Scottish Country Dance Bands 13
The Quartet’s a Quintet Now
The Jim Crawford Quartet have been known in Scottish Country dance circles for some years.
But they are no longer a quartet. A fifth player is now included for broadcasts.
Jim and his wife stay at Edentown, Ladybank. He won the Solo Championship for Scottish music at the Accordion Festival at Perth in 1954. Both sides of Jim’s family are musical and his brother, John, has won the piano accordion Solo championship at Perth.
Jim has composed a few tunes, but has “never got down to seeing about getting them published”. He arranges the tines and sets for the dances “but the harmonies I leave to my pianist”.
The band has been broadcasting since 1957.
Blanche McInnes (piano) is a Perth girl, now married and staying in Longforgan.
John Fyall (violin), a bus driver whose home is in Bridge of Earn, has been a member of the band since 1954.
Alastair Wilkie (drums), a clerk with the Hydro Electric Board in Perth, also plays bass fiddle and piano.
John Vance (bass), is the recent addition. Kis home is in Kirkcaldy.
Perfect Sets
The Crawford Band do not usually travel great distances, “but we have been s far south as Warrington”. They played at a Highland Ball there in 1959 and went back last October. “This was a date we all looked forward to as Country Dancers from all parts of the British Isles were there.”
While they were playing at their last engagement in Warrington, Jim’s attention kept straying to a fair young fellow in a light green kilt and velvet doublet.
“He was a lovely dancer and the sets he danced in always seemed perfect. I was told later, by one of the dancers who had noticed my interest, that the lad was totally blind.”
TV viewers who watched the ‘Parahandy’ series may recall seeing the Crawford Quartet with Jimmy Shand Junior in the New Year episode.
The Crawford Band’s next broadcast is on Wednesday, March 1.
The Quartet’s a Quintet Now
The Jim Crawford Quartet have been known in Scottish Country dance circles for some years.
But they are no longer a quartet. A fifth player is now included for broadcasts.
Jim and his wife stay at Edentown, Ladybank. He won the Solo Championship for Scottish music at the Accordion Festival at Perth in 1954. Both sides of Jim’s family are musical and his brother, John, has won the piano accordion Solo championship at Perth.
Jim has composed a few tunes, but has “never got down to seeing about getting them published”. He arranges the tines and sets for the dances “but the harmonies I leave to my pianist”.
The band has been broadcasting since 1957.
Blanche McInnes (piano) is a Perth girl, now married and staying in Longforgan.
John Fyall (violin), a bus driver whose home is in Bridge of Earn, has been a member of the band since 1954.
Alastair Wilkie (drums), a clerk with the Hydro Electric Board in Perth, also plays bass fiddle and piano.
John Vance (bass), is the recent addition. Kis home is in Kirkcaldy.
Perfect Sets
The Crawford Band do not usually travel great distances, “but we have been s far south as Warrington”. They played at a Highland Ball there in 1959 and went back last October. “This was a date we all looked forward to as Country Dancers from all parts of the British Isles were there.”
While they were playing at their last engagement in Warrington, Jim’s attention kept straying to a fair young fellow in a light green kilt and velvet doublet.
“He was a lovely dancer and the sets he danced in always seemed perfect. I was told later, by one of the dancers who had noticed my interest, that the lad was totally blind.”
TV viewers who watched the ‘Parahandy’ series may recall seeing the Crawford Quartet with Jimmy Shand Junior in the New Year episode.
The Crawford Band’s next broadcast is on Wednesday, March 1.