Bill Black
by Jimmy Clinkscale
Although, perhaps not one of the most famous names in Scottish dance music, Bill Black is one of the most respected button accordionists and fiddle players in the country.
Sturdy in stature and honest in nature, his outlook remains that of the modest shepherd he once was. The personification of the quiet, unassuming Scotsman. He would be the last person to admit he was a great player. Far more at home, being one of a company playing music for pleasure at a dance. Even after 32 years in the business he still bristles at the thought of playing the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs where he is the focus of undivided attention.
Former Champion
Bill is a former Champion, taking the Senior Scottish Accordion title at Perth in 1971, and in that same year winning the fiddle award at the Newcastleton Festival.
He is no one-man band, however. Unlike most people in the business he takes his family with him. He has to – they form the rest of the band. Wife Anne (keyboard), sons Robert (19) and Duncan (16) have been playing off and on for the past 10 years. Robert is now in the process of forming his own SDB and Bill recognises that some day soon the family will agree to a parting of the way.
Another member of the family is their only daughter Kathleen. A charming young girl despite natures cruelest fate, she is blind. Despite this affliction, she is an accomplished singer and pianist and accompanies the family at many of the concerts and charity functions throughout the length and breadth of the country. Black, Snr has no regrets. The past ten years have been good to the family and have left the public with a legacy of fine albums, among them ‘The Black Family Favourites’ and ‘Shepherd’s Choice.’
Music Daft
Born just outside Crieff 46 years ago, Bill was raised up on the land. His father Bob was a herd and farm manager and the young Black followed – literally in his footsteps working on the land till 1974, when he left to become an agricultural sales rep and five years later, setting-up partnership in a farming supply business. But he was always daft on music.
“I remember seeing bands like Ian Powrie, Angus Fitchet and The Olympians in my younger days” he recalls. “They had a great influence on me.”
It was the fiddle which first attracted him. In those days there was no electricity in the family home and Bill remembers sitting in the living-room driving his parents crazy with his scratchy attempts at perfecting the catgut.”
“Every penny I got was spent on music” he laughed. “Records were about 2s 6d in old money and that was bad news for the local rabbit population. He heard ‘The Jacqueline Waltz’ by Will Starr and was determined to buy it. So out he went with his snares, collected the goods the following morning. First to the butcher, than to the record shop.
Bill tried to learn through tutor books, but eventually began cycling into Callandar for lessons with Harold Thomson, but Bill was so advanced he ended up teaching the teacher.
His first job was playing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to a neighbour who came to the door to borrow sugar. She gave him a penny, the first he even earned. “The first penny is the hardest” he chuckled.
Harold and Bill eventually got together in the Teithside Band with Kenny Beaton on button box. After that he joined the Glengarry Band, started by Arthur Easson, later to win fame as drummer in Ian Powrie’s Band.
Moved Out
That outfit broke up when Kenny Beaton, who was a forester, moved out of the area.
Bill too decided to move and ended up in Alyth where he met George Bell, who is blind and now has a broadcasting band. He played piano box and Bill the fiddle, although he eventually took on the button box and mastered it too.
His interest in the accordion actually developed from tinkering around on the melodeon. His involvement with George broke up after he spent a lengthy period in hospital. Bill then formed his own band in 1971, a year which proved a watershed for him.
He entered the Scottish Championship after a great deal of persuasion from Glenalmond’s Jimmy Lindsay. “I never thought I was good enough” he said “but I got through to the finals and finished fifth.”
Bill reached the finals again, finding himself competing against the likes of John Huband, Peter Bruce, Brian Griffin and Donald Ridley.
Having reached the finals in 1971, Jimmy told him to get away from the hall, go for a long walk and not come back until it was time for the finals. “I was really a bag of nerves but somehow I managed to pull it off” smiled Bill.
Selection
His winning selection included a march ‘Mr Michie’ by Angus Fitchet, a strathspey by Scott Skinner, ‘Mrs Martin’ and a new reel then by Tom Anderson ‘Pottinger’s Reel.’
Bill said “I thought that was the ultimate and just didn’t want to play solo any more. I started to get invited to Accordion and Fiddle Clubs after that and it was a nightmare for me. Sometimes I couldn’t eat or sleep for worrying how I would do.”
But he was encouraged to enter the Scottish Trio Championships again and with Jack Lindsay on fiddle and Joan Blue on piano, took the Trio title for the following three years.
By this time, young Robert was playing alongside father and worked his passage by playing solos. “The boys have been forced into playing, but obviously they have shown an interest and skill. They are much better players than I am and know far more about music.” Both boys have competed for and won a variety of championships.
