Rab Carruthers (1933 – 1996)
Occasionally the Box and Fiddle inadvertently misses the passing of a notable musician on the Scottish Dance Music scene. Such was the case with the well known bass player Rab Carruthers, ‘Big Rab’ to his many friends, who died on 12th August 1996.
Few readers will be unfamiliar with his name. A quick check through most record collections will almost certainly reveal a smiling Rab standing in the back line of a well known band.
Rab was born and brought up in the small market town of Biggar. Leaving school at 14 he joined the local agricultural engineering firm of Cuthbertsons (Cubbys to the locals) and served his time as a welder.
His musical career began not as a bass player however, but as an accordionist with ‘The Salamanders’ a popular local band who appeared at a variety of local venues over the years 1951 – 62. The band’s line-up was Rab on accordion, Ronnie Aitken on tenor and soprano sax but doubling on accordion for Scottish dances, Jimmy Greenshields from Carstairs on piano and George Shiels from Biggar on drums. George is still going strong on drums with his Cardon Drive neighbour, Calum Wilson.
During those halcyon dancing days the band played to capacity crowds in the Biggar Municipal Hall every Saturday night for five solid years. It was around 1957 that by chance Rab accompanied George on a visit to McCormick’s Music Shop in Glasgow. As George selected a new drum and hi-hat cymbals Rab noticed a string bass standing in the corner and gave it a quick inspection. He’d had a notion for a bass for some time but realistically it seemed impossible if only because he was driving a wee Ford at the time. However, having thought it over, he returned to buy it ‘on terms’ a few days later.
Tuition was obtained in Edinburgh from Frank Ainley, a retired bass player, who had latterly played with the Scottish Variety Orchestra. Indeed Andrew Stoddart recalls that it was beside Frank in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh with the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra that Rab made his public debut on bass. Thereafter it started to make an occasional appearance with The Salamanders who eventually split up when Jimmy Greenshields became a full time music teacher and Rab, a bus driver, working shifts.
Rab still kept his hand in though and in 1964 when Robin Brock left Andrew Stoddart’s Glenesk Band he was asked to join. The line-up of this popular and extremely busy band was Andrew and Willie Stoddart from Penicuik and Dolphinton respectively on accordions, Charlie Anderson from Penicuik on piano, John Arthur from Edinburgh (ex Shetlands) on fiddle and Davie Ewart, again from Penicuik, on drums. The band travelled far and wide in and old 15cwt Ford Thames. I recall seeing their names appearing regularly in Margaret Watson’s visitors book when she organised the dances in Ardrishaig Hall.
Davy Flockhart replaced Charlie Anderson on piano and the band continued as busy as ever. It honestly comes as something of a revelation, bearing in mind the present dat scene, to hear how hectic life could be for these part-time musicians. For 21 nights on the trot the band played at functions in The British Legion Hall in Tranent (these were individual bookings not a block booking) with the odd afternoon wedding thrown in at weekends at other venues – quite a pace to maintain.
Andrew Stoddart recalls “Rab was not only a good bass player but a great personality and one who would never raise his voice to anyone. Never late, always on time, sometime the water and steam gushing from his car radiator. Always there with a quick answer. I remember on one occasion when someone shouted from the dance floor ‘that’s the same set you played the last time you were here’ when Rab’s voice boomed out from the back ‘No it’s not – this time we’re playing in a different key’. That was Rab. What more can I say about him – a great musician but above all a great friend”.
Rab’s time with the Glenesk lasted until he joined Bert Shorthouse but I’ll let Bert’s widow Wilma tell us the story :
“Rab played with Bert and his Glenlomond Band from May 1968 to September 1974. He was a great lad, liked by everyone, a very good band member and musician”.
During that time the band did a great deal of touring, playing in large theatres and small village halls the length and breadth of Scotland, including Shetland and the Western Isles. They were also frequently in England and in Ireland. The band made many LP and single recordings with EMI, RCA and DECCA and appeared regularly on Grampian TV. Rab was on them all and also playing German oompah music at the Bier Kellers.
