Box and Fiddle
Year 15 No 04
December 1991
Introducing the Clubs
No 4 Oban
by Duncan Campbell
There had been talk amongst local musicians and enthusiasts about the possibility of forming a Club in Oban, however, local bandleader Billy ford placed an advert in the local paper inviting anybody interested to come to a meeting in the Park Hotel, on 24th September, 1975.
At this meeting it was unanimously agreed a club to be called the Oban Accordion and Fiddle Club, to meet in the Park Hotel on the first Wednesday of the month.
A Committee was appointed as follows :
Chairman - Colin Campbell
Social Convenor – Billy ford
Secretary & Treasurer – Duncan Campbell
Committee Members – D. MacDonald, P. Archibald, D. MacGill and John MacLean.
S. Moodie and J. Spence had already intimated that while they wholeheartedly supported the aims of the Club, they did not wish to join the Committee.
The first meeting was arranged for November 5th, with Alasdair Hunter as the guest artiste, admission charge being 50p.
Around 60 people attended the first meeting but number rapidly increased so much so that by the next year we were forced to sell tickets in advance to avoid disappointment to those traveling considerable distances.
The Park Hotel was an excellent venue for the Club, having all the facilities required – good stage, spacious dining room, accommodation if required, changing rooms etc., and it was a great disappointment when in 1986 part of the hotel was closed off and they were operating in a limited capacity. The dining room was sectioned off and they could no longer offer us any facility to have our Club meetings.
We moved to the centrally situated Royal Hotel for one year only, and the following year to our present location, the Highlands Restaurant, the lease of which had been acquired by two of our Committee members, Billy Ford and Neil Sinclair.
Any successful Club has to have the support of the local musicians and in the main this has happened although once or twice we have been thin on the ground.
Sadly, we lost two of the most respected drummers on the Scottish scene Arthur Easson and Dickie McGuire.
Arthur had come to live locally and played regularly at the Club until ill health forced him into hospital.
Dickie had been a founder member and enjoyed his evenings with us until his sudden death.
Fraser McGlynn was a great support in our early years, coming from Tarbert with his band which was very much appreciated.
We have been disappointed that no young accordionists have been coming on in the Oban area for some years now. Ross McPherson and Hector MacFadyen were the last to come on the scene. It is always of great interest to watch the progress of young players.
Neil Sinclair and Colin Campbell are both taking pupils this year, so we hope to have some new faces at the Club before too long.
Over the years we have had a wide range of guest artistes, both accordion and fiddle. We have had many outstanding evenings and lots of our guests complimented our audience and expressed their willingness to come back again.
As a contrast from the Scottish scene, Jack Emblow and party filled the guest spot in December, 1979.
Only one has our guest artiste failed to appear. Gordon Pattullo was completely snowed in and could not get out of his farm gate.
We have had successful dances in the Park Hotel and McTavish’s Kitchens with bands such as Bobby MacLeod, Bobby Harvey, Billy Anderson and latterly, Tommy Walker.
We are very lucky having fiddle players like young Lyndsay Joss from Connel, Adrian O’Rourke and Maurice Duncan playing at our club from time to time. Adrian and Maurice were playing in the final of the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship at Blair Atholl and acquitted themselves very well.
In the last few years we have given the proceeds of our May Club night to Heartstart, Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival and the 1992 Oban Mod.
In the 17 years of the Club’s existence, I think that it can truly be said that there has been a lot of enjoyment given to audiences, local players and guest artistes alike and I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all who have helped me in many ways over the years, including my wife and daughter who have been a tower of strength to me.
I feel confident that under our present Chairman, Angus MacFadyen and his Committee, our Club will continue to prosper and be in the forefront of our type of music for many years to come.
No 4 Oban
by Duncan Campbell
There had been talk amongst local musicians and enthusiasts about the possibility of forming a Club in Oban, however, local bandleader Billy ford placed an advert in the local paper inviting anybody interested to come to a meeting in the Park Hotel, on 24th September, 1975.
At this meeting it was unanimously agreed a club to be called the Oban Accordion and Fiddle Club, to meet in the Park Hotel on the first Wednesday of the month.
A Committee was appointed as follows :
Chairman - Colin Campbell
Social Convenor – Billy ford
Secretary & Treasurer – Duncan Campbell
Committee Members – D. MacDonald, P. Archibald, D. MacGill and John MacLean.
S. Moodie and J. Spence had already intimated that while they wholeheartedly supported the aims of the Club, they did not wish to join the Committee.
The first meeting was arranged for November 5th, with Alasdair Hunter as the guest artiste, admission charge being 50p.
Around 60 people attended the first meeting but number rapidly increased so much so that by the next year we were forced to sell tickets in advance to avoid disappointment to those traveling considerable distances.
The Park Hotel was an excellent venue for the Club, having all the facilities required – good stage, spacious dining room, accommodation if required, changing rooms etc., and it was a great disappointment when in 1986 part of the hotel was closed off and they were operating in a limited capacity. The dining room was sectioned off and they could no longer offer us any facility to have our Club meetings.
We moved to the centrally situated Royal Hotel for one year only, and the following year to our present location, the Highlands Restaurant, the lease of which had been acquired by two of our Committee members, Billy Ford and Neil Sinclair.
Any successful Club has to have the support of the local musicians and in the main this has happened although once or twice we have been thin on the ground.
Sadly, we lost two of the most respected drummers on the Scottish scene Arthur Easson and Dickie McGuire.
Arthur had come to live locally and played regularly at the Club until ill health forced him into hospital.
Dickie had been a founder member and enjoyed his evenings with us until his sudden death.
Fraser McGlynn was a great support in our early years, coming from Tarbert with his band which was very much appreciated.
We have been disappointed that no young accordionists have been coming on in the Oban area for some years now. Ross McPherson and Hector MacFadyen were the last to come on the scene. It is always of great interest to watch the progress of young players.
Neil Sinclair and Colin Campbell are both taking pupils this year, so we hope to have some new faces at the Club before too long.
Over the years we have had a wide range of guest artistes, both accordion and fiddle. We have had many outstanding evenings and lots of our guests complimented our audience and expressed their willingness to come back again.
As a contrast from the Scottish scene, Jack Emblow and party filled the guest spot in December, 1979.
Only one has our guest artiste failed to appear. Gordon Pattullo was completely snowed in and could not get out of his farm gate.
We have had successful dances in the Park Hotel and McTavish’s Kitchens with bands such as Bobby MacLeod, Bobby Harvey, Billy Anderson and latterly, Tommy Walker.
We are very lucky having fiddle players like young Lyndsay Joss from Connel, Adrian O’Rourke and Maurice Duncan playing at our club from time to time. Adrian and Maurice were playing in the final of the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship at Blair Atholl and acquitted themselves very well.
In the last few years we have given the proceeds of our May Club night to Heartstart, Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival and the 1992 Oban Mod.
In the 17 years of the Club’s existence, I think that it can truly be said that there has been a lot of enjoyment given to audiences, local players and guest artistes alike and I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all who have helped me in many ways over the years, including my wife and daughter who have been a tower of strength to me.
I feel confident that under our present Chairman, Angus MacFadyen and his Committee, our Club will continue to prosper and be in the forefront of our type of music for many years to come.