Box and Fiddle
Year 39 No 02
October 2015
Price £2.70
44 Page Magazine
12 month subscription £32.40 + p&p £15.75 (UK)
Editor – Pia Walker, Cupar
B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
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
Where did September go?
Pia Walker
Hjaltibonhoga Represents Shetland at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2015
by Margaret Robertson & Dana Stewart
Whilst still in its infancy, Hjaltibonhoga is very much a happening group. The group was formed in May 2014 to prepare for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattooin august that year. Fiddlers representative of the entire country of Shetland were invited to be part of the group who would bring Shetland fiddling to a yet wider audience. Finally with a group of 97 fiddlers rotating to provide 40 on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle each night Music Director Margaret Robertson took the group to perform the Tattoo show named ‘Our Home, Family and Friends’. The group performed at a number of outreach events during their stay in Edinburgh and firmly believed to have had a unique, once off experience whilst hoping that some day it would be repeated. However, this was not what happened.
In January of this year, Margaret learned from the Brigadier (Retd) H. David Allfrey MBE – Producers and chief Executive – whilst he visited Shetland for the Up Helly Aa celebrations, that the group were again to visit Edinburgh again this year. This unexpected invitation to participate in the phenomenon that is the Tattoo for a second year running was one which the group simply could not refuse.
The theme ‘East meets West’ was one of the most impressive even staged; presenting a fertile fusion of military and cultural talent from all over Europe, America, Asia, Australasia and Canada shared the stage with some of the finest British Armed Forces performers and musicians marking the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Wearing locally designed and produced costumes, Hjaltibonhoga featured 40 players each evening aged from 13 to 60, exemplifying an aural tradition of fiddling, a tradition that has been sustained so successfully across the generations. Margaret composed a set for the group within the parameters of the East meets West theme and the inspiration for her compositions was taken from Shetland geographical locations. The first tune in the set is Hallett’s Mazurka, which is influenced by Scandinavia to our East and written for local fiddler Nigel Hallett whose generous donation to the group enabled us to start fundraising back in 2014. The second tune, Ava’s Adventures is written for Margaret’s grand-daughter and has a lively American feel taking into account our Western influences. The penultimate tune The Cross Jig, written for a dear family friend Joe Cross, takes us back to Scotland with its distinctive Scottish sound and the final tune entitled Ruari Stephen Scott, which is written for Margaret’s grandson, brings us back home to Shetland for a reel medley.
This year Hjaltibonhoga also collaborated with 14 Regimental and Commonwealth bands, comprising of 250 pipers and drummers as well as 67 Highland dancers , the Scots band with their traditional ceilidh sound and two singers at various intervals throughout the show. It’s incredible to think that after 4 live shows, the group will have performed to more than the population of Shetland. By the end of the Tattoo run, the group will have played to almost 250,000 of a live audience and when the BBC coverage is released on the 31st of August, the viewing figures will rise to the region of one billion worldwide! Not bad for an amateur group from a small county rich in a tradition and heritage of fiddle music which needs to be preserved and nurtured at all costs.
Hjaltibonhoga in their second season now find themselves as part of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s core programme which they are absolutely delighted about. Bryden Priest from Unst and a new member of the group, taking part for the first time says, “I had no idea what to expect before I stepped out onto the Castle Esplanade for the first show but it was absolutely amazing. I’m so lucky to have had an opportunity to be part of this.”
As a player returning for the second time Kerry Russell had this to say: “I didn’t think that we’d have the chance to do this again and I certainly didn’t think last year’s show could be topped, but this year has proved otherwise. The highlight for me is performing James Scott Skinner’s Hector the Hero alongside such talented musicians – it’s such an amazing musical experience on every level.”
As hjaltibonhoga’s story unfolds, the near future holds many exciting upcoming events for the group. They are hosting the Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers in September, they plan to record an EP and support local events all in preparation for their biggest opportunity to date. At the invitation of the R.E.M.T., 20 of the group will travel to Australia and New Zealand in February 2016 to take part in the Tattoo Tour of the Antipodes.
Forth Bridges Accordion Band
by Alan Potters
The Forth Bridges Accordion Band was founded by local Primary School teacher Mr Alan Potters in July 2008. The aim of the band is to provide………………………
Squeezing into the Spotlight
by Ron Netsky (Internet)
The musician put his accordion………
The Jack Delaney Story
by Heather Delaney
I’m Heather Delaney and I play fiddle in my Grandad’s band. Ever since his presentation in 2006 the N.A.A.F.C. Committee has been asking us to write down some of his musical memoirs for the “Box and Fiddle” magazine, so here goes.
John (Jack to everyone) Gordon Delaney was born on 19th February 1935, in Inverkeithing … and we haven’t had any peace since (based on information from my Gran and all the family!).
Jack was fifteen when he first picked up an accordion and started having a tune with pal Allen Barnett while on his dinner break at Jack’s family business, a plant nursery. Not having a music teacher or able to read the dots the lads ‘lugged’ tunes from records and the radio (he calls it ‘the wireless’ but I’m sure it’s the same thing!) It was while practising in one of the glasshouses that they were overheard by the conductor of the Alva Youth Club Choir who invited them to play during breaks in the choir’s annual concert.
The duo became regular guests with the choir and this helped them to build up confidence to later set up ‘The Rowan Band’ with Bert O’Donnell (fiddle), Andrew Grant (drums) and Jimmy Scott (piano). The Rowan Band played together for three years and became well known locally. Unfortunately they had to part company as some of the members went to do their National Service.
It was while he was in Leeds with the Royal Army Pay Corps that Jack was invited to play for the Leeds Scottish Country Dance Club’s monthly dance. Having no experience of Scottish Country Dancing and little knowledge of the skills required, Jack had to embark on a steep learning curve to find original tunes and learn the discipline of counting bars etc. He managed to enlist the help of some of his fellow National Servicemen to play with him, namely Arthur McKinney on drums, Alastair Reid on piano and Dave McGirr on double bass. They played together for almost two years and even travelled to Burnley on occasions to play at the country dance club there.
In June 1955, when he was twenty Jack finished his National Service and was back in Alloa. It was at this time that a friend, Andrew Rankine, asked him if he would like to join his band. This was a great opportunity as Andrew was a really good, swingy player. Although playing melody alongside him was a daunting task, this experience had a huge influence on Jack and provided the basis of Jack’s swingy and driving style. As part of Rankine’s band, Jack was reunited with Jimmy Scott and introduced to Bob Christie (fiddle), Stan Saunders (bass) and Andy Hamilton (drums). It was with these men that Jack enjoyed his Scottish Dance Band apprenticeship and in the September of that year performed his first live broadcast.
