Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show Vol 1 (1964)

Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show Vol 1 (1964)

Side One:
01 The Corrie Folk Trio & Paddie Bell: Jug o' Punch
02 Ray & Archie Fisher: Leave Her Johnny
03 Ray & Archie Fisher: Poor Bill
04 Eleanor Leith: What Have they Done to the Rain
05 Eleanor Leith: Still I Love Him
06 The Corrie Folk Trio & Paddie Bell:: Hanging Johnny
Side Two:
01 The Corrie Folk Trio & Paddie Bell: Finnegan's Wake
02 Paddie Bell: She Moved Thro' the Fair
03 Dolina McLennan: Peurt a Beul
04 Dolina McLennan: Dee An Auld Maid in a Garret
05 Ray & Archie Fisher: Backgreen Ballad
06 Eleanor Leith: I Aince Loved a Lad
07 The Company: We Shall Overcome

An absolute gem of a live recording from the Edinburgh of November 1963. Beautiful, beautiful performances from The Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell, Ray and Archie Fisher, Eleanor Leith and Dolina McLennan. Since this is a continuous live performance, I have not separated the tracks, so there are only two: Side One and Side Two.

Unavailable

Companion album to
Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show Vol 2 (1964)

Various Artists: Sandy Bell's Ceilidh (1979)

Various Artists: Sandy Bell's Ceilidh (1979)

01 Bell's Big Ceilidh Band: An Comhra Donn/The Galway Hornpipe/The Strand
02 The McCalmans: John Barleycorn
03 Aly Bain: Fort Charlotte/Calum Donaldson
04 Chorda: The Lea Rig
05 Dick Gaughan: The Cruel Brother
06 Bell's Chorus: Lowlands Away
07 Liz & Maggie Cruikshank: Sandy Bell's Man
08 The McCalmans: Kirsteen
09 Aly Bain: Crossing the Minch
10 Chorda: Johnny Sangster
11 Dick Gaughan: Sleepytoon
12 Bell's Chorus: Doon In  the Wee Room
13 Bell's Big Ceilidh Band: The Lilting Fisherman/Lough Gowna/Sweet Biddy Daly

Sandy Bell's is the name given to a pub in Edinburgh which has been a centre of folk music since the late 1940s. Until recently its official name was The Forest Hills Bar, but it was known by all in the know simply as Sandy Bell's (Sandy Bell never actually existed, but that's beside the point). Many singers and musicians spent time in the bar, which was also a favourite stop-off for touring folk musicians in Edinburgh for a concert. This album dates from 1979 and has a cross-section of some Bell's regulars: Dick Gaughan, Aly Bain, The McCalmans to name a few. Also on the album is the band Chorda - who later metamorphosed into Jock Tamson's Bairns.

Unavailable

Other posts featuring Chorda:
Various Artists: Folk Philosophy (1971) (As Chorda Cleich)

The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)

The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)

01 The Wark o' the Weavers
02 Balloo Baleery
03 Johnny Lad
04 The Wreck of the John B
05 The Wee Magic Stane (McAvoy)

The Reivers were formed in 1958 when three young singers, members of Norman Buchan's famous folksong club, got together to perform on Scottish Television's Jig Time programme. Enoch Kent later joined The Exiles and subsequently moved to Canada where he still sings Scots song. I don't know much about Rena Swankie, though I see someone mentioned on Mudcat that it was she who played guitar on Josh MacRae's hit Messing About on the River (1962). MacRae himself followed the producer and songwriter Tony Hatch (who wrote "River") to Pye Records and had a number of hits, somewhat contrary his earlier activities with the "Glasgow Eskimos" - a group of singers who were active in protesting the US nuclear presence in Scotland. MacRae killed himself in 1977. This EP dates from 1959.

Unavailable

Other recordings featuring Enoch Kent:
The Reivers: Govan Is a Busy Place (1960)
Various Artists: New Voices from Scotland (1965)
The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

Various Artists: I Was Born In Glasgow (1991)

Various Artists: I Was Born In Glasgow (Gallus Records GAL 102, 1991)

This was a one-off album put together by Ewan McVicar using the money he won in a song competition. It features a handful of singers from Glasgow including:

Iain Mackintosh, banjo player, concertina player and singer. He originally played in groups such as The Islanders and The Skerries, but is better known for his subsequent solo career.

