Jim Johnstone – Man of Many Talents
by Jimmy Clinkscale
Born in Tranent 44 years ago and raised in an environment passionately obsessed with Scottish music, it was inevitable that the young Jim Johnstone would follow in his father’s footsteps.
But Jim has done more, much more, than simply follow the dictates of his own, particularly impressive, talent.
During a career in which he has appeared with anyone who is anyone in the Scottish Dance Band scene, Jim has played an integral part in furthering the public’s enjoyment of their own unique musical heritage.
Interesting
It is interesting to look back at those days of Jim’s early development as he was extraordinarily fortunate to have been weaned at the very heart of a loving and varied musical environment.
Five of his father’s seven brothers could play the accordion, while another could ca’ oot a tune on the trumpet.
Jim soon developed an interest in the accordion – what else – and was sent for lessons with local teacher Bobby Anderson at the age of nine. “My dad was worried I was learning bad habits” laughs Jim.
Bobby taught the youngster all he knew but after a year “he was realistic enough to realise he had gone far enough and it was time I went to someone else.”
The ‘someone else’ was to be Chrissie Leatham whom Jim recalls as a “great character with a marvelous sense of humour.”
Lessons were not the painful experience akin to a visit to the dentist for young Jim. He took an extra lesson at Chrissie’s Haddington home on the Sundays and so keen was Jim that he remembers his Mum saying “for God’s sake put that thing down!”
Progressing
Jim was by now progressing with such vast leaps and bounds that he was capable of his first broadcast at the age of 13. But it was only through a bet with his father that the strains of ‘Dundee City Police’, ‘’The Atholl Highlanders’ and the ‘Black Mask Waltz’ as performed by a wiry young teenager from Tranent were ever heard on the BBC airwaves.
“My father bet me £1 – it was a lot of money in those days – that I couldn’t pass an audition to appear on ‘Children’s Hour’. I won my pound!”
Jim was attending Preston Lodge School at this time and eventually formed his own band two years later.
They played around East Lothian and the Borders for a time – “great days” – before Jim was forced to leave for his two-year period of National Service in England.
He didn’t want to go – who would? – but his regular visits home at weekends kept him in touch with the family and with playing, as his Uncle John’s Band needed him for Saturday night concerts.
He played with that band for four years – working in Tranent as a mechanic with his father during the day – but Jim was getting restless and looking for a way to develop his career.
Opportunity
The opportunity soon arose when, much to his surprise, he was approached by Andrew Rankine.
Now Jim had always liked Rankine’s band – “they used to swing” – and the offer was one he just couldn’t refuse. The family didn’t like it though. After all, Jim had been a Johnstone player ever since he was a wee laddie.
But off he went.
“It was a step in the right direction” he admits. “My family were all ‘lug’ players, but Rankine’s band were all legitimate musicians. They could read music and play nice arrangements. I felt I should be getting into that.”
And get into it Jim did. Thrown in at the deep end he was forced to either sink or swim. Used to spending weeks with his uncles rehearsing for one concert, he now found himself going into broadcast, with Rankine himself the only one who knew the music which was to be played.
Jim left the band when Andrew announced he was considering emigrating to Australia.
He spent a lot of time forming his own band, gathering around him friends and musicians he had known for a long time. Jim was happy with that line-up – Bobby Colgan on drums, Alan Johnston on fiddle, pianist Davie Flockhart and bassist Robin Brock – but then came the offer from Jimmy Shand and a vastly accelerated lifestyle.
That broadcast in Edinburgh’s Queen Street studios was not Jim’s first encounter with Shand, however. Jimmy had been a regular caller at George Johnstone’s house in Tranent just before the War, at a time when Jim’s father and his Uncle John were themselves weel-kent names in the broadcasting scene.
He says he found touring exhausting. Travel was one of the aspects he disliked most about playing in bands.
“Jimmy Shand was the exception” he says. “He thrived on it. Jimmy was a big, strong man and he had tremendous stamina.”
Jim, of course, is referring to the tours of Australia and New Zealand while he was a member of the great man’s band.
He recalls the first time he played with him “I had my own band at the time, but Jimmy phoned up and asked if I could help him out one night. Naturally, I said I would. It was an honour. After the broadcast he took me aside and said “It’s not the way you play that I like, but you can read music!”