For the first year or so Jack played joint melody with Andrew, which was the accepted style used by all the bands at that time. Then in 1956 Andrew heard Bobby MacLeod’s band playing on a recording of the Bluebell Polka with the second box player playing rhythmic chords. Jack thinks this would have been Hugh Malarky, and Andrew was very impressed with the effect this had. Bobby was a hero to both Andrew and Jack and they were inspired by this new sound and technique and immediately started experimenting and developing the idea. Shortly after, they decided to do a full broadcast using the second box playing chords all the way through and this is what was to become his style of playing ‘Second Box’ as we know it today. The day after that broadcast, Angus Fitchet phoned Andrew to say he loved the idea and thought they should continue to do it this way as it was very effective, producing a different sound and drive to the band and this was the way Jack was to continue to play whenever he was asked to play second box. This was one of the most influential periods in his musical career which led to him becoming much sought after in this role with many bands.
Jack had some very memorable moments with Andrew’s band, many of which he wouldn’t want me to disclose! However, Jack remembers that on the way to Edinburgh to audition and play in his first broadcast, Andrew realised that he had actually forgotten to put his accordion in the car so they had to make a mad dash back to Menstrie to pick it up. They did manage to make it on time and Jack was accepted as the new second box player in the band.
In addition he recalls being at an outside broadcast in Langholm with the band when Andrew counted the band in for the first set only to discover that he had forgotten to undo the straps on his box and couldn’t play a thing. The band managed to carry on without him almost doubled up with laughter.
The band was very busy in those years. They travelled all over the country often playing in the north of Scotland on the Friday night and down south in the Borders on the Saturday. They regularly toured the West Coast of Scotland playing gigs in Skye, Kyle of Lochalsh, Beauly, Inverness, Aultbea and many more stops in between. It was a butcher called Willie McLean who first invited them to play in Aultbea at the famous village hall. Jack said there used to be a grand piano in the Aultbea village hall which was amazing because good pianos were always hard to find. What was even more amazing was that Willie often had a bottle of whisky hidden under the lid - just for emergencies!
Gigs like these ones would often start at midnight and carry on until 5 in the morning when the band would get a couple of hours sleep then load up and drive back down the road for a broadcast usually followed by a gig that evening. It was after one such dance in Strathpeffer that the band was heading home when the dynamo on their Vauxhall Velox packed in. They made it to Kingussie with no lights and spent a sleepless few hours in the station waiting room where they had been installed by a kindly Stationmaster. Jack recalls Bobby Christie always had trouble sleeping and so he had wandered off for a walk only to return to tell the rest of them to get a move on – the Co-op Bakery was open! So there they were all dolled up in their dinner suits sitting in the back of the bake house eating pies and drinking tea at a big floury table at 6 in the morning. When they emerged into the street their black suits had turned grey with all the flour floating about. As well as pies, their steady diet of fish suppers on these tours doesn’t seem to have done Jack (80) any harm. Jack did also mention the incredible spreads put on by the generous people who organised many of the dances, a tradition which he’s delighted to say continues at many of the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs which he attends regularly to this day.
There used to be a certain friendly rivalry between bands back then. Jack recalls a night when Bobby MacLeod, Ian Powrie and Andrew’s band were all staying in an Inverness Hotel but playing at different venues. Powrie’s band had to leave for their gig first so, seeing an unmissable opportunity for mischief, the Rankine band turned their rooms upside down and hid some of the Powrie band’s belongings in the gutters of the hotel’s roof. All was quiet for a while after this and they thought all had been forgiven until they met the Powrie band on the streets of Edinburgh one day. They did have a good laugh about the Inverness Hotel incident together and again thought they were got away with it until they returned to their Volkswagen to find the spark plugs had been nicked!
Bands could also get on pretty well too if the occasion called for it. For instance, the Rankine band was booked to play at Friockheim in Angus one evening. They duly turned up (probably a wee bit late as was usual with Andrew) and found that the Lindsay Ross Band was already set up and playing. There had been a mix up with the bookings and the man in charge was very apologetic. Seeing this and not wanting them to have travelled so far for nothing, he and Lindsay invited them to join them on stage, resulting in 3 box players, 2 fiddlers, 2 bass players, 2 drummers and 1 piano player all crammed in and belting it out together…now there is value for money!
Jack initially spent five years with the Andrew Rankine Band, broadcasting with them regularly and enduring Andrew’s Rankine’s awful time keeping, terrifying driving and sometimes intimidating personality. He developed a great friendship with him and they always enjoyed making good music together.
It was during 1959 that Jack met my Gran Leslie and they were married in September 1960. She was the perfect wife putting up with him being away so much and having to wash white shirts all the time. She supported him unquestionably and even forgave him (just!) when he accidentally arranged a gig in the Lake District for someone’s silver wedding party – on the day of his own silver wedding!! They had a very warm and loving relationship, living in ‘perfect harmony’ for 53 years. Jack and Leslie encouraged all the family with their music and Leslie in particular was very proud of them all.
During the sixties and seventies Jack played second box with lots of bands making records and doing broadcasts frequently. At that time Jim Johnstone was broadcasting with an excellent five piece band and Jim asked Jack to play with him on his first six piece broadcast. Shortly after, Jim asked Jack to do a series of country dance recordings with him at the Craighall studio in Edinburgh for Bryce Laing. Jack also recorded with Jimmy Shand Jnr and Bert Shorthouse on the same series.
In 1960, Jack joined the Hamish Menzies band and played with them until 1972. This band consisted of Hamish Menzies on fiddle, Dochie McCallum on Shand Morino, Bert Leishman on drums, Walter Sinton on piano and Robert Anderson on bass. They would travel all over the country in the Bedford van with a dodgy heater playing in Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Crianlarich, Killin, Kilmartin, Lochgilphead and Dalmally as well as many venues on the west coast, in the borders and the north of England. This was one of the best working bands he had been in and Jack really enjoyed playing with these fellows. He reckons that Hamish and Dochie are two of the finest gentlemen in the band business. They had many happy times together and are still very close friends. In 1965, Gus Miller joined the band and did his first broadcast with them. Believe it or not, Jack says that Gus was a very shy and quiet fellow in these days but look at him now!
The band played in the hall at Lochearnhead every Saturday for a number of years and had some great fun there. After closing time in the Lochearnhead Hotel the locals all piled into the hall to dance for about two hours and many stories could be told about that period. There were two worthies, who shall remain nameless, who were always up to mischief and they frequently caused mayhem. On one occasion they decided that another local farmer who was very drunk was badly in need of a haircut. “It’s time to set the heather on fire” was the comment they made as they used a lighter to set fire to his hair. The drunken farmer never even noticed it happening and the smell of burned hair lingered in the hall all night.
On another occasion the two worthies were both fairly fu’ and at the evenings end one of them had difficulty in locating his key into the lock on his van door. Of all people, the local ‘bobby’, who knew him well, assisted him to get the door open and into the driver’s seat and turned a blind eye when he drove off. Then there was the night when the two of them decided to race each other back to Balquhidder, one in the old van and the other on an old motor bike. The challenge was that they mustn’t put on their lights while driving home. Fortunately, they made it home safely. These were the days!
In 1969, the band moved from Lochearnhead village hall to the Trossachs Hotel where they played for dancing every Saturday evening. This was a very popular venue for dancing and people travelled from as far as Glasgow, Stirling and Alloa to join in the fun.