And Bob Christie, the well known fiddler from Stirling, adds his own recollections from these days :
“I first met Rab when he joined Bert’s band to go on tour with ‘The Bobby Colgan Show’ for 14 weeks in the summer of 1968.
I always found him to be a friendly and amiable lad, and as we had both previously been bus drivers, this gave us something in common and allowed us to swap some of our experiences.
“In later years we toured with many well known artistes, made recordings and television shows e.g. Grampian Ski Night and Thingummyjig on STV. When we were not touring we played at many dances around Scotland and further afield.
“In 1974 Rab moved on, and we occasionally met up when John MacGregor asked me out to deputise for his fiddle player.
“Rab did not suffer fools gladly, as a well known artiste (who shall remain nameless) found to his cost, but in the years that I knew him, I can honestly say I regarded Rab as a good friend and a fine musician”.
From there Rab joined the band of ex Scottish Champion John MacGregor but I’ll let John give us the full story :
“In the 60’s and early 70’s there was one very popular band on the dance band circuit – if not ‘THE’ band of the time. Many of today’s well known musicians got their big chance (as it were) with this band – the one and only Andrew Stoddart and the Glenesk SDB – Davie Ewart (drums), Davy Flockhart (piano), Robin Brock (bass) Willie Stoddart (accordion), the late John Arthur (Jake the Snake – Senior Scottish Fiddle Champion 1970) to name but a few.
“The tremendous reception that this band received in the halls and clubs around the country will always stick in my mind and it was at this time, around 1967, that I had my first sighting of ‘Big Rab’ – standing there ‘like a flower on top of a midden’ – his words not mine!
“What impressed me most about the Glenesk Band was the versatility of every member. In those days, in my opinion (I hope I am correct), SDBs were not too happy if requested to play too many quicksteps, slow foxtrots, modern waltzes or pop – but not Andrew Stoddart. Not only was he happy to play ‘modern’ all night but himself and Big Rab would sing every number into the bargain!
“A few years later……..In October 1971 at the Scottish Championships in Perth I was a bit down having just lost my title. Big Rab came backstage and said he had someone he wanted me to meet – it was Angus Fitchet. He had been one of the adjudicators that day. Angus asked me if I’d like to go to Newcastle for a tune with the band at a Country Dance. This proved to be my first professional job with Rab. The band was made up of former Jimmy Shand members – Jimmy had recently retired but the rest of the band wanted to keep going as they had good work contacts.
“Band members were Angus Fitchet (fiddle), Rob Gordon (lead accordion), Peter Straughan (piano), Ian Wilson (drums), Rab Carruthers (bass) and myself on second accordion.
“Later on when Rob Gordon left I was promoted to lead accordion with Alan Clarke helping out on second. Two years later Angus decided that he had had enough travelling and only wanted to play ‘round the doors’. The band became basically a four piece from then on, unless otherwise requested and we were known as the John MacGregor Band – myself, Rab, Ian and Peter. We were privileged to be augmented from time to time with musicians such as Bob Christie, George Carrick, Jimmy Ritchie, Willie Simpson and Peter Innes – all first class fiddlers.
“I suppose we were really full time musicians although we all had jobs to fall back on. The 70’s and 80’s were busy times for the band – playing from Invergordon in the north to Portsmouth in the south. Our repertoire included Old Tyme, Scottish Country, English Country, Olde Tyme Sequence, Modern Sequence and of course Ballroom (Gay Gordons etc).
“At this time we were also providing the music for a show called ‘This Is Scotland’. We did 14 weeks in Oban’s Dunollie Theatre then went on the road to all the major Concert Halls in Britain.
Big Rab did a comedy spot in this show which went down very well with the homesick Scots. However, he was not at all amused when the Producer dropped his spot from London’s Royal Festival Hall performance – but when asked about this, being Big Rab, he would only say with a grin “they couldn’t afford me!”.
“The band also played for BBC Radio and Radio Forth and were asked to record four LPs – one of them live from the Ayr Gaiety Theatre, a theatre which Rab knew well from his ‘Callum Kennedy’ days.
