Perth musician Alex McIntyre has retired after 60 years of playing the Shand Morino accordion.
And, as he bows out of the performing spotlight, he has released a CD.
Alex started aged 10, taking lessons from Bill Wilkie MBE and quickly progressed, entering the Junior Scottish Accordion Festival and winning the title twice in 1959 and 1960.
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He was runner up twice in the All Scotland Senior Scottish Accordion Championship in 1961 and 1962 and finally won the title in 1963.
Alex went on to adjudicate at the All Scotland Festivals in the City Hall for several years. He was also a member of the Bill Wilkie Orchestra and Dance Band.
He was a member of the Willie Simpson Dance Band and recorded a couple of LPs during that time.
As well as playing with other bands, he formed the band ‘Trio Morino’ – named after the famous Shand Morino. Band members along with Alex were singer David Miller and drummer Sandy Penny.
Alex was guest artiste at many accordion and fiddle clubs from Gretna to Orkney.
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After deciding to become a solo accordionist he began recording albums with Smith Mearns Productions. The albums consisted of Scottish and easy listening music.
On retirement from Scottish Hydro Electric after nearly 30 years employment, he became a part-time employee in Wilkie’s Music House and was a regular member with Bill and Di Colburn’s band, 5th Avenue, which played a various functions.
Alex’s CDs included some own compositions which were requests for family and friends and he thought it would be appropriate to release these melodies on one CD.
This disc is available to buy for £5 and all proceeds from the sale of it are being donated to the Cornhill Macmillan Centre. To get hold of a copy, call Alex on 01738 631720 or drop into the Stornoway Black Pudding Shop in Perth.
