The Hawthorne Broadcasting Band
by Ron Ramsay
The Hawthorne Band was formed in 1945, by James and Andy Tosh from Blairgowrie. Their first dance was at Clunie by Blairgowrie, on VJ night.
Nobody knew when VJ night would come so there was no advertising, but when it was announced over the radio everyone was in great spirits. Jim Tosh remembers that everybody was in great spirits and after some bother over transport, as petrol was very scarce, he managed to hire a lorry to get there along with a load of dancers. The dancing continued until four in the morning and was the first of many dances at Clunie.
The band first broadcast in 1948 with three accordionists, two fiddles, piano and drums. Dances at the time were mostly set dances or ‘Heavies’ as they were better known. An occasional waltz was thrown in for a breather. The band at that time consisted of Jim Tosh (button key accordion), Andy Tosh (piano key accordion), Jimmy Howe (fiddle), Sheena Smart (Piano) and Tommy McDonald (drums). They played at dances in the Orkneys, Shetlands and on the West Coast of Scotland and occasionally the Midlands for the Scottish and Irish clubs there.
Jim Tosh was quoted as saying that there are really only two kinds of music he really likes, Scottish and Irish, and relates part of a speech given by the Provost of Cork at a Civic Reception for the band.
“The Scots and Irish have much in common. The Scots play the pipes. The Isish play the pipes. The Scots wear the kilt. The Irish wear the kilt. The Scots like their Scotch. The Irish like their Irish.”
The ‘Hawthorn’ celebrated their 25th Anniversary at the Muirton House Hotel, Blairgowrie, with around 250 friends at a dance to the music of Bill Wilkie’s Band from Perth.
Jim and Andy Tosh, Jim Howe on fiddle, Tommy McDonald on drums and Phyllis Harvey was the line-up of the ‘Hawthorn’.
Not long after the band was formed, they had an engagement in Ballater and on arriving at Ballater Station in two near vintage bangers, were amazed to find a large cheering crowd at the square. Jim and the members of the band acknowledged the waves and cheers nonchalantly and thought that they had made it to the top with this new found fame, but alas it was short-lived when the local police stepped in to move them on – to allow access for the Royal limousines carrying the King and Queen, who were returning south after a holiday on Deeside. “Oh well it was fine while it lasted.”
In the mid 1950s, an Alyth garage proprietor provided the band with a chauffeur driven Rolls royca for £15 a week. A far cry from their vintage bangers.
Another incident relating to the vintage bangers was when all the band gear had to be stacked and tied on to the roof, and as they were making their way to an engagement, one of Tommy’s drums fell off and was bouncing along the road at the end of a 30 foot rope. Jim remembers that his first fees were 10/- for playing from 8.30 p.m. until, about 4 a.m. and even in the late 50s the fee was only about £2.
The band applied for a BBC audition in 1947. Broadcast Scottish Country Dance Music was just coming into its own, pioneered by Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron and Willie Hannah bands. As a result of the audition, the Hawthorn joined the elite company, despite an administrative blunder which sent them to the Edinburgh studios instead of Glasgow.
The place was packed with musicians and eventually when their turn came they had no sooner begun to play when the technicians behind the control panel started waving and shouting. Jim thought “surely we’re not all that bad”, but it turned out they had been put in with modern bands. Fortunately the auditioning panel recognised their potential and eventually the Hawthorn was put on the list of broadcasting bands and over the next 20 years did hundreds of broadcasts. The band has also toured with singer Bridie Gallacher in Ireland.
During the 70s and 80s, changes occurred in the Scottish Dance Music scene and with the advent of ‘Rock and Roll’ and beat music, forced them to become the Hawthorn Showband, complete with guitars and electronic organ. They made numerous records (78s) and EPs which are now collectors items.
Only two of the original members are still playing. Tom McDonald on drums (with Ken Stewart on accordion in the ‘Ken Stewart Duo’) and Jimmy Fairweather who has his own band.
Box and Fiddle
April 1995
Nobody knew when VJ night would come so there was no advertising, but when it was announced over the radio everyone was in great spirits. Jim Tosh remembers that everybody was in great spirits and after some bother over transport, as petrol was very scarce, he managed to hire a lorry to get there along with a load of dancers. The dancing continued until four in the morning and was the first of many dances at Clunie.
The band first broadcast in 1948 with three accordionists, two fiddles, piano and drums. Dances at the time were mostly set dances or ‘Heavies’ as they were better known. An occasional waltz was thrown in for a breather. The band at that time consisted of Jim Tosh (button key accordion), Andy Tosh (piano key accordion), Jimmy Howe (fiddle), Sheena Smart (Piano) and Tommy McDonald (drums). They played at dances in the Orkneys, Shetlands and on the West Coast of Scotland and occasionally the Midlands for the Scottish and Irish clubs there.
Jim Tosh was quoted as saying that there are really only two kinds of music he really likes, Scottish and Irish, and relates part of a speech given by the Provost of Cork at a Civic Reception for the band.
“The Scots and Irish have much in common. The Scots play the pipes. The Isish play the pipes. The Scots wear the kilt. The Irish wear the kilt. The Scots like their Scotch. The Irish like their Irish.”
The ‘Hawthorn’ celebrated their 25th Anniversary at the Muirton House Hotel, Blairgowrie, with around 250 friends at a dance to the music of Bill Wilkie’s Band from Perth.
Jim and Andy Tosh, Jim Howe on fiddle, Tommy McDonald on drums and Phyllis Harvey was the line-up of the ‘Hawthorn’.
Not long after the band was formed, they had an engagement in Ballater and on arriving at Ballater Station in two near vintage bangers, were amazed to find a large cheering crowd at the square. Jim and the members of the band acknowledged the waves and cheers nonchalantly and thought that they had made it to the top with this new found fame, but alas it was short-lived when the local police stepped in to move them on – to allow access for the Royal limousines carrying the King and Queen, who were returning south after a holiday on Deeside. “Oh well it was fine while it lasted.”
In the mid 1950s, an Alyth garage proprietor provided the band with a chauffeur driven Rolls royca for £15 a week. A far cry from their vintage bangers.
Another incident relating to the vintage bangers was when all the band gear had to be stacked and tied on to the roof, and as they were making their way to an engagement, one of Tommy’s drums fell off and was bouncing along the road at the end of a 30 foot rope. Jim remembers that his first fees were 10/- for playing from 8.30 p.m. until, about 4 a.m. and even in the late 50s the fee was only about £2.
The band applied for a BBC audition in 1947. Broadcast Scottish Country Dance Music was just coming into its own, pioneered by Jimmy Shand, Jim Cameron and Willie Hannah bands. As a result of the audition, the Hawthorn joined the elite company, despite an administrative blunder which sent them to the Edinburgh studios instead of Glasgow.
The place was packed with musicians and eventually when their turn came they had no sooner begun to play when the technicians behind the control panel started waving and shouting. Jim thought “surely we’re not all that bad”, but it turned out they had been put in with modern bands. Fortunately the auditioning panel recognised their potential and eventually the Hawthorn was put on the list of broadcasting bands and over the next 20 years did hundreds of broadcasts. The band has also toured with singer Bridie Gallacher in Ireland.
During the 70s and 80s, changes occurred in the Scottish Dance Music scene and with the advent of ‘Rock and Roll’ and beat music, forced them to become the Hawthorn Showband, complete with guitars and electronic organ. They made numerous records (78s) and EPs which are now collectors items.
Only two of the original members are still playing. Tom McDonald on drums (with Ken Stewart on accordion in the ‘Ken Stewart Duo’) and Jimmy Fairweather who has his own band.
Box and Fiddle
April 1995