It was in 1972, when Hamish Menzies took over as Postmaster in Callander, that Jack started his own band. The original line-up was Gus Miller, Neil McMillan, Ricci Franci and Graeme Burns plus Elaine Anderson singing. Elaine was later replaced by Jean Thom. Jean and her husband John became close friends with Jack and Leslie and she still sings with Jack every Thursday at a voluntary group in Stirling.
During the late seventies Jack was once again invited to play with Andrew Rankine when he came up to Scotland to do broadcasts for the B.B.C. and Radio Forth on Robin Brock’s programme.
Over the years Jack has played second box for many different artists’ recordings and broadcasts. He continues doing broadcasts to this day. He has played alongside many of the top bands including Bert Shorthouse, Sir Jimmy Shand and Jimmy Shand Jnr., Jim Johnstone, Alex MacArthur, Robin Brock, Iain MacPhail, Sandy Nixon, Neil Barron, Colin Dewar and many others.
Jack has always been keen to see traditional Scottish music survive and be enjoyed by as many people as possible. For many years Jack helped tutor bands of young people in an organisation called ‘The Clachan Ceilidh’. ‘The Ceilidh’ was set up by Matt McCabe in Alloa, Clackmannanshire and it provided an opportunity for youngsters to learn skills in Scottish dance, song, and a variety of musical instruments. The young people could then come together to perform for the public at concerts and ceilidhs.
On occasions the group would go on exchange visits to Germany where they were once involved in a TV broadcast. Jack remembers that at one point he was on stage playing a large Hohner Morino V while Forbes MacFarlane was playing his Hohner Black Dot Double Ray melodeon. The German producers thought it was hilarious to see a tiny man playing a massive accordion and a large man playing a tiny melodeon.
It was through the Clachan Ceilidh that many of today’s musicians did their apprenticeship including Gus Miller, Neil McMillan, Walter Sinton, John Sinton, Marissa Bryce, Robert Ramsay, Graham Miles, Bert Fullerton, Ian Thomson, Gordon Shand and many more. It was during this period that Jack met Graeme Burns who began to play with his band and became his best friend.
Most recently, he was involved with Iain MacPhail in making a CD for Logan MacGregor called ‘Reflecting On Rankine’, an album of Andrew Rankine compositions and sets with Iain MacPhail taking the lead and Grandad on second box. Jack really enjoyed working with Iain and they have become very good friends.
Playing with so many different people means that Jack has managed to travel the length and breadth of Britain reaching north to Wick and south to London and across the seas to France and Monte Carlo. Whoever said that playing the accordion wasn’t glamorous? He has even played for Royalty in Edinburgh, Balmoral and Stirling. The Queen commented to Grandad that she was most concerned that they had to carry so much heavy equipment around with them!
One of the highlights in his career was receiving the Caithness Bowl from the N.A.A.F.C. as one of their Guests of Honour in 2006 at their Annual AGM and Luncheon.
The line up in Grandad’s band has changed over the years as musicians have come and gone. The current band members are Grandad on lead box, Alastair McGirr on keyboard, my dad John Delaney on Bass, Melanie Dutton on drums and myself on fiddle. Alastair started in 1981 and in Jack’s words he “couldn’t have found a better pianist, bandsman and friend”. Alastair’s fine arrangements and superb musicianship have really been the core of the band and this still continues today. In addition, Jackie Raeburn and James Gunn are drafted in when a second box is required. We still play at ceilidhs and Accordion & Fiddle Clubs. For the past ten years the band has played at the Pitlochry Street Party which is held on New Year’s Day. What an experience it is playing in the open air in freezing conditions for two or three thousand very enthusiastic dancers.
My Grandad has enjoyed every minute of his 65 playing years and wouldn’t have changed a minute of it. He still “enjoys the tune and the crack” as much as ever. He says he wouldn’t have been doing guest artiste spots at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs now if it wasn’t for me playing with him in the band – so I’d like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to him. I always enjoy and look forward to being able to play with a full six piece band of experienced musicians and this is something I will never forget.
George Anderson (1936 – 2015)
Memories of ‘Doddie’
by Alistair C. Gray
St Rufus Church in Keith
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The Joy of Sets – James Coutts SDB – Indepndent 3TRCD02
Note Before Time – Alan Crookston Ceilidh Band – GLRCD1501
The Man from Auchtermuchty – Bill Stewart – Independent
RSDCS Book 49 – Jim Lindsay SDB – RSCDS CD080
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
3rd Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan SDB
10th Oct 2015 – Neil MacEachern SDB
17th Oct 2015 – David Kennedy SDB + guest Jenna Reid
24th Oct 2015 – Archive Session
31st Oct 2015 – Burns Brothers Ceilidh Band + (Final) Glenfiddich Fiddle Championships
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 27th Oct 2015 – Nicky McMichan SDB
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms) 14th Oct 2015 – Neil Hardie SDB
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 11th Oct 2015 – Garioch blend
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 4th Oct 2015 – Open Day + Dance to Marian Anderson SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 18th Oct 2015 – Seamus O’Sullivan & Friends
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 26th Oct 2015 – Andy Kain Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 28th Oct 2015 – Luke Brady SDB
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 19th Oct 2015 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) –
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 13th Oct 2015 – Jimmy & Sandy Lindsay
Britannia (Arden House Hotel ) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 8th Oct 2015 – Jack Delaney SDB
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 6th Oct 2015 – Gavin Piper
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 9th Oct 2015 – Dance to Willie McFarlane Band 15th Oct – Susan MacFadyen Trio
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 1st Oct 2015 – Gary Sutherland
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) - 20th Oct 2015 – Alasdair MacLeod Trio
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 7th Oct 2015 – Daniel MacPhee Duo
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 21st Oct 2015 – Kyle Innes SDB
Dunfermline (Civil Service Sports Assoc, Rosyth) – 13th Oct 2015 – Johnny Duncan
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 19th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Callum Cruickshank SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 26th Oct 2015 – David Vernon
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 25th Oct 2015 – Neil MacEachern SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 14th Oct 2015 – Lomond Ceilidh Band
Fort William (Railway Club) - 6th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 1st Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 22nd Oct 2015 – Bryan Gear & Martin Henderson
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 7th Oct 2015 – Gary Donaldson Trio
Gretna (The Gables Hotel) - 4th Oct 2015 – Scott Band Trio
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 18th Oct 2015 – Andrew Gibb SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 19th Oct 2015 – Alasdair MacLeod SDB
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 14th Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 1st Oct 2015 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 6th Oct 2015 – Iain Cathcart Trio
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) – 28th Oct 2015 – Ronnie Easton SDB
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (British Legion) – 14th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown
Lewis & Harris (Sea Angling Club) - 1st Oct 2015 – Robert Nairn Trio
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 20th Oct 2015 – Gordon Brown SDB
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 27th Oct 2015 – Roddy Matthews Trio
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 20th Oct 2015 – Janet Graham SDB
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 7th Oct 2015 – Billy Anderson Trio
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) - 29th Oct 2015 – Jimmy Cassidy
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Buccleugh Bowling Club) 21st Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 26th Oct 2015 – Marian Anderson SDB
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 6th Oct 2015 – David Husband Sound
Northern (Hilton Hotel & Country Club , Templepatrick, N.I.) -
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 1st Oct 2015 – Ian Muir Trio
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 29th Oct 2015 – Billy Anderson & Albany
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Lindsay Weir SDB 31st Oct – After the Festival Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 13th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Maggie Adamson
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 1st Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 6th 13th 20th 27th Oct 2015 – Club nights
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 29th Oct 2015 – Gary Blair
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 8th Oct 2015 – Ronnie Easton SDB
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) - 24th Oct 2015 – Hector McFadyen SDB
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 5th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 1st Oct 2015 – George Rennie Duo
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 15th Oct 2015 – The Occasionals
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 8th Oct 2015 – David Vernon
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Sandy Ross Duo
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Annan
2. Arbroath
3. Blairgowrie
4. Button Key
5. Campsie
6. Crieff
7. Dingwall
8. Forfar
9. Islesteps
10. Lewis & Harris
11. Orkney
12. Peebles
13. Renfrew
14. Turriff
15. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2014
(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. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
9. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Coalburn A&F Club (
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
21. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
22. Ellon A&F Club (
23. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. 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)
30. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
31. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
32. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
36. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
37. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
38. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
39. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
40. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
41 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
42 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
43 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
44 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
45 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
46. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
47. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
48. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
49. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
50. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
51. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
52. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
53. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
54. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
55 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
56 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
57 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
58 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
58 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
60 West Barnes ( - present)
61 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?)
62. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
63. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
64. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
65. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
66. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
67. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
68. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
69. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
70. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
71. Buchan A&F Club
72. Callander A&F Club (
73. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
74. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
75. Club Accord
76. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
77 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
78. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
79. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
80. Cults A & F Club (
81. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
82. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
83. Derwentside A&F Club
84. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
85. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
86. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
87. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
88. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
89. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
90. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
91. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
92. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
93. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
94. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
95. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
96. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
97. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
98. Kintore A&F Club (
99. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
114. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
115. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
116. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
117. Selkirk A&F Club (
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
122 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
123. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
124. Tranent A&F Club
125. Vancouver
126. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
127. Wellbank A&F Club
128. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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B&F Treasurer – Willie Johnstone, Inverurie
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
Where did September go?
Pia Walker
Hjaltibonhoga Represents Shetland at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2015
by Margaret Robertson & Dana Stewart
Whilst still in its infancy, Hjaltibonhoga is very much a happening group. The group was formed in May 2014 to prepare for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattooin august that year. Fiddlers representative of the entire country of Shetland were invited to be part of the group who would bring Shetland fiddling to a yet wider audience. Finally with a group of 97 fiddlers rotating to provide 40 on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle each night Music Director Margaret Robertson took the group to perform the Tattoo show named ‘Our Home, Family and Friends’. The group performed at a number of outreach events during their stay in Edinburgh and firmly believed to have had a unique, once off experience whilst hoping that some day it would be repeated. However, this was not what happened.
In January of this year, Margaret learned from the Brigadier (Retd) H. David Allfrey MBE – Producers and chief Executive – whilst he visited Shetland for the Up Helly Aa celebrations, that the group were again to visit Edinburgh again this year. This unexpected invitation to participate in the phenomenon that is the Tattoo for a second year running was one which the group simply could not refuse.
The theme ‘East meets West’ was one of the most impressive even staged; presenting a fertile fusion of military and cultural talent from all over Europe, America, Asia, Australasia and Canada shared the stage with some of the finest British Armed Forces performers and musicians marking the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Wearing locally designed and produced costumes, Hjaltibonhoga featured 40 players each evening aged from 13 to 60, exemplifying an aural tradition of fiddling, a tradition that has been sustained so successfully across the generations. Margaret composed a set for the group within the parameters of the East meets West theme and the inspiration for her compositions was taken from Shetland geographical locations. The first tune in the set is Hallett’s Mazurka, which is influenced by Scandinavia to our East and written for local fiddler Nigel Hallett whose generous donation to the group enabled us to start fundraising back in 2014. The second tune, Ava’s Adventures is written for Margaret’s grand-daughter and has a lively American feel taking into account our Western influences. The penultimate tune The Cross Jig, written for a dear family friend Joe Cross, takes us back to Scotland with its distinctive Scottish sound and the final tune entitled Ruari Stephen Scott, which is written for Margaret’s grandson, brings us back home to Shetland for a reel medley.
This year Hjaltibonhoga also collaborated with 14 Regimental and Commonwealth bands, comprising of 250 pipers and drummers as well as 67 Highland dancers , the Scots band with their traditional ceilidh sound and two singers at various intervals throughout the show. It’s incredible to think that after 4 live shows, the group will have performed to more than the population of Shetland. By the end of the Tattoo run, the group will have played to almost 250,000 of a live audience and when the BBC coverage is released on the 31st of August, the viewing figures will rise to the region of one billion worldwide! Not bad for an amateur group from a small county rich in a tradition and heritage of fiddle music which needs to be preserved and nurtured at all costs.
Hjaltibonhoga in their second season now find themselves as part of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s core programme which they are absolutely delighted about. Bryden Priest from Unst and a new member of the group, taking part for the first time says, “I had no idea what to expect before I stepped out onto the Castle Esplanade for the first show but it was absolutely amazing. I’m so lucky to have had an opportunity to be part of this.”
As a player returning for the second time Kerry Russell had this to say: “I didn’t think that we’d have the chance to do this again and I certainly didn’t think last year’s show could be topped, but this year has proved otherwise. The highlight for me is performing James Scott Skinner’s Hector the Hero alongside such talented musicians – it’s such an amazing musical experience on every level.”
As hjaltibonhoga’s story unfolds, the near future holds many exciting upcoming events for the group. They are hosting the Melbourne Scottish Fiddlers in September, they plan to record an EP and support local events all in preparation for their biggest opportunity to date. At the invitation of the R.E.M.T., 20 of the group will travel to Australia and New Zealand in February 2016 to take part in the Tattoo Tour of the Antipodes.
Forth Bridges Accordion Band
by Alan Potters
The Forth Bridges Accordion Band was founded by local Primary School teacher Mr Alan Potters in July 2008. The aim of the band is to provide………………………
Squeezing into the Spotlight
by Ron Netsky (Internet)
The musician put his accordion………
The Jack Delaney Story
by Heather Delaney
I’m Heather Delaney and I play fiddle in my Grandad’s band. Ever since his presentation in 2006 the N.A.A.F.C. Committee has been asking us to write down some of his musical memoirs for the “Box and Fiddle” magazine, so here goes.
John (Jack to everyone) Gordon Delaney was born on 19th February 1935, in Inverkeithing … and we haven’t had any peace since (based on information from my Gran and all the family!).