After the exhaustion of touring with the self-styled marathon man, Jim decided to further his experience yet again. This time with Jimmy Blue who had just taken over the Ian Powrie Band.
Increasing the pace to overdrive Jim soon found himself being asked by BBC Producer Iain MacFadyen to form his own band for ‘The White Heather Club’ tours.
Jim was now in constant demand and not just from legitimate ‘White Heather’ dates.
“There were a lot of ‘White Heather Club’ shows at that time” says Jim “but unless Robin Hall, Jimmy McGregor and Andy Stewart were going to be in them I refused to do them. I just said ‘no way’ as they weren’t authentic.”
Yet another example of the thick streak of integrity running through Jim.
Performed
Besides leading his own band, in between playing with Andrew Rankine, Jimmy Shand and Jimmy Blue to name but three, Jim was involved with the incredible successes of the ‘White Heather Club’ TV Shows and tours and is now arranging for, among others, Andy Stewart, Calum Kennedy and the BBC.
One would think from that catalogue of talent that Jim would have enough on his plate. But no, he’s a man of many parts. Not only does he now arrange and play around the dances, but Jim also holds down a highly active job as Entertainments Manager with East Lothian District Council.
It is a post Jim has been in for almost eight years and he obviously thrives on it.
His work in Musselburgh’s Brunton Halls isn’t exactly nine-to-five but the flexible hours allow Jim to control the other aspects of his life and career to his own satisfaction
Convinced
He is convinced he made the right decision all those years ago when faced with the prospect of applying for the job, opening a music shop in Musselburgh or taking on a six-month engagement in an Edinburgh Hotel with Larry Marshall.
“I don’t think it is possible in this day and age to maintain a full-time band, as for instance Jimmy Shand did. There are not so many theatres left in Scotland now and gone are the days when you could become a household name through records.”
It is something Jim – a delightfully warm, friendly and honest character – does not personally regret regarding his own band.
Currently happy with the way things have turned out, he is satisfied to play around the village halls. “Finances don’t worry me” he laughs. “I really enjoy playing to people I know and experiencing that close relationship.”
As for recording, Jim has no immediate plans to make another LP.
“The market is saturated at the moment” he says “it has not done the Scottish record market any good. Anyway I feel I just don’t have the material to warrant bringing out another one.”
That’s our loss and not Jim’s!
Box and Fiddle
March 1982
But Jim has done more, much more, than simply follow the dictates of his own, particularly impressive, talent.
During a career in which he has appeared with anyone who is anyone in the Scottish Dance Band scene, Jim has played an integral part in furthering the public’s enjoyment of their own unique musical heritage.
Interesting
It is interesting to look back at those days of Jim’s early development as he was extraordinarily fortunate to have been weaned at the very heart of a loving and varied musical environment.
Five of his father’s seven brothers could play the accordion, while another could ca’ oot a tune on the trumpet.
Jim soon developed an interest in the accordion – what else – and was sent for lessons with local teacher Bobby Anderson at the age of nine. “My dad was worried I was learning bad habits” laughs Jim.
Bobby taught the youngster all he knew but after a year “he was realistic enough to realise he had gone far enough and it was time I went to someone else.”
The ‘someone else’ was to be Chrissie Leatham whom Jim recalls as a “great character with a marvelous sense of humour.”
Lessons were not the painful experience akin to a visit to the dentist for young Jim. He took an extra lesson at Chrissie’s Haddington home on the Sundays and so keen was Jim that he remembers his Mum saying “for God’s sake put that thing down!”
Progressing
Jim was by now progressing with such vast leaps and bounds that he was capable of his first broadcast at the age of 13. But it was only through a bet with his father that the strains of ‘Dundee City Police’, ‘’The Atholl Highlanders’ and the ‘Black Mask Waltz’ as performed by a wiry young teenager from Tranent were ever heard on the BBC airwaves.
“My father bet me £1 – it was a lot of money in those days – that I couldn’t pass an audition to appear on ‘Children’s Hour’. I won my pound!”
Jim was attending Preston Lodge School at this time and eventually formed his own band two years later.
They played around East Lothian and the Borders for a time – “great days” – before Jim was forced to leave for his two-year period of National Service in England.
He didn’t want to go – who would? – but his regular visits home at weekends kept him in touch with the family and with playing, as his Uncle John’s Band needed him for Saturday night concerts.