Ian Davison was one of the young people who attended Norman Buchan's Ballads Club in Rutherglen Academy (other members included Gordeanna MacCulloch, Ann Neilson and Adam McNaughtan), and later formed a group, The Ian Davison Folk Four.

Hamish Imlach, a giant figure in Scottish folk singing.

Alan Tall, an actor and musician who provided vocals, saxophone, keyboards and percussion.

This album has not, to my knowledge, been re-released, but it is hoped that Ewan will consider it one day.

01 Iain Mackintosh: I Wish I Was In Glasgow (Billy Connolly)

02 Ewan McVicar & Alan Tall: Tam the Bam (Ewan McVicar)

03 Iain Mackintosh & Ewan McVicar: The Glasgow I Used to Know (Adam McNaughtan)

04 Ewan McVicar: Caves In the Canyons (Ian Davison)

05 Iain Mackintosh: Farewell to Glasgow (Jim McLean)

06 Ewan McVicar: Nancy Whisky (Ewan McVicar)

07 Ewan McVicar: I Belong to Glasgow (Will Fyffe)

08 Ewan McVicar & Alan Tall: Bus 33-Glasgow Rain (Ewan McVicar)

09 Hamish Imlach: Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice (Carl MacDougall)

10 Ian Davison: Doon In the Wee Room (McLughlin)

11 Ewan McVicar & Alan Tall: Dannie Lannie & his Heavy China (Ewan McVicar)

12 Hamish Imlach: Twelve and a Tanner (McKenzie/Fyffe)

13 Ewan McVicar: Barroom Mountaineers (trad)

14 Ian Davison: Going Home to Glasgow (Ian Davison)

Unavailable

Other albums featuring Iain Mackintosh:

The Islanders: Keep Left (1965)

A Better Class of Folk (1975)

A Better Class of Folk (1975)

Various Artists: A Better Class of Folk (Lismore Recordings LILP 5022, 1975)

This was released on the back of a 1974 Scottish Television series of the same name, featuring a handful of Scots folk performers led by Irish playwright and singer Dominic Behan. Mike Whellans was briefly in the original Boys of the Lough line-up after recording and touring as a duet with Aly Bain. Allan Barty from Dundee played fiddle and mandolin and had featured in many folk groups since the 1960s. Later he had a radio programme in Germany. Iain Mackintosh first recorded with The Islanders in 1965, and subsequently went on to a successful solo career, alongside celebrated collaborations with Hamish Imlach and Brian McNeill. Billy Davidson from Shotts toured in the 70s and released an album in 1976, On the Road (Lismore LILP5039). The ensemble was joined by Margaret Henery, who played bass guitar.

01 Ensemble-If You Want to See the General (trad)

02 Billy Davidson-Shores of Sutherland (Jim MacLean)

03 Mike Whellans-The Wars o' Germany (trad)

04 Allan Barty-Aunque Me Des (trad)

05 Iain Mackintosh-The Glasgow I Used to Know (Jim MacLean)

06 Dominic Behan-Liverpool Lou (Behan)

07 Billy Davidson-The Scottish Sabbath (Jim MacLean)

08 Mike Whellans-The Ballad of Sam Stone (John Prine)

09 Allan Barty-Sunshine Hornpipe/Humours of Glendart (trad)

10 Iain Mackintosh-The Ballad of Joe Hill (Woody Guthrie)

11 Dominic Behan-Spanish Lady (trad)

12 Ensemble-The Good Ship Reuben Jones (Woody Guthrie)

Unavailable

Other albums featuring Allan Barty:

Barty's Bow (1980)

Other albums featuring Iain Mackintosh:

The Islanders: Keep Left (1965)

I Belong to Glasgow (1991)

Dundee Folk (1977)

Dundee Folk (Better Bacon Records PIG1, 1977)

This LP was part of the 1978 Dundee Students' Charities Campaign, and featured local groups, or artists who were in Dundee at the time. Singing on the record were:

Aileen Carr, a very fine traditional singer from Perthshire. Aileen went on to perform solo and in groups, including stints in Ceolbeg and Palaver. Her solo album, Green Yarrow, is available from Greentrax Records.