Jack was fifteen when he first picked up an accordion and started having a tune with pal Allen Barnett while on his dinner break at Jack’s family business, a plant nursery. Not having a music teacher or able to read the dots the lads ‘lugged’ tunes from records and the radio (he calls it ‘the wireless’ but I’m sure it’s the same thing!) It was while practising in one of the glasshouses that they were overheard by the conductor of the Alva Youth Club Choir who invited them to play during breaks in the choir’s annual concert.
The duo became regular guests with the choir and this helped them to build up confidence to later set up ‘The Rowan Band’ with Bert O’Donnell (fiddle), Andrew Grant (drums) and Jimmy Scott (piano). The Rowan Band played together for three years and became well known locally. Unfortunately they had to part company as some of the members went to do their National Service.
It was while he was in Leeds with the Royal Army Pay Corps that Jack was invited to play for the Leeds Scottish Country Dance Club’s monthly dance. Having no experience of Scottish Country Dancing and little knowledge of the skills required, Jack had to embark on a steep learning curve to find original tunes and learn the discipline of counting bars etc. He managed to enlist the help of some of his fellow National Servicemen to play with him, namely Arthur McKinney on drums, Alastair Reid on piano and Dave McGirr on double bass. They played together for almost two years and even travelled to Burnley on occasions to play at the country dance club there.
In June 1955, when he was twenty Jack finished his National Service and was back in Alloa. It was at this time that a friend, Andrew Rankine, asked him if he would like to join his band. This was a great opportunity as Andrew was a really good, swingy player. Although playing melody alongside him was a daunting task, this experience had a huge influence on Jack and provided the basis of Jack’s swingy and driving style. As part of Rankine’s band, Jack was reunited with Jimmy Scott and introduced to Bob Christie (fiddle), Stan Saunders (bass) and Andy Hamilton (drums). It was with these men that Jack enjoyed his Scottish Dance Band apprenticeship and in the September of that year performed his first live broadcast.
For the first year or so Jack played joint melody with Andrew, which was the accepted style used by all the bands at that time. Then in 1956 Andrew heard Bobby MacLeod’s band playing on a recording of the Bluebell Polka with the second box player playing rhythmic chords. Jack thinks this would have been Hugh Malarky, and Andrew was very impressed with the effect this had. Bobby was a hero to both Andrew and Jack and they were inspired by this new sound and technique and immediately started experimenting and developing the idea. Shortly after, they decided to do a full broadcast using the second box playing chords all the way through and this is what was to become his style of playing ‘Second Box’ as we know it today. The day after that broadcast, Angus Fitchet phoned Andrew to say he loved the idea and thought they should continue to do it this way as it was very effective, producing a different sound and drive to the band and this was the way Jack was to continue to play whenever he was asked to play second box. This was one of the most influential periods in his musical career which led to him becoming much sought after in this role with many bands.
Jack had some very memorable moments with Andrew’s band, many of which he wouldn’t want me to disclose! However, Jack remembers that on the way to Edinburgh to audition and play in his first broadcast, Andrew realised that he had actually forgotten to put his accordion in the car so they had to make a mad dash back to Menstrie to pick it up. They did manage to make it on time and Jack was accepted as the new second box player in the band.
In addition he recalls being at an outside broadcast in Langholm with the band when Andrew counted the band in for the first set only to discover that he had forgotten to undo the straps on his box and couldn’t play a thing. The band managed to carry on without him almost doubled up with laughter.
The band was very busy in those years. They travelled all over the country often playing in the north of Scotland on the Friday night and down south in the Borders on the Saturday. They regularly toured the West Coast of Scotland playing gigs in Skye, Kyle of Lochalsh, Beauly, Inverness, Aultbea and many more stops in between. It was a butcher called Willie McLean who first invited them to play in Aultbea at the famous village hall. Jack said there used to be a grand piano in the Aultbea village hall which was amazing because good pianos were always hard to find. What was even more amazing was that Willie often had a bottle of whisky hidden under the lid - just for emergencies!
Gigs like these ones would often start at midnight and carry on until 5 in the morning when the band would get a couple of hours sleep then load up and drive back down the road for a broadcast usually followed by a gig that evening. It was after one such dance in Strathpeffer that the band was heading home when the dynamo on their Vauxhall Velox packed in. They made it to Kingussie with no lights and spent a sleepless few hours in the station waiting room where they had been installed by a kindly Stationmaster. Jack recalls Bobby Christie always had trouble sleeping and so he had wandered off for a walk only to return to tell the rest of them to get a move on – the Co-op Bakery was open! So there they were all dolled up in their dinner suits sitting in the back of the bake house eating pies and drinking tea at a big floury table at 6 in the morning. When they emerged into the street their black suits had turned grey with all the flour floating about. As well as pies, their steady diet of fish suppers on these tours doesn’t seem to have done Jack (80) any harm. Jack did also mention the incredible spreads put on by the generous people who organised many of the dances, a tradition which he’s delighted to say continues at many of the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs which he attends regularly to this day.
There used to be a certain friendly rivalry between bands back then. Jack recalls a night when Bobby MacLeod, Ian Powrie and Andrew’s band were all staying in an Inverness Hotel but playing at different venues. Powrie’s band had to leave for their gig first so, seeing an unmissable opportunity for mischief, the Rankine band turned their rooms upside down and hid some of the Powrie band’s belongings in the gutters of the hotel’s roof. All was quiet for a while after this and they thought all had been forgiven until they met the Powrie band on the streets of Edinburgh one day. They did have a good laugh about the Inverness Hotel incident together and again thought they were got away with it until they returned to their Volkswagen to find the spark plugs had been nicked!
Bands could also get on pretty well too if the occasion called for it. For instance, the Rankine band was booked to play at Friockheim in Angus one evening. They duly turned up (probably a wee bit late as was usual with Andrew) and found that the Lindsay Ross Band was already set up and playing. There had been a mix up with the bookings and the man in charge was very apologetic. Seeing this and not wanting them to have travelled so far for nothing, he and Lindsay invited them to join them on stage, resulting in 3 box players, 2 fiddlers, 2 bass players, 2 drummers and 1 piano player all crammed in and belting it out together…now there is value for money!
Jack initially spent five years with the Andrew Rankine Band, broadcasting with them regularly and enduring Andrew’s Rankine’s awful time keeping, terrifying driving and sometimes intimidating personality. He developed a great friendship with him and they always enjoyed making good music together.
It was during 1959 that Jack met my Gran Leslie and they were married in September 1960. She was the perfect wife putting up with him being away so much and having to wash white shirts all the time. She supported him unquestionably and even forgave him (just!) when he accidentally arranged a gig in the Lake District for someone’s silver wedding party – on the day of his own silver wedding!! They had a very warm and loving relationship, living in ‘perfect harmony’ for 53 years. Jack and Leslie encouraged all the family with their music and Leslie in particular was very proud of them all.
During the sixties and seventies Jack played second box with lots of bands making records and doing broadcasts frequently. At that time Jim Johnstone was broadcasting with an excellent five piece band and Jim asked Jack to play with him on his first six piece broadcast. Shortly after, Jim asked Jack to do a series of country dance recordings with him at the Craighall studio in Edinburgh for Bryce Laing. Jack also recorded with Jimmy Shand Jnr and Bert Shorthouse on the same series.