“When the John MacGregor Band was formed, Big Rab insisted that one of the conditions was that our band had to come first. So although members could take on other work they would have to cancel it if a job came up for our own band. This seemed to work very well as we were always busy anyway. Only once did Big Rab have to read the Riot Act regarding this arrangement.
“Big Rab had many qualities – many of which made life easier for the ‘J.M. Band’. He would never let anyone down and at the same time expected this in return. He was prepared to travel to any part of the country to play – even at short notice. With his long experience as a Scottish musician he was known the length and breadth of the country. At every venue we played there would be someone waiting to see ‘Big Rab’ although I am told this was a disadvantage for him when helping out with other bands as some leaders were not too happy at being upstaged!
“Rab was very popular, in particular, around the Yorkshire area where we played extensively for Olde Tyme dancing. As the dancers comprised mainly of farming folk, Rab was in his element discussing all aspects of farming, especially equipment – he was a mechanic to trade. In fact it was quite common, just before the interval, to see the dancers begin to form a queue, at the side of the stage, so that they could speak to Rab. As a result he often didn’t get a chance to have his tea and buns!”
My thanks to John for that interesting insight into ‘life on the road’. This was the last band that Rab played with full-time. As Rab’s business interests began to increase he took more of a back seat and concentrated on his taxi and bus hire based in Skirling near Biggar. For my own part I recall him periodically dropping in for a tune at Alex MacArthur’s club in the Clydesdale Hotel in Biggar and there’s no doubt about it that nothing enhances the sound of a SDB more than the string bass in the hands of an expert – and Rab was just that.
Rab’s somewhat battered bass fiddle (it traveled many thousands of miles tied to roof-racks in its time) now resides in his old friend, Andrew Stoddart’s, recording studio at Auchincorth Farm near Penicuik, available for anyone to have a tune as I’m sure Rab would have wanted it.
And before I close I would like to express my thanks to all who have contributed to this article – to Maureen Gray, George Shiels, Ronnie Aitken, Andrew and Willie Stoddart, Lindsay and Betty Carruthers, Wilma Shorthouse, Bob Christie and John MacGregor – without their help and assistance this belated tribute to one of the characters of Scottish Dance Music would not have been possible.
Box and Fiddle
February 1999
22nd Year No 5
Few readers will be unfamiliar with his name. A quick check through most record collections will almost certainly reveal a smiling Rab standing in the back line of a well known band.
Rab was born and brought up in the small market town of Biggar. Leaving school at 14 he joined the local agricultural engineering firm of Cuthbertsons (Cubbys to the locals) and served his time as a welder.
His musical career began not as a bass player however, but as an accordionist with ‘The Salamanders’ a popular local band who appeared at a variety of local venues over the years 1951 – 62. The band’s line-up was Rab on accordion, Ronnie Aitken on tenor and soprano sax but doubling on accordion for Scottish dances, Jimmy Greenshields from Carstairs on piano and George Shiels from Biggar on drums. George is still going strong on drums with his Cardon Drive neighbour, Calum Wilson.
During those halcyon dancing days the band played to capacity crowds in the Biggar Municipal Hall every Saturday night for five solid years. It was around 1957 that by chance Rab accompanied George on a visit to McCormick’s Music Shop in Glasgow. As George selected a new drum and hi-hat cymbals Rab noticed a string bass standing in the corner and gave it a quick inspection. He’d had a notion for a bass for some time but realistically it seemed impossible if only because he was driving a wee Ford at the time. However, having thought it over, he returned to buy it ‘on terms’ a few days later.
Tuition was obtained in Edinburgh from Frank Ainley, a retired bass player, who had latterly played with the Scottish Variety Orchestra. Indeed Andrew Stoddart recalls that it was beside Frank in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh with the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra that Rab made his public debut on bass. Thereafter it started to make an occasional appearance with The Salamanders who eventually split up when Jimmy Greenshields became a full time music teacher and Rab, a bus driver, working shifts.