Dingly Dell, who were Dave Davidson (guitar, vocals), and Chic Batchelor (guitar and mandolin), who played together as Top Flight. They became Dingly Dell when Jan Caldon (tin whistle) joined. They took their name from the Lindisfarne album. Later, Dave Davidson formed The Jacobites and recorded several albums. Dave unfortunately died in a car crash aged 46 in 1992.

Haigh-Barrie-Weir, who sang the songs of Lindsay Barrie from Glenrothes. Others in the group were Julie Haigh from Chester and Barrie Weir from Kirkcaldy.

Fair Game, who were a close-harmony a capella group singing English folk carols. Debbie LeSurf was the sister of Cathy LeSurf of the English group Fiddlers Dram. The other singers were Linda Clark and Nina Wilson.

Chris Davies, a Welsh singer/songwriter.

01 Aileen Carr-Grat for Gruel

02 Dingly Dell-Balena

03 Haigh-Barrie-Weir-Rainbow Hill (Barrie)

04 Fair Game-Boars Head Carol

05 Dingly Dell-The Tailor

06 Haigh-Barrie-Weir-From the Armchair (Barrie)

07 Fair Game-Agincourt

08 Fair Game-Coventry Carol

09 Dingly Dell-Banks of the Roses

10 Aileen Carr-Corrachree

11 Chris Davies-Judith (Davies)

12 Haigh-Barrie-Weir-Cool for You (Barrie)

13 Aileen Carr-T Stands for Thomas

Unavailable

All Folk Together (c.1969)

All Folk Together (Talisman STAL 5013, c.1969)

This is simply a compilation of artists on the Waverley label, part of EMI. There's no date, but it must have been released about 1969 or 1970.

01 The Islanders: Four Strong Winds

02 The Livingstones: Travelling Through the Rain

03 The Ian McCalman Folk Group: Sally, Free & Easy

04 Anne Byrne: Fiona and Shane

05 The Lowland Folk Four: The Tailor's Breeches

06 Eddie & Finbar Furey: Star of Munster

07 The Lowland Folk Four: The Jute Mill Song

08 The Ian McCalman Folk Group: Santiano

09 Eddie & Finbar Furey: Pretty Saro

10 The Islanders: Golden River

11 Anne Byrne: Come By the Hills

12 The Livingstones: Johnny Cope

Unavailable

Other albums featuring The Islanders:

The Islanders Keep Left (1965)

The Islanders (1968)

Patterns of Folk (1971)

Other albums featuring The Livingstones:

The Livingstons In Concert (1968)

The Livingstones I Presume (1969)

SNP Folk (c.1968)

New Voices from Scotland (1965)

New Voices from Scotland (Topic 12T133, 1965)

Another first class album from Topic, New Voices from Scotland featured the talents of one group and two solo singers.

Gordeanna McCulloch was one of the lucky students of Rutherglen Academy, and a member of the Ballads club there, run by folksong enthusiast, collector and late MP Norman Buchan. Other members included Ray and Archie Fisher, Fraser Bruce, Ewan McVicar, Bobby Campbell, Josh McRae and so on. Later she joined a class of young singers under Ewan MacColl in London. Gordeanna also had an early spell singing with The Clydesiders, and more recently she has been involved with Palaver and Glasgow's Euridice Choir. Other than her solo career, she is celebrated for being part of the Glasgow group The Clutha, who recorded four albums over the years.

The Exiles were also from Glasgow, and consisted of Bobby Campbell, Gordon McCulloch and Enoch Kent. Campbell was another of the young singers influenced by Norman Buchan's Ballads Club, and like Gordeanna, he attended Ewan MacColl's singing group in London. All three founded The Glasgow Folk-song Club. They released an LP in 1966 on Topic, Freedom Come All Ye (Topic 12T143).