In 1960, Jack joined the Hamish Menzies band and played with them until 1972. This band consisted of Hamish Menzies on fiddle, Dochie McCallum on Shand Morino, Bert Leishman on drums, Walter Sinton on piano and Robert Anderson on bass. They would travel all over the country in the Bedford van with a dodgy heater playing in Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Crianlarich, Killin, Kilmartin, Lochgilphead and Dalmally as well as many venues on the west coast, in the borders and the north of England. This was one of the best working bands he had been in and Jack really enjoyed playing with these fellows. He reckons that Hamish and Dochie are two of the finest gentlemen in the band business. They had many happy times together and are still very close friends. In 1965, Gus Miller joined the band and did his first broadcast with them. Believe it or not, Jack says that Gus was a very shy and quiet fellow in these days but look at him now!
The band played in the hall at Lochearnhead every Saturday for a number of years and had some great fun there. After closing time in the Lochearnhead Hotel the locals all piled into the hall to dance for about two hours and many stories could be told about that period. There were two worthies, who shall remain nameless, who were always up to mischief and they frequently caused mayhem. On one occasion they decided that another local farmer who was very drunk was badly in need of a haircut. “It’s time to set the heather on fire” was the comment they made as they used a lighter to set fire to his hair. The drunken farmer never even noticed it happening and the smell of burned hair lingered in the hall all night.
On another occasion the two worthies were both fairly fu’ and at the evenings end one of them had difficulty in locating his key into the lock on his van door. Of all people, the local ‘bobby’, who knew him well, assisted him to get the door open and into the driver’s seat and turned a blind eye when he drove off. Then there was the night when the two of them decided to race each other back to Balquhidder, one in the old van and the other on an old motor bike. The challenge was that they mustn’t put on their lights while driving home. Fortunately, they made it home safely. These were the days!
In 1969, the band moved from Lochearnhead village hall to the Trossachs Hotel where they played for dancing every Saturday evening. This was a very popular venue for dancing and people travelled from as far as Glasgow, Stirling and Alloa to join in the fun.
It was in 1972, when Hamish Menzies took over as Postmaster in Callander, that Jack started his own band. The original line-up was Gus Miller, Neil McMillan, Ricci Franci and Graeme Burns plus Elaine Anderson singing. Elaine was later replaced by Jean Thom. Jean and her husband John became close friends with Jack and Leslie and she still sings with Jack every Thursday at a voluntary group in Stirling.
During the late seventies Jack was once again invited to play with Andrew Rankine when he came up to Scotland to do broadcasts for the B.B.C. and Radio Forth on Robin Brock’s programme.
Over the years Jack has played second box for many different artists’ recordings and broadcasts. He continues doing broadcasts to this day. He has played alongside many of the top bands including Bert Shorthouse, Sir Jimmy Shand and Jimmy Shand Jnr., Jim Johnstone, Alex MacArthur, Robin Brock, Iain MacPhail, Sandy Nixon, Neil Barron, Colin Dewar and many others.
Jack has always been keen to see traditional Scottish music survive and be enjoyed by as many people as possible. For many years Jack helped tutor bands of young people in an organisation called ‘The Clachan Ceilidh’. ‘The Ceilidh’ was set up by Matt McCabe in Alloa, Clackmannanshire and it provided an opportunity for youngsters to learn skills in Scottish dance, song, and a variety of musical instruments. The young people could then come together to perform for the public at concerts and ceilidhs.
On occasions the group would go on exchange visits to Germany where they were once involved in a TV broadcast. Jack remembers that at one point he was on stage playing a large Hohner Morino V while Forbes MacFarlane was playing his Hohner Black Dot Double Ray melodeon. The German producers thought it was hilarious to see a tiny man playing a massive accordion and a large man playing a tiny melodeon.
It was through the Clachan Ceilidh that many of today’s musicians did their apprenticeship including Gus Miller, Neil McMillan, Walter Sinton, John Sinton, Marissa Bryce, Robert Ramsay, Graham Miles, Bert Fullerton, Ian Thomson, Gordon Shand and many more. It was during this period that Jack met Graeme Burns who began to play with his band and became his best friend.
Most recently, he was involved with Iain MacPhail in making a CD for Logan MacGregor called ‘Reflecting On Rankine’, an album of Andrew Rankine compositions and sets with Iain MacPhail taking the lead and Grandad on second box. Jack really enjoyed working with Iain and they have become very good friends.
Playing with so many different people means that Jack has managed to travel the length and breadth of Britain reaching north to Wick and south to London and across the seas to France and Monte Carlo. Whoever said that playing the accordion wasn’t glamorous? He has even played for Royalty in Edinburgh, Balmoral and Stirling. The Queen commented to Grandad that she was most concerned that they had to carry so much heavy equipment around with them!
One of the highlights in his career was receiving the Caithness Bowl from the N.A.A.F.C. as one of their Guests of Honour in 2006 at their Annual AGM and Luncheon.
The line up in Grandad’s band has changed over the years as musicians have come and gone. The current band members are Grandad on lead box, Alastair McGirr on keyboard, my dad John Delaney on Bass, Melanie Dutton on drums and myself on fiddle. Alastair started in 1981 and in Jack’s words he “couldn’t have found a better pianist, bandsman and friend”. Alastair’s fine arrangements and superb musicianship have really been the core of the band and this still continues today. In addition, Jackie Raeburn and James Gunn are drafted in when a second box is required. We still play at ceilidhs and Accordion & Fiddle Clubs. For the past ten years the band has played at the Pitlochry Street Party which is held on New Year’s Day. What an experience it is playing in the open air in freezing conditions for two or three thousand very enthusiastic dancers.
My Grandad has enjoyed every minute of his 65 playing years and wouldn’t have changed a minute of it. He still “enjoys the tune and the crack” as much as ever. He says he wouldn’t have been doing guest artiste spots at Accordion and Fiddle Clubs now if it wasn’t for me playing with him in the band – so I’d like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to him. I always enjoy and look forward to being able to play with a full six piece band of experienced musicians and this is something I will never forget.
