Addie Harper (20/10/1927 – 17/04/2002) - Obituary
An Innovative Musician
by Noel Donaldson
Musicians will be among the mourners who gather at Wick tomorrow (Saturday) to say farewell to one of the best-known Scottish danceband leaders, Addie Harper.
Mr Harper, who lived at ‘La Coruna’, Thurso Road, Wick, passed away at Caithness General Hospital on Wednesday at the age of 74.
Tributes were paid yesterday to the multi-instrumentalist who carved a niche in the traditional culture that spanned more than half a century.
Musician, teacher and composer, Mr Harper’s career with The Wick Scottish Dance Band took him all over Scotland, rubbing shoulders with the top outfits of the day, including Ian Powrie and Jimmy Shand. It was Mr Harper’s father, melodeon player Robbie Harper, who first awakened the youngster’s talent for traditional music at their home in Stirkoke. But with four children in the family, competition for a ‘shot on the boxie’ frequently proved a problem.
Mr Harper got his break at the age of five when he was gifted a fiddle and was given the chance of formal lessons paid for by a benefactor.
Private tuition was viewed as ‘sissy’ in those days. He chuckled when interviewed as a nominee in the first Caithness Civic Awards last year, recalling his days as a most unwilling pupil – making his way through the streets and glancing furtively aroud for fear of being spotted by some of his classmates. Mr Harper’s musical ability was nurtured by teacher Margaret Henderson and it wasn’t long before he was playing in public. His first group was The Bilbister Dance Band and later he played in The Milton Trio and The Wick Scottish.
Their success led to a BBC audition which they passed with flying colours. The band never looked back and began traveling all over the country. Records were a natural progression to keep pace with public demand for the individual Wick Scottish sound.
Their first disc was recorded in Jimmy Johnstone’s Grampian studio in Wick in 1964. It was the first of several recordings, many of them containing Addie’s own compositions.
Commenting on Mr Harper’s death, fellow Caithness danceband leader Bobby coghill said it was a ‘very, very sad day’ for the Scottish music scene.
Both had been neighbours in Milton for many years and Mr Coghill said, “Addie was one of those people you always expected to be around. He was a very accomplished player and a prolific composer – an indication of their standard was that his tunes were performed all over the world by champion pipe bands”.
Mr Coghill, who was also Pipe Major of the Wick RBLS Pipe Band, paid tribute to Mr Harper as a true musician who could turn his talents to a variety of instruments – fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin and Hawaiian guitar which he played with a distinctive whisky glass, and button accordion”.
“As a tutor he did much to bring on young players and, although he hadn’t been playing band-wise for a while, he was still teaching up until a short time ago. You could always learn something from him – I think most players in Caithness did. “I used to run my selections for the accordion competitions past him and he would give me wee tips which stood me in good stead”.
Mr Coghill will give a pipe rendering at the graveside at Wick Cemetery following the funeral service at Pulteneytown Parish Church at 1.30pm on Saturday.
Ken Mutch, the Producer of Radio Scotland’s popular traditional programme ‘Take the Floor’, described Mr Harper as “one of the most innovative musicians on the Scottish dance music scene” and “a gifted composer”.
He said eyebrows had been raised when Mr Harper introduced the ground breaking Hawaiian guitar to broadcasting but had proved that the instrument had a place.
Mr Mutch also praised the professionalism of The Wick Scottish, saying that they were always well prepared for their recording sessions and broadcasts, some of which came from Wick itself.
The Producer said that preparations were being made for a tribute programme for Mr Harper, featuring his music and interviews with fellow musicians.
Mr Harper is survived by his wife, Isobel, and son Addie, both of whom will continue his proud musical tradition.
By Jim Collie
The Committee of the Wick Accordion and Fiddle Club is most grateful to Mr Clive Richards of the John O’Groats Journal and to Mrs Janet MacDonald, photographer, for permission to reproduce Noel Donaldson’s Tribute and photograph.
The funeral service in Pultneytown Parish Church was attended by a large turnout of mourners, including fellow musicians, former pupils, dancers and friends from far and wide including Robbie Shepherd of BBC Radio Scotland. Taped music with that distinctive ‘Addie Sound’ was playing before and after the service, which was conducted by the Rev. Bill Wallace.
Lifelong friend David Topping read a very fitting tribute.
The cortege was led to the graveside by Pipe Major Bobby Coghill playing a favourite march composed by Addie and again after the committal.