Norman Kennedy, from Aberdeen, hasn't recorded an awful lot over time, but what we have is first class. Two of his early influences were the great Jeannie Robertson - who lived across the road from him in Aberdeen - and Davy Stewart. One of his highlights, in my opinion, is the 1968 LP Scots Songs and Ballads (Topic 12T 178). He moved to the United States in the mid-1960s

01 The Exiles-Soldier's Joy

02 Gordeanna McCulloch-Birnie Bouzle

03 Gordeanna McCulloch- h-Dowie Dens o' Yarrow

04 The Exiles-Tae the Beggin'

05 Norman Kennedy-Sleepytoon

06 Norman Kennedy-Peurt a Beul

07 Norman Kennedy-The Haughs o'Cromdale

08 Gordeanna McCulloch-The Lichtbob's Lassie

09 Gordeanna McCulloch--Will Ye Gang, Love

10 Norman Kennedy-My Son David

11 The Exiles-The Toon o' Kelso

12 The Exiles-Fiddle Tunes

Unavailable

Other albums featuring Norman Kennedy:
Norman Kennedy: Scots Songs and Ballads (1968)

Other recordings featuring Enoch Kent:
The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)
The Reivers: Govan Is a Busy Place (1960)
The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

Other albums featuring The Exiles:
The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

Scotia Folk (1970)

Scotia Folk (Fontana 6438 021, 1970)

This is a bit of a mystery, because there are no definite credits on this LP. The Scotia Bar in Glasgow was a hang-out for folkies in the late 1960s, and this purports to be an album of music from some of the professional folkie regulars. However, I can't place the singers. I think I recognise Alastair MacDonald in a couple of the tracks, but most of them leave me puzzled. Any help here would be appreciated.

The front cover features Alex Campbell in front of a crowd outside the bar (according to Jim McLean his wife took the photos, and Billy Connolly was behind the camera). The back shows four recognisable people at the bar: Danny Kyle, the producer Ian Campbell, the late Mick Broderick and the arranger of the music Jim McLean.

The music is typical fare - folk standards, a couple of American-style songs and a couple of instrumentals.

01 Bonnie Ship the Diamond

02 Diamonds In the Rough

03 Ye Jacobites By Name

04 The Bold Heroes

05 Broomielaw Breakdown

06 Nancy Whisky

07 The Gallowa Hills

08 Talking Conchie Blues

09 I Once Love a Lass

10 Scotia Reel

Unavailable

Folk Philosophy (1971)

Folk Philosophy (Talisman STAL 5019, 1971)

"Folk Philosophy" was the result of a Scottish Folk Group Championship, the dreamchild of Bill Houston and Watt Nicol. There were an astonishing eighteen heats, with semi finals being held in Glasgow and Dundee, and the grand final in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, with The Corries as guest artists. All proceeds went to the Scottish Council for the Care of Spastics.

I have been told that the winners of the Championship were The JSD Band, whose prize was an album deal and contract with EMI. The winners of the heat held at Perth City Hall were Bitter Withy. They won £50 but couldn't take part in the semi-finals because of work commitments.

The other seven finalists were featured on this LP and received six month contracts.

The Gowries (1969-1973)

Forfar-based The Gowries first got together in the summer of 1969. Brian Hendry and Dave Fyfe had been in The Anchor Folk Four until they split. They met Ian Lamb (who had played before in The Shannermen) and Elaine Nicoll through the Forfar Folk Club. They played a mixture of traditional and contemporary material and were resident at the Forfar Folk Club at the time, where Ian was president. They played a lot in Tayside and Fife playing mostly contemporary folk along the lines of The Seekers and toured a bit with Watt Nicoll and Whisky Fizz. Latterly they were playing mainly pubs (where the money was) and switched to electric guitars and bass doing chart cover stuff. The Gowries played their last date in September 1971 when Dave went off to Edinburgh University. Brian and Elaine continued singing as a duo. The group reformed in December 1972 for a special one-off appearance supporting Watt Nicoll. The Gowries came 6th in the Scottish Folk Group Championship.

Eggplant

Originally called Arizona Eggplant, this threesome came from Lochee, Dundee. After a line-up change, they went back to being called Arizona Eggplant and were resident at hotels in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry. The lead singer was Willy McNally.

Town Choice

This trio was from Edinburgh. Shortly afterwards two members of the group formed a band called Both Sides (unrelated to the Dundee-based group of the same name). Lead singer of Town Choice, Harry Cullen, is now manager of the Oxford Bar in Edinburgh

Chorda Cleich

A quartet from Edinburgh. In 1971 they dropped the "Cleich" and were known simply as Chorda. Lead singer John Croall later helped form Jock Tamson's Bairns. Chorda Cleich came 3rd.

