He was the star of Fort William High Street and taught a radio star his squeezebox skills.
And now, ten years after the death of Johnny Allen, his family has issued an appeal for video footage of the accordionist in action.
Jackie Small, a nurse in the busy Belford Hospital, says her family would like to hear their father play his accordion and have footage of him – a “colourful local character” – to keep for generations to come.
Over the years, Mr Allen must have played to hundreds of thousands of people from outside the post office where he busked on his days off, and almost full time after he retired.
He was an attraction for the many tourists who visited the town, and many would stop to take photos of him.
While Johnny didn’t play with any particular band, over the years he played with all the great Scottish music and ceilidh bands, including Fergie MacDonald.
While not a teacher, Johnny tutored some of the biggest accordion musicians in Scotland today.
Gary Innes, who plays with traditional group Manran and presents Take the Floor for BBC Scotland, learned his trade with Johnny in a front room in Spean Bridge.
Mrs Small, who made a social media plea for footage this week, said: “He was someone who played with lots of bands, and played all over the place at people’s parties and family gatherings.
“One of our biggest regrets is that we never got any video footage of my dad playing.
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“He was a busker and I think he was known by everyone in Fort William, he would go and sit outside the post office, and play.
“He was seen by hundreds and thousands of people every week. So many people took a photo with him, and then sent them to him. We had letters from all over the world.
“We lived in Spean Bridge, my dad didn’t drive so he could often be found on the roadside in the morning thumbing a lift into Fort William.
“My mum, Morag, is from Roy Bridge originally when she met and married my dad, they moved to Airdrie where he was from.
“When myself and my sister Catriona came along they decided to move back to the Highlands, where my dad worked on the West Highland Line.
“My dad was 62 when he died. It is coming up to the 10th anniversary after his death.
“We would like some video of him to remind us of just how amazing he was.”
Anyone who can hep the family can email Jackie.small1@btinternet.com.