Jim Johnstone
The Jim Johnstone story starts in the East Lothian town of Tranent. Jim’s earliest recollections are of being surrounded by accordion music. Dad, George, and uncles John, Alex and Bob all played 5 row Continental accordions with George and John broadcasting regularly together before the war. In 1939 John was called up while dad continued his daytime job as a mechanic but “did his bit” by giving up playing to become a part time fireman. After demob it was John, Alex and Bob who got together and formed a band. After an audition, regular broadcasts were to follow with a three accordion front line.
It was at the age of 9 that Jim started lessons with Tranent 5 row accordionist Bobby Anderson, a former pupil of Peter Leatham. The idea was to learn to read music, which dad didn’t do, but since the only 5 row boxes available were big, clumsy pre-war models Jim started instead on a piano keyed box, the idea being that he would change over at a later date.
After a year of steady progress Bobby suggested that Jim himself move to Peter for lessons. An approach was made but Peter had a better idea. Daughter, Chrissie, was giving up playing the accordion professionally and was about to start classes in Tranent so Jim enrolled as one of her first pupils. Thus began a lifelong association because long after formal lessons stopped Chrissie’s door was always open when Jim came up against a musical problem and she always knew the solution.
Initially tuition of the ‘accordion classics’ by Frosini etc while at home Jim supplemented this with traditional music as played by the family or by listening to 78s on the old gramophone. This changed when Jim, now 13, was persuaded by his dad to reply to a radio advert looking for young musicians to broadcast. Having passed the audition his broadcast got under way on ‘Children’s Hour’ in May 1950 with ‘Dundee City Police Pipe Band’, McDonald’s Awa’ Tae the War’ and ‘The Black Mask Waltz’ with variations by Tolafson. Chrissie knew nothing of this until it was over but from then on tuition broadened out to include Scottish and modern music.
Two years later and another ‘weel kent face’ entered the scene – friend and fellow Scout Bobby Colgan. Bobby bought a drum kit from a relative and together they started taking on wee dances and weddings. Soon another local accordionist and neighbour, Willie Donaldson, joined to play second box, a fairly recent innovation at the time, but a must for the young trio after hearing Hugh Malarkie’s contribution to the Bobby McLeod Band who had appeared at a local dance.
Dad offered great encouragement and passed on jobs he was unable to do himself, always enquiring later how the lads had got on. “We got on that weel you’re no’ getting’ back again” would be Jim’s tongue-in-cheek response. Gradually, as the band were offered bigger and better jobs, additional players were added. On piano was Archie Horn from Port Seton formerly of the Tim Wright band and an expert at arranging modern ballroom dancing. On fiddle, and a first timer on the band scene, was Peter Innes, also from Tranent, a great fiddler and music reader. “We were knee deep in music at a dance” Jim recalls.
Jim had served his time as a motor mechanic in the garage where dad was foreman so it was natural that Jim did his National Service in the R.E.M.E. Even there however word of his playing ability preceded him and much of his two year stint was spent playing for the local RSCDS groups with whom the officers were connected.
Back in civvy street Jim was initially invited to join the ‘family band’ led by uncle John, which for a short time therefore had a four accordion front line. John retired from the band shortly afterwards, however, and the revised line-up lasted until 1962 when Jim received a phone call one Monday evening from Andrew Rankine asking if he was available to do a “broadcast on Wednesday”. What followed were two of the most traumatic days of Jim’s life but the broadcast went well and he was asked to join the band shortly afterwards. The line-up at that time was Andrew, Ron Gonella and Jim with Billy Thom, Tom McTague and Bill Hendry (Falkirk) in the back line. “What a swing the band had” Jim recalls “but what else would you expect with a jazz rhythm section like that”.
In 1963 Andrew announced that he was emigrating to Australia so Jim left to form his own band with Alan Johnstone on fiddle, Robin Brock on bass, Davy Flockhart on piano and Bobby Colgan on drums. After a successful audition they did their first broadcast in August 1963.
Around 1965 this band split up and Jim joined Jimmy Shand full time after giving up his job at the garage and was shortly afterwards joined by Bobby Colgan on drums. In 1967 he started an 18 month spell with Jimmy Blue’s band after the departure of Mickie Ainsworth. “Jimmy was a tremendously accurate player – his concentration was absolute” Jim remembers.
It was at the age of 9 that Jim started lessons with Tranent 5 row accordionist Bobby Anderson, a former pupil of Peter Leatham. The idea was to learn to read music, which dad didn’t do, but since the only 5 row boxes available were big, clumsy pre-war models Jim started instead on a piano keyed box, the idea being that he would change over at a later date.
After a year of steady progress Bobby suggested that Jim himself move to Peter for lessons. An approach was made but Peter had a better idea. Daughter, Chrissie, was giving up playing the accordion professionally and was about to start classes in Tranent so Jim enrolled as one of her first pupils. Thus began a lifelong association because long after formal lessons stopped Chrissie’s door was always open when Jim came up against a musical problem and she always knew the solution.
Initially tuition of the ‘accordion classics’ by Frosini etc while at home Jim supplemented this with traditional music as played by the family or by listening to 78s on the old gramophone. This changed when Jim, now 13, was persuaded by his dad to reply to a radio advert looking for young musicians to broadcast. Having passed the audition his broadcast got under way on ‘Children’s Hour’ in May 1950 with ‘Dundee City Police Pipe Band’, McDonald’s Awa’ Tae the War’ and ‘The Black Mask Waltz’ with variations by Tolafson. Chrissie knew nothing of this until it was over but from then on tuition broadened out to include Scottish and modern music.
