Document 1039

A wikk o shows taks me back an fore in time - April 25, 2005

Author(s): Robbie Shepherd

Copyright holder(s): Robbie Shepherd

There's something aboot them that speaks o hame and the countryside Willie Kemp on Bothy Ballads IN A funny kyn o wye like Dr Who stravaigin back an fore in time, I hae been deein the same tae the soun o music, sang an patter.

Weel, Wednesday nicht it wis the Students' Show, Thursday, the Big Yin emsel Billy Connolly an Setterday dennertime I wis oot at Aul Meldrum as guest o the Meldrum and Bourtie Heritage Society for the unveilin o commemorative plaques to Willie Kemp and George S Morris.

There wis the sheer enthusiasm o the Students in their Show "Fittie Woman" wi the Doric getting laldie an the usual suspects getting an owergyan. We fair enjoy't it an the annual event his the knack o bringin oot a star for the future. Nae exception es eer as Lynsey Casson wis afa gweed in the lead role o Minnie Cooper.

Syne it wis the Big Yin in the Music Hall an the first time we hid seen him live. The wifie's queuing for wir tickets wis weel worth it an ye seen forget the sweerin ilka sentence as the stage presence taks ower. He took centre stage - oh ay an loupin here, there an awye - a twa-an-a-half oors, jist his leefalane.

A live Billy Connolly is something else an only he wid get awa wi pickin on some o the subjecs he brings up - bit the man's got class.

Spikkin o class, a freen o mine wis doon at the Royal Concert Hall in Glesca tae see Andy Williams in concert at the age o 78.

Noo ma freen tells me he hid them in the palm o's haun fae the wird go an in praisin the acoustics sung "Fly Me To The Moon" wi aa amplification switch't aff.

Noo that's class an ye cwid o heard a peen drap. I winner foo the day's modern groups wid fare athoot swallyin the mike an turning up the decibels tae deafen aa aroon.

Noo tho I wid hae tae say that Setterday dennertime oot at Morris's Hotel in Meldrum will hae the maist lastin effec.

There proodly on the ootside wa are the plaques tae Willie Kemp, King o the Cornkisters an George Morris, the Buchan Chiel - twa names that meant sae muckle tae me fae the early 1950s fin I wis beginning tae be kent on the stages in toons an village halls roon the North-East. Kerr's Cornkisters an Kerr's Buchan Bothy Ballads alang wi Ford's Vagabond Songs and Ballads of Scotland were tae become my bibles, as tae mony ithers.

Nan Greczylo did the honours wi the unveilin an fa better, as Nan his spent aa her days in Meldrum an is sae weel aquant ersel wi concert pairties an piano skills.

A maist interestin toast tae the twa balladeers wis gein bi Robert Lovie an the small bourachie o's that sat doon tae mince an tatties in Morris's Hotel hid a maist affable oor or twa, thanks tae the wit o Akki Manson as chairman an the denner courtesy o mine host Robin Philip.

Fit wye that hotel I hear some o ye speir? Well, baith were fae the hotel at ae time. Willie Kemp's faimily ain't the place for a file (Kemp's Hotel then) syne George Morris mairrit Willie's sister an that's foo the name-change cam aboot.

We hae much tae thank them baith for in bringin the North-east sang tae the fore. Willie Kemp relied mair on the sangs o the likes o George Bruce Thomson whereas George Morris' repertoire wis mainly his ain sangs like The Buchan Bobby an Aikey Brae.

Baith were tae mak a lot o 78 records in London an broadcast fae the aul BBC studios in Belmont Street alang wi Curly McKay an John Mearns.

Robert Lovie brocht wi him spleet new copies o the three beuks publish't bi Kerr an still available. He bocht his at Bruce Miller's, costin aboot a sivven/aucht poun the piece an I cam hame an lookit at my copy o een o them. The eer wis 1950 an the cost 3/6.

Lookin at book 2 o GS Morris, the patter in The Buchan Bobby still brings a smile tae yer face.

"Fit's that wifie? Faur'll ye get the Fyvie Bus? If ye wait twa meenits in the same position ye're in, ye'll get it aboot half wye atween the back o yer neck and the heels o yer beets".

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A wikk o shows taks me back an fore in time - April 25, 2005