Jimmie Macgregor

Jimmie Macgregor
Born (1930-03-10) 10 March 1930 (age 94)

Jimmie Macgregor MBE (born 10 March 1930) is a Scottish folksinger and broadcaster, best known as half of a singing duo with Robin Hall.[1]

Biography

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Jimmie Macgregor was born in Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland,[2] and grew up in a tenement and then a council house, about which he has said: "Our house was a focus for people to gather and make music.... I had aunties and cousins who were chorus girls."[3] After doing his national service, he studied at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in the mid-1950s and becoming a potter and teacher.[2]

Partnership with Hall

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In 1960, he formed a musical partnership with Robin Hall that would last 20 years.[4] They appeared extensively on BBC Television – both on the Tonight programme[3] and on the White Heather Club.[5] Both also played as part of The Galliards with Leon Rosselson and Shirley Bland.[2]

Hall and Macgregor recorded over 20 albums during their partnership, which ended in 1981.[4][6] One of their most successful singles was the anthem "Football Crazy", released in 1960 on Decca Records.

Television and radio work

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Macgregor went on to make television programmes for BBC Scotland, many on long-distance walking, including In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, On The West Highland Way, and Macgregor Across Scotland. He also made Macgregor's Gathering, a long-running show for Radio Scotland.[2] He has been involved in various conservation organisations, among them the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland,[7] and was awarded the MBE in 1994 for services to Scottish heritage and culture.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor MBE" Archived 11 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.
  2. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 182/3. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  3. ^ a b Tom Shields, "He’s set to celebrate his 80th birthday but Jimmie Macgregor is far from over the hill", The Herald, 8 March 2010.
  4. ^ a b Craig McQueen, "Folk legend Jimmie Macgregor: I'm still going strong at 80 with no plans to retire", Daily Record, 29 November 2010.
  5. ^ Guida, Nick. "Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor". Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  6. ^ "Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor". Footstompin.com. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  7. ^ "APRS". Archived from the original on 12 March 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2007.
  8. ^ Jimmie Macgregor biography, Shetland Folk Festival.
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