His wife Anne, realised she would never see much of her husband unless she took part. She got stuck into the piano, getting lessons from George Bell. Writing the notes on the keyboard and keeping the household awake during the wee sma’ hours paid off and she has been a member of the band for the past ten years.
In Full Swing
“Being a family and playing together has made a big difference; it has made us very close” said Bill.
The Bill Black SDB were in full swing at this time, but Anne’s job as a nurse and irregular hours, meant they had to find a regular pianist. Bill Lockhart from Perth fitted in nicely and in 1973 the band made their first record – ‘Sounds of the Perthshire Glens.’ The band was Bill (lead box), Jack Ness (second box), Jim Rennie (fiddle), Bruce Wilson (bass) and Billy Anderson (drums).
After Jack Ness emigrated to Canada, Graeme Mitchell from Huntly played second box for the next five years. Bill has nothing but praise for Graeme, who did most of the arranging of the music.
“Graeme lived in Aberdeen then used to travel down every weekend to our dates which could have been as far south as the Borders. He would stay with us on the Saturday night and travel home on the Sunday. He eventually moved further north to Huntly. At this stage we both decided that the distance was just too much of an obstacle.”
Young Duncan, who was by this time an able second box player, joined the band and blended in splendidly.
This signaled a period when the other members of the band went their separate ways and the Black’s began to work together as a unit.
“An old friend of mine, Jim Howie, had been on at me for years to make an album with a picture of myself on the front with my dog and crook” said Bill, “with Peter Shepherd, the Producer, and Robbie Shepherd writing the sleeve notes. With my background it didn’t take much inspiration for a title –‘Shepherd’s Choice’ – and recoded on the Stebelin label C1002.”
Bill acknowledges a wide range of heroes and influences. Among them are Scott Skinner, Ian Powrie, Willie Hunter, Shetland, a tremendous player, and 16-year-old Judith Davidson, a champion fiddler and brilliant with it. She has just won the Senior Golden Fiddle Award after taking the Junior.
As for his own band, Bill, very much involved in business, can see the writing on the wall. Robert has now formed his own broadcasting band and sees himself eventually phasing out altogether. As for retirement, he reckons he’ll take things as they come.
Over the years, the Black Family have provided marvelous entertainment with some thoroughly enjoyable albums behind them and three fine youngsters ready, able and willing to take over and keep the Scottish flag flying.
It is little wonder they are writers’ own Family Favourites.
Box and Fiddle
March 1983
Sturdy in stature and honest in nature, his outlook remains that of the modest shepherd he once was. The personification of the quiet, unassuming Scotsman. He would be the last person to admit he was a great player. Far more at home, being one of a company playing music for pleasure at a dance. Even after 32 years in the business he still bristles at the thought of playing the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs where he is the focus of undivided attention.
Former Champion
Bill is a former Champion, taking the Senior Scottish Accordion title at Perth in 1971, and in that same year winning the fiddle award at the Newcastleton Festival.
He is no one-man band, however. Unlike most people in the business he takes his family with him. He has to – they form the rest of the band. Wife Anne (keyboard), sons Robert (19) and Duncan (16) have been playing off and on for the past 10 years. Robert is now in the process of forming his own SDB and Bill recognises that some day soon the family will agree to a parting of the way.
Another member of the family is their only daughter Kathleen. A charming young girl despite natures cruelest fate, she is blind. Despite this affliction, she is an accomplished singer and pianist and accompanies the family at many of the concerts and charity functions throughout the length and breadth of the country. Black, Snr has no regrets. The past ten years have been good to the family and have left the public with a legacy of fine albums, among them ‘The Black Family Favourites’ and ‘Shepherd’s Choice.’
Music Daft
Born just outside Crieff 46 years ago, Bill was raised up on the land. His father Bob was a herd and farm manager and the young Black followed – literally in his footsteps working on the land till 1974, when he left to become an agricultural sales rep and five years later, setting-up partnership in a farming supply business. But he was always daft on music.
“I remember seeing bands like Ian Powrie, Angus Fitchet and The Olympians in my younger days” he recalls. “They had a great influence on me.”
It was the fiddle which first attracted him. In those days there was no electricity in the family home and Bill remembers sitting in the living-room driving his parents crazy with his scratchy attempts at perfecting the catgut.”
“Every penny I got was spent on music” he laughed. “Records were about 2s 6d in old money and that was bad news for the local rabbit population. He heard ‘The Jacqueline Waltz’ by Will Starr and was determined to buy it. So out he went with his snares, collected the goods the following morning. First to the butcher, than to the record shop.
Bill tried to learn through tutor books, but eventually began cycling into Callandar for lessons with Harold Thomson, but Bill was so advanced he ended up teaching the teacher.