Two years later and another ‘weel kent face’ entered the scene – friend and fellow Scout Bobby Colgan. Bobby bought a drum kit from a relative and together they started taking on wee dances and weddings. Soon another local accordionist and neighbour, Willie Donaldson, joined to play second box, a fairly recent innovation at the time, but a must for the young trio after hearing Hugh Malarkie’s contribution to the Bobby McLeod Band who had appeared at a local dance.
Dad offered great encouragement and passed on jobs he was unable to do himself, always enquiring later how the lads had got on. “We got on that weel you’re no’ getting’ back again” would be Jim’s tongue-in-cheek response. Gradually, as the band were offered bigger and better jobs, additional players were added. On piano was Archie Horn from Port Seton formerly of the Tim Wright band and an expert at arranging modern ballroom dancing. On fiddle, and a first timer on the band scene, was Peter Innes, also from Tranent, a great fiddler and music reader. “We were knee deep in music at a dance” Jim recalls.
Jim had served his time as a motor mechanic in the garage where dad was foreman so it was natural that Jim did his National Service in the R.E.M.E. Even there however word of his playing ability preceded him and much of his two year stint was spent playing for the local RSCDS groups with whom the officers were connected.
Back in civvy street Jim was initially invited to join the ‘family band’ led by uncle John, which for a short time therefore had a four accordion front line. John retired from the band shortly afterwards, however, and the revised line-up lasted until 1962 when Jim received a phone call one Monday evening from Andrew Rankine asking if he was available to do a “broadcast on Wednesday”. What followed were two of the most traumatic days of Jim’s life but the broadcast went well and he was asked to join the band shortly afterwards. The line-up at that time was Andrew, Ron Gonella and Jim with Billy Thom, Tom McTague and Bill Hendry (Falkirk) in the back line. “What a swing the band had” Jim recalls “but what else would you expect with a jazz rhythm section like that”.
In 1963 Andrew announced that he was emigrating to Australia so Jim left to form his own band with Alan Johnstone on fiddle, Robin Brock on bass, Davy Flockhart on piano and Bobby Colgan on drums. After a successful audition they did their first broadcast in August 1963.
Around 1965 this band split up and Jim joined Jimmy Shand full time after giving up his job at the garage and was shortly afterwards joined by Bobby Colgan on drums. In 1967 he started an 18 month spell with Jimmy Blue’s band after the departure of Mickie Ainsworth. “Jimmy was a tremendously accurate player – his concentration was absolute” Jim remembers.
In 1968 Iain McFadyen approached Jim and asked him to form a band to carry on the White Heather Club in theatres and on TV. Initially he could only offer 10 weeks work but by the time they started that had risen to a year. This was the band of the ‘Measure of Scotch’ era with Pam Brough, Billy Craib, Billy Thom and Tommy Lees, originally from Kirkcaldy, on second box. Work rolled in during this time with the band frequently playing six nights a week.
After the demise of the White Heather Club other TV work followed. First the now almost forgotten ‘Take the High Road’ then the long running and highly successful ‘Songs of Scotland’.
The remainder is more recent history leading up to the band’s most recent venture, the summer show at the King James Hotel in Edinburgh. Inevitably the band line up has changed over these last few years with the emphasis being perhaps more on bringing in young players. Neil Barron, Neil Caul, Ian Hutson and of course “the baby of the band” as the show’s host Bill Torrance calls her, Marie Fielding.
Jim is very much one of the link men in Scottish dance music bridging the closing years of the original bands and the formative years of the young and exciting bands such as Craig McCallum, Alan Gardiner and others. Throughout his playing career he has continually set standards which most others would be happy to attain never mind surpass but he is the first to admit that it’s young players who continually regenerate his enthusiasm for dance music.
Jim’s advice to young players is to practice hard and to learn by listening to others but thereafter to develop your own style and above all always to play for you audience.
In conclusion therefore, on behalf of the Association’s many members I would like to welcome Jim to his new post and trust that he will find it an exciting and challenging experience.
Box and Fiddle
September 1992
After the demise of the White Heather Club other TV work followed. First the now almost forgotten ‘Take the High Road’ then the long running and highly successful ‘Songs of Scotland’.
The remainder is more recent history leading up to the band’s most recent venture, the summer show at the King James Hotel in Edinburgh. Inevitably the band line up has changed over these last few years with the emphasis being perhaps more on bringing in young players. Neil Barron, Neil Caul, Ian Hutson and of course “the baby of the band” as the show’s host Bill Torrance calls her, Marie Fielding.
Jim is very much one of the link men in Scottish dance music bridging the closing years of the original bands and the formative years of the young and exciting bands such as Craig McCallum, Alan Gardiner and others. Throughout his playing career he has continually set standards which most others would be happy to attain never mind surpass but he is the first to admit that it’s young players who continually regenerate his enthusiasm for dance music.
Jim’s advice to young players is to practice hard and to learn by listening to others but thereafter to develop your own style and above all always to play for you audience.
In conclusion therefore, on behalf of the Association’s many members I would like to welcome Jim to his new post and trust that he will find it an exciting and challenging experience.
Box and Fiddle
September 1992