George Anderson (1936 – 2015)
Memories of ‘Doddie’
by Alistair C. Gray
St Rufus Church in Keith
See Hear! with Bill Brown
CD Reviews
The Joy of Sets – James Coutts SDB – Indepndent 3TRCD02
Note Before Time – Alan Crookston Ceilidh Band – GLRCD1501
The Man from Auchtermuchty – Bill Stewart – Independent
RSDCS Book 49 – Jim Lindsay SDB – RSCDS CD080
Take the Floor – Saturday Evenings 19.05 – 21.00 with Robbie Shepherd (repeated on Sunday’s 13.05 – 15.00)
3rd Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan SDB
10th Oct 2015 – Neil MacEachern SDB
17th Oct 2015 – David Kennedy SDB + guest Jenna Reid
24th Oct 2015 – Archive Session
31st Oct 2015 – Burns Brothers Ceilidh Band + (Final) Glenfiddich Fiddle Championships
CLUB DIARY
Aberdeen (Old Machar RBL) – 27th Oct 2015 – Nicky McMichan SDB
Alnwick (The Farrier’s Arms) 14th Oct 2015 – Neil Hardie SDB
Annan (St Andrew’s Social Club) - 11th Oct 2015 – Garioch blend
Arbroath (Artisan Golf Club) - 4th Oct 2015 – Open Day + Dance to Marian Anderson SDB
Balloch (St. Kessog’s Church Hall) – 18th Oct 2015 – Seamus O’Sullivan & Friends
Banchory (Burnett Arms Hotel) – 26th Oct 2015 – Andy Kain Trio
Banff & District (Banff Springs Hotel) – 28th Oct 2015 – Luke Brady SDB
Beith & District (Beith Bowling Club) – 19th Oct 2015 – Ewan Galloway Trio
Biggar (Biggar Bowling Club) –
Blairgowrie (Red House Hotel) - 13th Oct 2015 – Jimmy & Sandy Lindsay
Britannia (Arden House Hotel ) -
Button Key (Windygates Institute) – 8th Oct 2015 – Jack Delaney SDB
Campsie (Glazert Country House Hotel) - 6th Oct 2015 – Gavin Piper
Carlisle (St Margaret Mary Social Club) -
Castle Douglas (Urr Valley Country House Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Coalburn (Miners’ Welfare) - 9th Oct 2015 – Dance to Willie McFarlane Band 15th Oct – Susan MacFadyen Trio
Crieff & District (Crieff Hotel) 1st Oct 2015 – Gary Sutherland
Dalriada (Argyll Inn, Lochgilphead) - 20th Oct 2015 – Alasdair MacLeod Trio
Dingwall (National Hotel) – 7th Oct 2015 – Daniel MacPhee Duo
Dunblane (Victoria Hall) – 21st Oct 2015 – Kyle Innes SDB
Dunfermline (Civil Service Sports Assoc, Rosyth) – 13th Oct 2015 – Johnny Duncan
Duns (Masonic Lodge) 19th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Ellon (Station Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Callum Cruickshank SDB
Fintry (Fintry Sports Centre) – 26th Oct 2015 – David Vernon
Forfar (Plough Inn) - 25th Oct 2015 – Neil MacEachern SDB
Forres (Victoria Hotel) – 14th Oct 2015 – Lomond Ceilidh Band
Fort William (Railway Club) - 6th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown
Galashiels (Clovenfords Hotel) – 1st Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Glendale (The Glendale Hall) - 22nd Oct 2015 – Bryan Gear & Martin Henderson
Glenfarg (Glenfarg Village Hall) - 7th Oct 2015 – Gary Donaldson Trio
Gretna (The Gables Hotel) - 4th Oct 2015 – Scott Band Trio
Haddington (Railway Inn) - 18th Oct 2015 – Andrew Gibb SDB
Highland (Waterside Hotel) – 19th Oct 2015 – Alasdair MacLeod SDB
Inveraray (Argyll Hotel) - 14th Oct 2015 – Matthew MacLennan Trio
Isle of Skye – (The Royal Hotel, Portree) - 1st Oct 2015 – Charlie Kirkpatrick Trio
Islesteps (Locharbriggs Social Club) – 6th Oct 2015 – Iain Cathcart Trio
Kelso (Cross Rugby Club) – 28th Oct 2015 – Ronnie Easton SDB
Ladybank (Ladybank Tavern) -
Lanark (Ravenstruther Hall) -
Langholm (British Legion) – 14th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown
Lewis & Harris (Sea Angling Club) - 1st Oct 2015 – Robert Nairn Trio
Livingston (Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn) 20th Oct 2015 – Gordon Brown SDB
Lockerbie (Queen’s Hotel) - 27th Oct 2015 – Roddy Matthews Trio
Mauchline (Harry Lyle Suite) - 20th Oct 2015 – Janet Graham SDB
Montrose (Park Hotel) – 7th Oct 2015 – Billy Anderson Trio
Newburgh (Adbie Hall) - 29th Oct 2015 – Jimmy Cassidy
Newmill-on-Teviot / Teviotdale (Buccleugh Bowling Club) 21st Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Newtongrange (Dean Tavern) – 26th Oct 2015 – Marian Anderson SDB
North East (Royal British Legion, Keith) – 6th Oct 2015 – David Husband Sound
Northern (Hilton Hotel & Country Club , Templepatrick, N.I.) -
Oban (The Royal Hotel) – 1st Oct 2015 – Ian Muir Trio
Orkney (The Reel, Kirkwall) –
Peebles (Rugby Social Club) – 29th Oct 2015 – Billy Anderson & Albany
Perth (Salutation Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Lindsay Weir SDB 31st Oct – After the Festival Dance to Graeme Mitchell SDB
Renfrew (Masonic Hall, Broadloan) – 13th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Maggie Adamson
Rothbury (Queen’s Head Hotel) - 1st Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Seghill (Old Comrades Club) - 6th 13th 20th 27th Oct 2015 – Club nights
Shetland (Shetland Hotel, Lerwick) - 29th Oct 2015 – Gary Blair
Stonehouse (Stonehouse Violet Football Social Club) - 8th Oct 2015 – Ronnie Easton SDB
Sutherland (Rogart Village Hall) - 24th Oct 2015 – Hector McFadyen SDB
Thurso (Pentland Hotel) – 5th Oct 2015 – Leonard Brown & Malcolm Ross
Turriff (Commercial Hotel, Cuminestown) – 1st Oct 2015 – George Rennie Duo
Tynedale (Hexham Ex Service Club) – 15th Oct 2015 – The Occasionals
Uist & Benbecula (C of S Hall, Griminish) -
West Barnes (West Barnes Inn) 8th Oct 2015 – David Vernon
Wick (MacKay’s Hotel) – 20th Oct 2015 – Sandy Ross Duo
THERE WERE CLUB REPORTS FROM :-
1. Annan
2. Arbroath
3. Blairgowrie
4. Button Key
5. Campsie
6. Crieff
7. Dingwall
8. Forfar
9. Islesteps
10. Lewis & Harris
11. Orkney
12. Peebles
13. Renfrew
14. Turriff
15. Tynedale
CLUB DIRECTORY AS AT OCT 2014
(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. Balloch A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per January 1978 issue – present)
6. Banchory A&F Club (1978 – present)
7. Banff & District A&F Club (Oct 1973 – present)
8. Beith & District A&F Club (Sept 1972 – per first edition – present)
9. Biggar A&F Club (Oct 1974 – present)
