IT’S BEEN a fairish tak-on for me es last fylie back fit wi the Heilan Games startit for anither season an, radio-wyes, buildin up the recordins for the Simmer brak. Gyan aboot like a blue-airs’t bummer as ma faither wid o pit it, bit maist saitisfeein aa the same.
I’ll gie the Games time tae sattle doon, apairt fae sayin es far we hae been helluva lucky wi the wither, sae let me tak ye noo tae a gran nicht we hid a wikk by Widn’sday hoochin in the Cochrane Hall doon in the fithills o the Ochils in Alva.
The hallie his been a tryst for dancers gyan back tae the 1950’s in the hie-day o the Andrew Rankine band. Though born in Aiberdeen Andra wis brocht up in Menstrie, the neeborin village tae Alva an hid a band still rever’t the day throwe his LP records.
Playing for a hallfu stappit tae the gunnels, the dancers ettlin tae ‘Take The Floor’ wis a great band o the present day - Colin Dewar an’s Scottish Dance Band - and playin second accordion wis neen ither than Jack Delaney, the same Jack that wis in the original Rankine Band.
The Clackmannanshire branch o the RSCDS were celebratin their twinty-five eer o rinnin their Simmer dances an mang the steer on the fleer, lookin doon fae the stage, I spy’t a lichtsome lady furlin awa wi her dother as partner at ‘The Gypsy Tap’ - a broad smile on her face. Losh she wis fair enjoyin hersel and that at the age o ninety-sax. I wis tae speir fit her favourite dance wis an richt awa she said ‘The Duke o Perth’. If it hid been on the programme it wid o teen her dother aa her time tae stop mither takkin the fleer eence mair.
I wis mindit that back in the 50s an 60s they eest tae haud the ‘Clachan Ceilidhs’ wi the emphasis on encouraging the young bi it wi sang, music or dance, tuition glaidly geen fae the volunteer fowkies already weel establish’t on the scene.
One sic like wis Gus Millar, een o oor tap dance band players, fa first attendit as a ten-eer-aul fin a junior member o a neeborin pipe band.
Gus wis tellin’s foo he wis nearly thrown aff the bus gyan hame fae the ceilidh, an nae that he wis a rowdie bairn.
Na, it wis jist that he wis at eager, he sat upstairs at the front o the double decker an oot cam the drumsticks as he gaed it laldie, practisin on the rail in front o him, oblivious o the fact that it wis deein the heid in o the peer busdriver richt doon aneth him.
Guest singer on wir recordin which ye can hear the nicht on Radio Scotland wis Richard Morrison, son o Peter, the great Scottish entertainer an the verra marra o’s faither in vyce an in’s presentation an personality.
Ay, a gran nicht is I said wis had bi een an aa.
Noo I canna leet the day ging by athoot peyin tribute tae twa fowk fa hae liv’t the lang life tae reach 95 an baith tae me sic stalwarts o the North-East community in their ain wye, richly deservin the honours tae come their wye tho nivver seekin the glory o’t aa.
Baith hid Estate backgruns bit cam throwe different roadies.
On Monday Esma an I attendit the funeral service o Ronald Smith OBE, a mannie I hae prais’t in es Setterday screed a twa eer syne fin he receiv’t a national award for a lifetime o achievement in’s trade bi the Institute o Horticulture.
Syne we hid news o the daith o The Marchioness o’ Aberdeen and Temair fa foundit the Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society jist efter the war an gaed on tae foster music o aa spheres in es neuk o the country, bringin artists o warl renown tae oor doorstep.
I’m prood tae hae kent them baith an can gie first haun accoont o the sincere gentleman that wis Ronald an the gentle and carin lady – aye a true lady – that wis the Marchioness.
Sae fondly remember’t.
See ye neist wikk