He played with that band for four years – working in Tranent as a mechanic with his father during the day – but Jim was getting restless and looking for a way to develop his career.
Opportunity
The opportunity soon arose when, much to his surprise, he was approached by Andrew Rankine.
Now Jim had always liked Rankine’s band – “they used to swing” – and the offer was one he just couldn’t refuse. The family didn’t like it though. After all, Jim had been a Johnstone player ever since he was a wee laddie.
But off he went.
“It was a step in the right direction” he admits. “My family were all ‘lug’ players, but Rankine’s band were all legitimate musicians. They could read music and play nice arrangements. I felt I should be getting into that.”
And get into it Jim did. Thrown in at the deep end he was forced to either sink or swim. Used to spending weeks with his uncles rehearsing for one concert, he now found himself going into broadcast, with Rankine himself the only one who knew the music which was to be played.
Jim left the band when Andrew announced he was considering emigrating to Australia.
He spent a lot of time forming his own band, gathering around him friends and musicians he had known for a long time. Jim was happy with that line-up – Bobby Colgan on drums, Alan Johnston on fiddle, pianist Davie Flockhart and bassist Robin Brock – but then came the offer from Jimmy Shand and a vastly accelerated lifestyle.
That broadcast in Edinburgh’s Queen Street studios was not Jim’s first encounter with Shand, however. Jimmy had been a regular caller at George Johnstone’s house in Tranent just before the War, at a time when Jim’s father and his Uncle John were themselves weel-kent names in the broadcasting scene.
He says he found touring exhausting. Travel was one of the aspects he disliked most about playing in bands.
“Jimmy Shand was the exception” he says. “He thrived on it. Jimmy was a big, strong man and he had tremendous stamina.”
Jim, of course, is referring to the tours of Australia and New Zealand while he was a member of the great man’s band.
He recalls the first time he played with him “I had my own band at the time, but Jimmy phoned up and asked if I could help him out one night. Naturally, I said I would. It was an honour. After the broadcast he took me aside and said “It’s not the way you play that I like, but you can read music!”
After the exhaustion of touring with the self-styled marathon man, Jim decided to further his experience yet again. This time with Jimmy Blue who had just taken over the Ian Powrie Band.
Increasing the pace to overdrive Jim soon found himself being asked by BBC Producer Iain MacFadyen to form his own band for ‘The White Heather Club’ tours.
Jim was now in constant demand and not just from legitimate ‘White Heather’ dates.
“There were a lot of ‘White Heather Club’ shows at that time” says Jim “but unless Robin Hall, Jimmy McGregor and Andy Stewart were going to be in them I refused to do them. I just said ‘no way’ as they weren’t authentic.”
Yet another example of the thick streak of integrity running through Jim.
Performed
Besides leading his own band, in between playing with Andrew Rankine, Jimmy Shand and Jimmy Blue to name but three, Jim was involved with the incredible successes of the ‘White Heather Club’ TV Shows and tours and is now arranging for, among others, Andy Stewart, Calum Kennedy and the BBC.
One would think from that catalogue of talent that Jim would have enough on his plate. But no, he’s a man of many parts. Not only does he now arrange and play around the dances, but Jim also holds down a highly active job as Entertainments Manager with East Lothian District Council.
It is a post Jim has been in for almost eight years and he obviously thrives on it.
His work in Musselburgh’s Brunton Halls isn’t exactly nine-to-five but the flexible hours allow Jim to control the other aspects of his life and career to his own satisfaction
Convinced
He is convinced he made the right decision all those years ago when faced with the prospect of applying for the job, opening a music shop in Musselburgh or taking on a six-month engagement in an Edinburgh Hotel with Larry Marshall.
“I don’t think it is possible in this day and age to maintain a full-time band, as for instance Jimmy Shand did. There are not so many theatres left in Scotland now and gone are the days when you could become a household name through records.”
It is something Jim – a delightfully warm, friendly and honest character – does not personally regret regarding his own band.
Currently happy with the way things have turned out, he is satisfied to play around the village halls. “Finances don’t worry me” he laughs. “I really enjoy playing to people I know and experiencing that close relationship.”
As for recording, Jim has no immediate plans to make another LP.
“The market is saturated at the moment” he says “it has not done the Scottish record market any good. Anyway I feel I just don’t have the material to warrant bringing out another one.”
That’s our loss and not Jim’s!
Box and Fiddle
March 1982