10. Blairgowrie A&F Club (
11. Button Key A&F Club (
12. Campsie A&F Club (Nov 95 – present)
13. Carlisle A&F Club (joined Sept 1993 -
14. Castle Douglas A&F Club (c Sept 1980 – present)
15. Coalburn A&F Club (
16. Crieff A&F Club (cSept 1981)
17. Dalriada A&F Club (Feb 1981)
18. Dingwall & District A&F Club (May 1979 – per first report)
19. Dunblane & District A&F Club (1971 – present)
20. Dunfermline & District A&F Club (1974 – per first edition)
21. Duns A&F Club (formed 20th Sept 04 – present)
22. Ellon A&F Club (
23. Fintry A&F Club (Dec 1972 – reformed Jan 1980 – present)
24. Forfar A&F Club (
25. Forres A&F Club (Jan 1978)
26. Galashiels A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
27. Glendale A&F Club (Jan 1973 – present)
28. Glenfarg A&F Club (formed 1988 joined Assoc Mar 95 -
29. 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)
30. Haddington A&F Club (formed Feb 2005 - )
31. Highland A&F Club (Inverness) (Nov 1973 – present)
32. Inveraray A&F Club (Feb 1991 - present)
33. Islesteps A&F Club (Jan 1981 – present – n.b. evolved from the original Dumfries Club)
34. Isle of Skye A&F Club (June 1983 – present)
35. Kelso A&F Club (May 1976 – present)
36. Ladybank A&F Club (joined Apr 98 but formed earlier
37. Lanark A&F Club (joined Sept 96 – closed March 2015)
38. Langholm A&F Club (Oct 1967 - present)
39. Lewis & Harris A&F Club (Aug 1994 – present)
40. Livingston A&F Club (Sept 1973 – present)
41 Lockerbie A&F Club (Nov 1973 - present)
42 Mauchline A&F Club (Sept 1983 - present)
43 Montrose A&F Club (joined Sept 1982 - present)
44 Newmill-on-Teviot (Hawick) (Formed late 1988 joined Assoc 1999 - closed March 2016)
45 Newtongrange A&F Club (joined Sept 1977 - present)
46. North East A&F Club aka Keith A&FC (Sept 1971 - present)
47. Northern A&F Club (Sept 2011 -
48. Oban A&F Club (Nov 1975 - present)
49. Orkney A&F Club (Mar 1978 - present)
50. Peebles A&F Club (26 Nov 1981 - present)
51. Perth & District A&F Club (Aug 1970 - present)
52. Renfrew A&F Club (1984 -
53. Rothbury Accordion Club (7th Feb 1974) orig called Coquetdale
54. Shetland A&F Club (Sept 1978 - present)
55 Stonehouse A&F Club (first report June 05 -
56 Thurso A&F Club (Oct 1981 - present)
57 Turriff A&F Club (1st April 1982 - present)
58 Tynedale A&F Club (Nov 1980 - present)
58 Uist & Benbecula A&F Club (Dec 2007 but formed 1994 -
60 West Barnes ( - present)
61 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?)
62. Araharacle & District A&F Club (cMay 1988)
63. Armadale A&F Club (Oct 1978? or 80) originally called Bathgate Club (for 2 months) Last meeting May 2010
64. Ayr A&F Club (Nov 1983 – per Nov 83 edition) Closed
65. Belford A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
66. Bonchester Accordion Club (Closed?)
67. Bridge of Allan (Walmer) A&F Club (Walmer Hotel, Bridge of Allan) (c March 1982)
68. Brigmill A&F Club (Oct 1990) Closed
69. Britannia B&F Club ( joined 07-08 but much older
70. Bromley A&F Club (joined 95-96 – closed early 08-09)
71. Buchan A&F Club
72. Callander A&F Club (
73. Campbeltown & District A&F Club (c Dec 1980)
74. Cleland (cNov 1981 – March 1985) originally called Drumpellier A&F Club (for 2 months)
75. Club Accord
76. Coldingham A&F Club (Nov 2008 – cFeb 2014)
77 Coquetdale A&F Club (Feb 1974 or c1976/77 – 1981/2? – became Rothbury?)
78. Coupar Angus A&F Club (cSept 1978 - ?)
79. Crathes (aka Scottish Accordion Music – Crathes) (Nov 1997 -
80. Cults A & F Club (
81. Cumnock A&F Club (October 1976 - forced to close cDec 1982 - see Jan 83 Editorial)
82. Denny & Dunipace A&F Club (Feb 1981)
83. Derwentside A&F Club
84. Dornoch A&F Club (first mention in directory 1986)
85. Dumfries Accordion Club (Oughtons) (April 1965 at the Hole in the Wa’)
86. Dunbar Cement Works A&F Club (Closed?)
87. Dundee & District A&F Club (January 1971 – 1995?)
88. Dunoon & Cowal A&F Club (
89. East Kilbride A&F Club (Sept 1980 – Closed 04/05)
90. Edinburgh A&F Club (Apr 1981) prev called Chrissie Leatham A&F Club (Oct 1980)
91. Falkirk A&F Club (Sept 1978 - )
92. Fort William A&F Club (21st Oct 1980 – per Dec 1980 B&F)
93. Galston A&F Club (Oct 1969 – per first edition – closed March 2006)
94. Glenrothes A&F Club (Mar 93? – left the Assoc c2013)
95. Gorebridge (cNov 1981) originally called Arniston A&F Club (for 2 months)
96. Greenhead Accordion Club (on the A69 between Brampton and Haltwistle)
97. Islay A&F Club (23 Apr 93 -
98. Kintore A&F Club (
99. Kirriemuir A&F Club (cSept 1981)
100. Lauder A&F Club (May 2010 -
101. Lesmahagow A&F Club (Nov 1979 – closed May 2005)
102. M.A.F.I.A. (1966 – 1993?)
103. Maine Valley A&F Club (
104. Monklands A&F Club (Nov 1978 – closed cApril 1983)
105. Morecambe A&F Club (joined Sept 1982)
106. Muirhead A&F Club (Dec 1994 -
107. Mull A&F Club
108. Newcastleton Accordion Club
109. Newburgh A&F Club (joined 2002 but founded much earlier – closed April 2011 when venue closed)
110. New Cumnock A&F Club (cMarch 1979)
111. Newton St Boswells Accordion Club (17th Oct 1972 see Apr 1984 obituary for Angus Park)
112. Ormiston Miners’ Welfare Society A&F Club (closed April 1992 – per Sept Editorial)
113. Premier A&F Club NI (April 1980)
114. Phoenix A&F Club, Ardrishaig (Dec 2004 -
115. Reading Scottish Fiddlers (cMarch 1997
116. Renfrew A&F Club (original club 1974/5 lapsed after a few years then again in 1984)
117. Selkirk A&F Club (
118. Stirling A&F Club (Oct 1991 – closed 20000/01?)
119. Straiton Accordion Club (c1968 – closed March 1979)
120. Stranraer & District Accordion Club (1974 – per first edition)
121 Sutherland A&F Club (Nov 1982 -
122 Thornhill A&F Club (joined Oct 1983 – see Nov 83 edition – closed April 2014)
123. Torthorwald A&F Club (near Dumfries)
124. Tranent A&F Club
125. Vancouver
126. Walmer (Bridge of Allan) A&F Club
127. Wellbank A&F Club
128. Yarrow (prev known as Etterick & Yarrow) (Jan 1989 – closed 2001/02)
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