Rab still kept his hand in though and in 1964 when Robin Brock left Andrew Stoddart’s Glenesk Band he was asked to join. The line-up of this popular and extremely busy band was Andrew and Willie Stoddart from Penicuik and Dolphinton respectively on accordions, Charlie Anderson from Penicuik on piano, John Arthur from Edinburgh (ex Shetlands) on fiddle and Davie Ewart, again from Penicuik, on drums. The band travelled far and wide in and old 15cwt Ford Thames. I recall seeing their names appearing regularly in Margaret Watson’s visitors book when she organised the dances in Ardrishaig Hall.
Davy Flockhart replaced Charlie Anderson on piano and the band continued as busy as ever. It honestly comes as something of a revelation, bearing in mind the present dat scene, to hear how hectic life could be for these part-time musicians. For 21 nights on the trot the band played at functions in The British Legion Hall in Tranent (these were individual bookings not a block booking) with the odd afternoon wedding thrown in at weekends at other venues – quite a pace to maintain.
Andrew Stoddart recalls “Rab was not only a good bass player but a great personality and one who would never raise his voice to anyone. Never late, always on time, sometime the water and steam gushing from his car radiator. Always there with a quick answer. I remember on one occasion when someone shouted from the dance floor ‘that’s the same set you played the last time you were here’ when Rab’s voice boomed out from the back ‘No it’s not – this time we’re playing in a different key’. That was Rab. What more can I say about him – a great musician but above all a great friend”.
Rab’s time with the Glenesk lasted until he joined Bert Shorthouse but I’ll let Bert’s widow Wilma tell us the story :
“Rab played with Bert and his Glenlomond Band from May 1968 to September 1974. He was a great lad, liked by everyone, a very good band member and musician”.
During that time the band did a great deal of touring, playing in large theatres and small village halls the length and breadth of Scotland, including Shetland and the Western Isles. They were also frequently in England and in Ireland. The band made many LP and single recordings with EMI, RCA and DECCA and appeared regularly on Grampian TV. Rab was on them all and also playing German oompah music at the Bier Kellers.
And Bob Christie, the well known fiddler from Stirling, adds his own recollections from these days :
“I first met Rab when he joined Bert’s band to go on tour with ‘The Bobby Colgan Show’ for 14 weeks in the summer of 1968.
I always found him to be a friendly and amiable lad, and as we had both previously been bus drivers, this gave us something in common and allowed us to swap some of our experiences.
“In later years we toured with many well known artistes, made recordings and television shows e.g. Grampian Ski Night and Thingummyjig on STV. When we were not touring we played at many dances around Scotland and further afield.
“In 1974 Rab moved on, and we occasionally met up when John MacGregor asked me out to deputise for his fiddle player.
“Rab did not suffer fools gladly, as a well known artiste (who shall remain nameless) found to his cost, but in the years that I knew him, I can honestly say I regarded Rab as a good friend and a fine musician”.
From there Rab joined the band of ex Scottish Champion John MacGregor but I’ll let John give us the full story :
“In the 60’s and early 70’s there was one very popular band on the dance band circuit – if not ‘THE’ band of the time. Many of today’s well known musicians got their big chance (as it were) with this band – the one and only Andrew Stoddart and the Glenesk SDB – Davie Ewart (drums), Davy Flockhart (piano), Robin Brock (bass) Willie Stoddart (accordion), the late John Arthur (Jake the Snake – Senior Scottish Fiddle Champion 1970) to name but a few.
“The tremendous reception that this band received in the halls and clubs around the country will always stick in my mind and it was at this time, around 1967, that I had my first sighting of ‘Big Rab’ – standing there ‘like a flower on top of a midden’ – his words not mine!
“What impressed me most about the Glenesk Band was the versatility of every member. In those days, in my opinion (I hope I am correct), SDBs were not too happy if requested to play too many quicksteps, slow foxtrots, modern waltzes or pop – but not Andrew Stoddart. Not only was he happy to play ‘modern’ all night but himself and Big Rab would sing every number into the bargain!
“A few years later……..In October 1971 at the Scottish Championships in Perth I was a bit down having just lost my title. Big Rab came backstage and said he had someone he wanted me to meet – it was Angus Fitchet. He had been one of the adjudicators that day. Angus asked me if I’d like to go to Newcastle for a tune with the band at a Country Dance. This proved to be my first professional job with Rab. The band was made up of former Jimmy Shand members – Jimmy had recently retired but the rest of the band wanted to keep going as they had good work contacts.