Many friends joined the family in Mackays Hotel (the place where Addie had played so many times) for tea afterwards. Addie’s music will live on through so many sources.
Box and Fiddle
September 2002
Mr Harper, who lived at ‘La Coruna’, Thurso Road, Wick, passed away at Caithness General Hospital on Wednesday at the age of 74.
Tributes were paid yesterday to the multi-instrumentalist who carved a niche in the traditional culture that spanned more than half a century.
Musician, teacher and composer, Mr Harper’s career with The Wick Scottish Dance Band took him all over Scotland, rubbing shoulders with the top outfits of the day, including Ian Powrie and Jimmy Shand. It was Mr Harper’s father, melodeon player Robbie Harper, who first awakened the youngster’s talent for traditional music at their home in Stirkoke. But with four children in the family, competition for a ‘shot on the boxie’ frequently proved a problem.
Mr Harper got his break at the age of five when he was gifted a fiddle and was given the chance of formal lessons paid for by a benefactor.
Private tuition was viewed as ‘sissy’ in those days. He chuckled when interviewed as a nominee in the first Caithness Civic Awards last year, recalling his days as a most unwilling pupil – making his way through the streets and glancing furtively aroud for fear of being spotted by some of his classmates. Mr Harper’s musical ability was nurtured by teacher Margaret Henderson and it wasn’t long before he was playing in public. His first group was The Bilbister Dance Band and later he played in The Milton Trio and The Wick Scottish.
Their success led to a BBC audition which they passed with flying colours. The band never looked back and began traveling all over the country. Records were a natural progression to keep pace with public demand for the individual Wick Scottish sound.
Their first disc was recorded in Jimmy Johnstone’s Grampian studio in Wick in 1964. It was the first of several recordings, many of them containing Addie’s own compositions.
Commenting on Mr Harper’s death, fellow Caithness danceband leader Bobby coghill said it was a ‘very, very sad day’ for the Scottish music scene.
Both had been neighbours in Milton for many years and Mr Coghill said, “Addie was one of those people you always expected to be around. He was a very accomplished player and a prolific composer – an indication of their standard was that his tunes were performed all over the world by champion pipe bands”.
Mr Coghill, who was also Pipe Major of the Wick RBLS Pipe Band, paid tribute to Mr Harper as a true musician who could turn his talents to a variety of instruments – fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin and Hawaiian guitar which he played with a distinctive whisky glass, and button accordion”.
“As a tutor he did much to bring on young players and, although he hadn’t been playing band-wise for a while, he was still teaching up until a short time ago. You could always learn something from him – I think most players in Caithness did. “I used to run my selections for the accordion competitions past him and he would give me wee tips which stood me in good stead”.
Mr Coghill will give a pipe rendering at the graveside at Wick Cemetery following the funeral service at Pulteneytown Parish Church at 1.30pm on Saturday.
Ken Mutch, the Producer of Radio Scotland’s popular traditional programme ‘Take the Floor’, described Mr Harper as “one of the most innovative musicians on the Scottish dance music scene” and “a gifted composer”.
He said eyebrows had been raised when Mr Harper introduced the ground breaking Hawaiian guitar to broadcasting but had proved that the instrument had a place.
Mr Mutch also praised the professionalism of The Wick Scottish, saying that they were always well prepared for their recording sessions and broadcasts, some of which came from Wick itself.
The Producer said that preparations were being made for a tribute programme for Mr Harper, featuring his music and interviews with fellow musicians.
Mr Harper is survived by his wife, Isobel, and son Addie, both of whom will continue his proud musical tradition.
By Jim Collie
The Committee of the Wick Accordion and Fiddle Club is most grateful to Mr Clive Richards of the John O’Groats Journal and to Mrs Janet MacDonald, photographer, for permission to reproduce Noel Donaldson’s Tribute and photograph.
The funeral service in Pultneytown Parish Church was attended by a large turnout of mourners, including fellow musicians, former pupils, dancers and friends from far and wide including Robbie Shepherd of BBC Radio Scotland. Taped music with that distinctive ‘Addie Sound’ was playing before and after the service, which was conducted by the Rev. Bill Wallace.
Lifelong friend David Topping read a very fitting tribute.
The cortege was led to the graveside by Pipe Major Bobby Coghill playing a favourite march composed by Addie and again after the committal.
Many friends joined the family in Mackays Hotel (the place where Addie had played so many times) for tea afterwards. Addie’s music will live on through so many sources.
Box and Fiddle
September 2002