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'Big' John Duncan (as he is taller than 'Wee John' and nothing
to do with girth, well perhaps a little bit nowadays.) along with
Alistair 'The Fence' Robertson on Keyboards, are the original
members of the Band which was founded in 1985. John calls the dances
and shares the vocals with "Wee John", and also plays guitar when he
feels like it, or remembers the chords! A huge presence on
stage, "Big John" ensures that the band do as they are told.
Prior to playing with Whigmaleerie, John's involvement in music
started at the age of 11 playing Trombone and eflat Base at
Gracemount School and later with championship bands, MacTaggert
Soott Brass Band and The City of Edinburgh Brass Band. During his
time in the armed forces he became interested in Traditional Folk
music and learned to play Mandolin & Guitar. He played With
folk band 'Donnachaidh' for several years and often played as a solo
artist around Aberdeenshire and Moray folk scene. Original from
Edinburgh he moved to Aberdeenshire in 1984 after leaving the Royal
Engineers. |
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Alistair 'The Fence' Robertson, getting his nickname for always
sitting on the fence during disagreements, has over 45 years of
experience and is a skilled keyboard player who has the unenviable
task of "holding it a'gither" in the band, but please don't ask him
to sing! and yes two keyboards one for each finger ...
Along with 'Big John' he was Co-founder of the band and prior to his
time with Whigmaleeire played with several bands from round Banff
and MacDuff. |
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Alec "Bam-Bam" Sutherland has a reputation for being a hard-hitter
... with soft touches! A versatile drummer, who also provides
our "travelling disco", Alex has been known to perform the
occasional drum solo when the band disappear off-stage to escape a
battering!! Only time his co-workers in the council roads department
ever see him moving.
More
Information to Follow on Alex |
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Ian
Ross was brought up in Elgin, educated at the West End and the
Academy. He studied violin under the late Miss Kim Murray, and due
to his progress over the years was able to be accepted into the Band
of the Corps of Royal Engineers at the age of 14. This was one of
the few establishments in the British Army that had a working Full
Symphony Orchestra and Ian had to wait until his 15th birthday
before signing up and setting off to Chatham in Kent, 600 miles from
home.
He served with the "Band" for over 24 years, playing Violin, Viola
and Clarinet, touring such places as France, Belgium, Holland,
Germany, Northern Ireland, Gibralter, Hong Kong and the Falkland
Isles. He was the leader of small ensembles and his style and
command of solo "Scottish Fiddling" made him in great demand and he
was much appreciated.
Taking early retirement in 1985, Ian returned to Moray where he now
lives with his family in Portgordon. Besides
playing with " Whigmaleerie" Ian is a full time private
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teacher travelling to all his pupils around Moray, Banffshire and
Aberdeenshire. He also purchases and sells musical instruments and
accessories, having a very large stock of Violin (Scottish and
European) to suit all ages, beginners to professionals.
He also has a current Solo Violin CD with many popular tunes and
some 20 or 30 of his own compositions. This can be purchased
directly
from Ian. |
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Well, No shortage of Information here; 'Wee' (as in short in
stature) John Woodside, who joined Whigmaleerie in 2008, is a
multi-instrumentalist who plays mainly guitar and sings with the
band.
He has many years of experience as a performer, both as a solo
artist and as member of the award-winning folk band "Dava Rant". In
the early 1980s whilst living in Belgium he was lead vocalist and
guitarist with covers band "Nuts & Bolts" before returning to
England and forming a folk duo with Mick Campbell. He also was the
organiser of several folk clubs and a respected booking agent for
folk artists in both Europe and UK. |
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In
1987 John moved back to Scotland, and teamed up with former "Dava"
musician Ian Greig to form the "Ceilidh Express" who, over the
years, the line-up has included Malcolm Jones (guitarist of Runrig
fame); Gregor Borland (fiddle and bass guitar of Burach & Kathryn
Tickell Band); Bobby Miller (an extraordinary bass player, alwaays
in-demand session musician currently with the Blair Douglas Band);
Michael Meehan (Drums), and others from the Scottish music scene too
numerous to mention.
During his time on the Edinburgh music scene, John encouraged and
played with several up and coming musicians including Sandy Brechin
and the Marwick Brothers. Moving further North in the early 1990s,
John continued to play regularly with Ceilidh Express but by the
turn of the century he had grown tired of travelling several hundred
miles for gigs and started to appear occasionally in and around
Aberdeen in various bands and sessions. In 2008, Whigmaleerie made
him an offer he couldn't refuse and he became the "new boy"
extending their repertoire and expanding their sound.
On stage with the band he mainly plays a Fender Telecaster Nashville
Deluxe and Martin D18 guitar; he also is a proud owner of various
other guitars including a Martin D45 and Epiphone Les Paul "Black
Beauty", keyboards, and mandola, tenor banjo, violin which are kept
locked in a cupboard to protect the neighbours from "traditional
tinitus"! |
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