George Fleming and I had started a new record label – Ayrespin Music and Kenny and the band used the studio to practice for broadcasts for the BBC and Radio Forth. I recorded these practices and Kenny knew that I knew what sort of sound he wanted so it was quite natural that he recorded his debut album at Ayrespin. 'Double First' was the title as it was Kenny's first and it was Ayrespin's first commercial album.
I remember at the end of the session when it was all 'in the can' I chastised Kenny for not praising the guys for their superb contribution during a fairly long day. The best they got was ' Aye well I suppose it'll dae'! But Kenny explained that he was bad at lifting spirits not like Derek Lawrence who was the ultimate optimist and enthusiast. Kenny had played in that band and knew how Derek worked but just wasn't able to be anything other than how he was.
Following on from 'Double First' Kenny did at least two albums for the RSCDS and one for Sue Petyt of Dumfries and I produced a further three on the Bryansroom Label.
I can't say if he took the same attitude with the others but for the albums I produced he certainly looked for perfection in the recording. To all intents and purposes he surrounded himself with people he knew would give him a good solid performance and that left him to worry only about his own. Which he did to the point of almost destruction! When it came to things like that, Kenny had ears like a bat as well as perfect pitch. He had an obsession with correct timing for the dances. If he was a second or two out he would ask me to 'sort it' He just liked things to be right.
He never was totally pleased with anything he recorded but then I used to tell him 'That's fine Kenny – at least you've got somewhere to go next time. One you reach total perfection and satisfaction it's time to give up!'
Kenny never did give up – oh he threatened a few times but never actually got round to it I'm glad to say.
The world could do with more musicians like Kenny Thomson. He knew what he wanted and he normally got it because he knew how to get it. He was also one of the most capable musicians I have ever met.
He will be sadly missed by me and many others.
RONNIE EASTON (Lifelong friend and fellow accordionist)
The first time I came across Kenny was when we were both booked to do an old folks concert in Muirkirk. I was only 12 or 13 at the time and Kenny was just a wee boy. I realised then that he could certainly play the box a lot better than his years displayed.
Later we were both taught by the same teacher, Robert McF Adamson of Cumnock who famously composed the Triumph March.
Kenny's similar thinking to mine drew us together and he came to my house regularly to play tunes.
As the years progressed it was obvious to me that Kenny had a great talent on not only the box but on the Saxaphone which he took up as a teenager. He travelled up to Glasgow for lessons and was eventually so good at it that he was offered a professional job down south with a big band. Kenny turned that opportunity down and gave up the sax in favour of the box. As I recall this was because there were certain elements of sax playing he was failing to master and in his frustration just decided enough was enough.
That showed me what Kenny was – a total perfectionist. He really was just that in everything he did. It had to be right and he expected the same from everyone else.
Brian Griffin and I had become good friends and when the Accordion Clubs started up he and I played duets around many of them. Eventually, in 1974 or 1975 I think it was, Brian joined the Iain MacPhail Band.
I was introduced to Derek Lawrence at a concert in Ayr where Derek was accompanying a singer and, having heard me do my first spot, asked if he could play piano for me in the second half. Derek had been playing with Bobby Jack but was trying to start his own band and asked me to join. He was looking for a second box player and had some bookings so I suggested that the very man for the job was Kenny Thomson. We all had similar likes in music – great fans on the Ian Powrie Band.
'Just bring the chords you want' I said to Derek, 'and the 'wee man' will play exactly what you want'.
And Kenny did. That was another great asset he had – he gave you what you wanted musically.
When Derek left for Canada I took over the band retaining Kenny on second box – well, lead plus block chords Mickie Ainsworth style.
In 1979 I decided to go down south to get better work in the day job and left Kenny to take over the band. To replace me he brought in Ian Muir, and the Wardlaw Band was born. The rest is history as they say.
I will always remember Kenny for his absolute conviction to the music. He was a total perfectionist and it showed. I'll miss him.
Ian Muir
I first started playing with Kenny and The Wardlaw Band in 1980, playing Scottish Country dances, ceilidhs, broadcasts for the BBC, Radio Forth and West Sound. I was also involved in the Band’s first commercial recording ‘Double first’, which was first for The Wardlaw and first for Ayrespin Records, the label started by George Fleming and Derek Hamilton. I learned a lot from Kenny, being only 16 years of age when I joined the band I had a lot to learn and I remember sitting in Gordon Simpson’s house at a practice session before Ronnie Easton’s final BBC broadcast thinking to myself that I would never be able to cope! The band was in great form!
Kenny was a perfectionist in every aspect of his playing career and in everything he did in life. His professional standards were of the highest level and he expected everyone around him to aspire to the same standards, from his meticulous playing, exact musical arrangements through to dress code and equipment care and maintenance. (His cable wrapping was an art form in itself!)
I remember one of the first Box and Fiddle Clubs we did as a six-piece; it was Perth and Kanny wanted us all to be on our ‘mettle’ for it. John Gibson was playing piano at the time; he didn’t own a red shirt, so Kenny insisted on him buying one for the Perth gig. We arrived in Perth to find John already there and sporting a brand new Red shirt – probably the brightest red shirt I have ever seen! Only problem was that it was made from some kind of plasticky rubbery material and was so shiny that you could have used it as a mirror! Kenny’s face was a study – he just shook his head and muttered in his Cumnock twang “Well, ah suppose it’s rid…”
Kenny was an inspiration to many of us and will be a huge loss to our music scene. A man of many talents not least of which was his ability to scoff two whole digestive biscuits….in one go!!
