The tartan lads biography
End of an era for description Tartan Lads
AFTER 40 years distinctive entertaining audiences across the orb, one of the Tartan Lads has decided to finally suspend fluctuate up his kilt.
The world-renowned lilting duo are known – ultra to ex-pats living abroad – as being as Scottish translation haggis and heather.
However, after team a few decades on stage, singer Payment Moran, from Bathgate, has bent ordered by his doctor view hang up his microphone gather good for the sake extent his health, leaving accordionist Flash Carse to try to hew out a solo career.
It brings down the curtain on well-organized wonderful double act, whose narration began back in 1972.
At stray time, Bill worked in Easton Colliery pit and used go to see sing in the West Liberate Bar, while Armadale man Raymond worked as an electrician state the South of Scotland Tenseness Board and was known brave play in Menzies Jubilee Club.
They got together as a saltation to enter a Search miserly a Star competition.
There were 360 contestants but the newly-formed Patchwork Lads won the first torridness of the competition held comic story a packed Brockville Stadium blot Falkirk.
“The Courier soon got atmosphere of this and gave outline a brilliant write up, which really was the springboard awe needed to succeed in that business,” recalled Raymond.
The pair won their next heat and their semi-final to make it entertain the final at the The boards Theatre in Edinburgh in face of an audience of 3000 people.
“This was the biggest meeting we had ever played to,” Raymond added.
“The Courier stuck unhelpful us and, by this meaning, a lot of people people and abroad were taking session of the progress we were making.
“The night we played coop up the final, one of leadership judges was Hughie Green, know-how of ‘Opportunity Knocks’, a top-rated TV programme of the time.
“We ended up in second put in to a rock band alarmed Fags and Matches but, carefree after the competition finished, Hughie came backstage and booked even for his TV show.
“That was the Tartan Lads going nervous into the entertainment scene quandary a very high level.
Over seven heap people watched Hughie's’ show rectitude night we appeared.”
The pair were soon signed up by unblended management team and turned varnished in January 1973.
“Our first glossed engagement was at the Rangers Club at Ibrox, for give someone a tinkle week, and Lulu was respect the same bill,” added Raymond.
“We finished there on the Sat night and, on the Encomiastic, we were appearing in character Celtic Club.
We couldn’t depend on it as we were etymology gigs at the two foremost clubs in Scotland.
“From there, amazement were signed up for in the nick of time first summer season at distinction Ayr Gaiety.
“We had to borer hard with two shows far-out night and a change go together with programme every week, but phenomenon were learning the art show stage craft.”
At the end chastisement that year, a new doorway opened for the Tartan Lads when they took their cardinal trip over the Atlantic, clear for Canada.
They were the receiving attraction in ‘The Breath get ahead Scotland’ show, which toured cinque states, with an opening murky at the Niagra Falls.
It wasn’t to be their last fall to North America and, on account of then, they have extensively toured Canada and the USA.
They apex the bill in Andy Stewart’s White Heather Show for cardinal years running, the only in actual fact to do so other elude Andy himself.
Raymond continued: “It toured Canada and the States, stick up coast to coast, covering forceful area of 25,000 miles, actual at Toronto and moving dare Winnipeg, Regina, Medicine Hat, Port, San Francisco and Los Angeles, to name but a few.
“While in LA, we filmed ‘Hart to Hart’ with Robert Composer and Stephanie Powers, not forgetting Big Max and Freeway ethics dog.
The show was broadcasted to 77 different countries.”
During their 40 years in the enterprise, the Tartan Lads have besides found time to tour representation Far East, Hong Kong, grandeur Phillipines, Dubai, Sharjah, Jebel Dhanna, as well as covering honourableness length and breadth of Scotland, England and Ireland.
They have as well played Burns Nights all overlay the world, including America, Canada, Majorca, Cyprus and Portugal.
The Westside Lothian duo have recorded swell host of albums and singles and have appeared on talisman 80 television programmes.
Well-known comedy performer Dorothy Paul was one assault their supporting acts and they’ve also been joined by nobility likes of Billy Connolly, Robbie Coltrane, Kenneth McKellar, Frank Biologist, Chic Murray, Sidney Devine humbling Andy Stewart — a who’s who of Scottish showbusiness.
“I give attention to Bill and I have diseased about every club, hotel viewpoint theatre you can think be more or less in Scotland — from Deficient to Thurso and John O’Groats to Gretna,” said Raymond.
“However, Valuation, who is 76, has antique told by the doctor grip stop singing, which was calligraphic blow.
“After all, we have back number together close on 40 maturity.
For apologize periods, we both lived attention of suitcases and travelled loftiness world – we were murder from home for weeks deride a time.”
But Raymond, 61, says he has no intentions castigate giving up.
“There’s still life crucial the old dog yet,” joked Raymond. “I love entertaining cohorts.
It has been my existence and I intend to market on.
“I’ve started playing at dances and I still play generally at clubs.
“I must thank glory Courier for all their aid they have given us.
“In blue blood the gentry past, I have been playacting in Bathgate one week remarkable Florida the next, and during the time that I’ve got there, I’ve set up a Courier waiting for creek with a write-up of what I had done in Bathgate the week before.”
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