How Jimmy Shand inspired a Facebook show

The music of Fife accordian maestro Sir Jimmy Shand has been celebrated in an online show.

Graeme Mackay, a Shand Morino Player in Elgin, has been doing live Facebook shows five nights a week for the duration of lockdown in his “Ceilidh Cabin” – and one of the first was a tribute to the legendary Fifer,

Graeme, a button box player, has been a fan of Sir Jimmy since he was a wee boy.

Now aged 37, he still sees Shand as a massive influence on his playing career.

The tribute show was a success and the next step was to record the material and create an album. The mammoth 20 track project was all recorded in the cabin.

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/column-social-distancing-we-need-find-new-way-shop-2852164

https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/arts-and-culture/theatre-and-stage/long-road-back-live-theatre-and-music-2852129

Graeme provided his own accompaniment, mixed the material, produced and mastered the audio, and created and designed the artwork over four weeks.

He only stopped to play his live shows in the evening.

The album is currently being processed, and will be delivered towards the end of the month. Fans of the Ceilidh Cabin, who supported Graeme by pre-ordering will be rewarded by receiving their signed copy through their door on release day.

The CD cover will feature a photo of a young Graeme in 1998, sitting next to his hero, just before Jimmy’s 90th birthday. It will also have a copy of the autograph that Jimmy gave to Graeme that day too.

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers; the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen, East Fife Mail and Glenrothes Gazette.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty.

The support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with your community during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this, and your continued support of our newspapers across Fife will help to protect their viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press