“Band members were Angus Fitchet (fiddle), Rob Gordon (lead accordion), Peter Straughan (piano), Ian Wilson (drums), Rab Carruthers (bass) and myself on second accordion.
“Later on when Rob Gordon left I was promoted to lead accordion with Alan Clarke helping out on second. Two years later Angus decided that he had had enough travelling and only wanted to play ‘round the doors’. The band became basically a four piece from then on, unless otherwise requested and we were known as the John MacGregor Band – myself, Rab, Ian and Peter. We were privileged to be augmented from time to time with musicians such as Bob Christie, George Carrick, Jimmy Ritchie, Willie Simpson and Peter Innes – all first class fiddlers.
“I suppose we were really full time musicians although we all had jobs to fall back on. The 70’s and 80’s were busy times for the band – playing from Invergordon in the north to Portsmouth in the south. Our repertoire included Old Tyme, Scottish Country, English Country, Olde Tyme Sequence, Modern Sequence and of course Ballroom (Gay Gordons etc).
“At this time we were also providing the music for a show called ‘This Is Scotland’. We did 14 weeks in Oban’s Dunollie Theatre then went on the road to all the major Concert Halls in Britain.
Big Rab did a comedy spot in this show which went down very well with the homesick Scots. However, he was not at all amused when the Producer dropped his spot from London’s Royal Festival Hall performance – but when asked about this, being Big Rab, he would only say with a grin “they couldn’t afford me!”.
“The band also played for BBC Radio and Radio Forth and were asked to record four LPs – one of them live from the Ayr Gaiety Theatre, a theatre which Rab knew well from his ‘Callum Kennedy’ days.
“When the John MacGregor Band was formed, Big Rab insisted that one of the conditions was that our band had to come first. So although members could take on other work they would have to cancel it if a job came up for our own band. This seemed to work very well as we were always busy anyway. Only once did Big Rab have to read the Riot Act regarding this arrangement.
“Big Rab had many qualities – many of which made life easier for the ‘J.M. Band’. He would never let anyone down and at the same time expected this in return. He was prepared to travel to any part of the country to play – even at short notice. With his long experience as a Scottish musician he was known the length and breadth of the country. At every venue we played there would be someone waiting to see ‘Big Rab’ although I am told this was a disadvantage for him when helping out with other bands as some leaders were not too happy at being upstaged!
“Rab was very popular, in particular, around the Yorkshire area where we played extensively for Olde Tyme dancing. As the dancers comprised mainly of farming folk, Rab was in his element discussing all aspects of farming, especially equipment – he was a mechanic to trade. In fact it was quite common, just before the interval, to see the dancers begin to form a queue, at the side of the stage, so that they could speak to Rab. As a result he often didn’t get a chance to have his tea and buns!”
My thanks to John for that interesting insight into ‘life on the road’. This was the last band that Rab played with full-time. As Rab’s business interests began to increase he took more of a back seat and concentrated on his taxi and bus hire based in Skirling near Biggar. For my own part I recall him periodically dropping in for a tune at Alex MacArthur’s club in the Clydesdale Hotel in Biggar and there’s no doubt about it that nothing enhances the sound of a SDB more than the string bass in the hands of an expert – and Rab was just that.
Rab’s somewhat battered bass fiddle (it traveled many thousands of miles tied to roof-racks in its time) now resides in his old friend, Andrew Stoddart’s, recording studio at Auchincorth Farm near Penicuik, available for anyone to have a tune as I’m sure Rab would have wanted it.
And before I close I would like to express my thanks to all who have contributed to this article – to Maureen Gray, George Shiels, Ronnie Aitken, Andrew and Willie Stoddart, Lindsay and Betty Carruthers, Wilma Shorthouse, Bob Christie and John MacGregor – without their help and assistance this belated tribute to one of the characters of Scottish Dance Music would not have been possible.
Box and Fiddle
February 1999
22nd Year No 5