The Galloways

From Edinburgh. Member George Grant moved to Dundee and joined Both Sides. The Galloways came 5th.

Ailsa Craig

This group met when they were all students at Strathclyde University. The group consisted of William Devine, Frank McArdle, Frank D'Ambrosio and Arthur Loughran.

Pert & Dobbie were from Clydebank.

01 Chorda Cleich:-Until It's Time for You to Go

02 The Galloways:-Dainty Davy

03 Town Choice:-Kid's Colour Bar

04 Ailsa Craig:-Peggy Gordon

05 Eggplant:-Whiskey On a Sunday

06 Chorda Cleich:-Three Score and Ten

07 Ailsa Craig:-Johnnie Cope

08 The Gowries:-Call On Me

09 Pert & Dobbie:-Bogie's Bonnie Belle

10 Town Choice:-For Bobbie

Front and back covers included.

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Other posts featuring Chorda Cleich:
Various Artists: Sandy Bell's Ceilidh (1979) (As Chorda)

Folk Song Today

Folk Song Today (His Master's Voice, DLP 1143, n.d.)

This is an undated 10-inch LP of folksongs from the British Isles collected by Peter Kennedy under the auspices of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. A few of the best singers of the day are represented, including John MacDonald, Davy Stewart, Jeannie Robertson, Harry Cox and the Coppers of Sussex.

01 Rory & Alex McEwan:-Bonnie George Campbell
02 John MacDonald:-The Haughs of Cromdale
03 Jeannie Robertson:-My Son David
04 Davy Stewart:-The Barnyards o' Delgaty
05 Frank McPeake:-Will Ye Go, Lassie
06 Fred Lawson:-Dance to Yoiur Daddie
07 Bob Roberts:-High Barbaree
08 Shirley Collins:-Dabbling In the Dew
09 Harry Cox:-The Foggy Dew
10 Bob & Ron Copper:-The Twelve Days of Christmas

Front and back covers included.

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Ayrshire Folk (1973)

Ayrshire Folk (Deroy Records DEROY 1052, 1973)

Subtitled "Songs from the Singers of Ayr Folk Club", this collection was paid for from the receipts of the club, who enjoyed an enviable success (I have heard stories of five to six hundred people attending some nights). The artists on the record are:

Tanninzie

Four-piece close harmony group consisting of Fiona Campbell, Ken Lorimer, Mik Shaw and Geoff McColm. They have an excellent website with histories of the band and their members: www.tanninzie.co.uk

John Clegg and Dave Strathie

John Clegg was the organiser of the Ayr Folk Club, and indeed the producer of the Ayrshire Folk LP. With Dave Strathie he sang contemporary folksongs from Tom Paxton and the like, as well as more traditional Scottish songs.

Speedy and Ian

Alec "Speedy" Simpson and Ian McKinnon. On the album they sang Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGhee alongside American classic folksong John Henry and the more contemporary There Ya Go. The pair later teamed up with Dominic Boyce to form Company Policy who were successful for a time in the 1970s, frequently appearing on television.

Pete and Heather Heywood

Heather Heywood is a great singer of traditional Scottish folksongs and Ballads, still performing and recording today. Her husband Pete Heywood has been involved in the organisation of folk events for many years, and currently edits and published The Living Tradition magazine.

Dougie Bell

I know nothing of Dougie Bell. He sings three songs of the album, two by Gerry Rafferty (Humblebums, Stealers Wheel, solo) and one by Gordon Lightfoot.

01 Speedy & Ian:-Me and Bobby McGhee

02 Pete & Heather Heywood:-Land o' the Leal

03 Dougie Bell:-Steamboat Row

04 John Clegg & Dave Strathie:-Wild Flying Dove

05 Tanninzie:-Step It Out Mary

06 Speedy & Ian:-John Henry

07 Pete & Heather Heywood:-

08 Dougie Bell:-Christian Island

09 John Clegg & Dave Strathie:-Bonnie George Campbell

10 Speedy & Ian:-Little Tin Soldier

11 Tanninzie:-Three Score and Ten

12 Pete & Heather Heywood:-Busk Busk

13 Dougie Bell:-To Each and Everyone

14 John Clegg & Dave Strathie:-There Ya Go

Front and back covers included.

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