His first job was playing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to a neighbour who came to the door to borrow sugar. She gave him a penny, the first he even earned. “The first penny is the hardest” he chuckled.
Harold and Bill eventually got together in the Teithside Band with Kenny Beaton on button box. After that he joined the Glengarry Band, started by Arthur Easson, later to win fame as drummer in Ian Powrie’s Band.
Moved Out
That outfit broke up when Kenny Beaton, who was a forester, moved out of the area.
Bill too decided to move and ended up in Alyth where he met George Bell, who is blind and now has a broadcasting band. He played piano box and Bill the fiddle, although he eventually took on the button box and mastered it too.
His interest in the accordion actually developed from tinkering around on the melodeon. His involvement with George broke up after he spent a lengthy period in hospital. Bill then formed his own band in 1971, a year which proved a watershed for him.
He entered the Scottish Championship after a great deal of persuasion from Glenalmond’s Jimmy Lindsay. “I never thought I was good enough” he said “but I got through to the finals and finished fifth.”
Bill reached the finals again, finding himself competing against the likes of John Huband, Peter Bruce, Brian Griffin and Donald Ridley.
Having reached the finals in 1971, Jimmy told him to get away from the hall, go for a long walk and not come back until it was time for the finals. “I was really a bag of nerves but somehow I managed to pull it off” smiled Bill.
Selection
His winning selection included a march ‘Mr Michie’ by Angus Fitchet, a strathspey by Scott Skinner, ‘Mrs Martin’ and a new reel then by Tom Anderson ‘Pottinger’s Reel.’
Bill said “I thought that was the ultimate and just didn’t want to play solo any more. I started to get invited to Accordion and Fiddle Clubs after that and it was a nightmare for me. Sometimes I couldn’t eat or sleep for worrying how I would do.”
But he was encouraged to enter the Scottish Trio Championships again and with Jack Lindsay on fiddle and Joan Blue on piano, took the Trio title for the following three years.
By this time, young Robert was playing alongside father and worked his passage by playing solos. “The boys have been forced into playing, but obviously they have shown an interest and skill. They are much better players than I am and know far more about music.” Both boys have competed for and won a variety of championships.
His wife Anne, realised she would never see much of her husband unless she took part. She got stuck into the piano, getting lessons from George Bell. Writing the notes on the keyboard and keeping the household awake during the wee sma’ hours paid off and she has been a member of the band for the past ten years.
In Full Swing
“Being a family and playing together has made a big difference; it has made us very close” said Bill.
The Bill Black SDB were in full swing at this time, but Anne’s job as a nurse and irregular hours, meant they had to find a regular pianist. Bill Lockhart from Perth fitted in nicely and in 1973 the band made their first record – ‘Sounds of the Perthshire Glens.’ The band was Bill (lead box), Jack Ness (second box), Jim Rennie (fiddle), Bruce Wilson (bass) and Billy Anderson (drums).
After Jack Ness emigrated to Canada, Graeme Mitchell from Huntly played second box for the next five years. Bill has nothing but praise for Graeme, who did most of the arranging of the music.
“Graeme lived in Aberdeen then used to travel down every weekend to our dates which could have been as far south as the Borders. He would stay with us on the Saturday night and travel home on the Sunday. He eventually moved further north to Huntly. At this stage we both decided that the distance was just too much of an obstacle.”
Young Duncan, who was by this time an able second box player, joined the band and blended in splendidly.
This signaled a period when the other members of the band went their separate ways and the Black’s began to work together as a unit.
“An old friend of mine, Jim Howie, had been on at me for years to make an album with a picture of myself on the front with my dog and crook” said Bill, “with Peter Shepherd, the Producer, and Robbie Shepherd writing the sleeve notes. With my background it didn’t take much inspiration for a title –‘Shepherd’s Choice’ – and recoded on the Stebelin label C1002.”
Bill acknowledges a wide range of heroes and influences. Among them are Scott Skinner, Ian Powrie, Willie Hunter, Shetland, a tremendous player, and 16-year-old Judith Davidson, a champion fiddler and brilliant with it. She has just won the Senior Golden Fiddle Award after taking the Junior.
As for his own band, Bill, very much involved in business, can see the writing on the wall. Robert has now formed his own broadcasting band and sees himself eventually phasing out altogether. As for retirement, he reckons he’ll take things as they come.
Over the years, the Black Family have provided marvelous entertainment with some thoroughly enjoyable albums behind them and three fine youngsters ready, able and willing to take over and keep the Scottish flag flying.
It is little wonder they are writers’ own Family Favourites.
Box and Fiddle
March 1983