The Cotters (1969)

The Cotters (Page One Records FORS 030, 1969)

The Cotters were Alex Sutherland and Alistair ("Ali") Watson from Edinburgh, and they got together after meeting in a folk club. They were popular in Edinburgh and elsewhere, at one point recording a commercial for Carling Black Label beer. The name of the duo came about after Ali bought a second-hand mandolin which had "The Cotters" written on it, so they took on that name.

Ali Watson left the Scottish music scene in 1980 and emigrated to Western Australia. He had had several jobs including a deep-sea mariner. He became ill with cancer and died in 2001, after having visited Scotland the same year. After Ali went to Australia, Alex Sutherland, a piano-tuner by trade, teamed up with Ian Simpson and performed as The Alexians. He had also died of cancer by the mid-1980s.

As far as I know, this is the only recording they made.

01 Mingulay Boat Song

02 Killicrankie

03 Lowlands Low

04 Ye Jacobites

05 Charlie's Lament

06 McPherson's Farewell

07 Tramps and Hawkers

08 Bonnie Ship the Diamond

09 Wild Flying Dove

10 Standard On the Braes O'Mar

11 Fair and Tender Ladies

12 Night Errant

Alex Sutherland: guitar

Alistair Watson: guitar and mandolin

Unavailable