Fife band leader John Crawford ‘sorely missed by family, friends and musicians all over Scotland’

Tributes have been paid to well-known band leader John Crawford, of Freuchie, who has died aged 96.

Mr Crawford was born at Burleigh Castle in Milnathort and grew up surrounded by music. His father played the bagpipes, fiddle and melodeon, his mother the piano, and his five brothers and three sisters all played instruments.

He had his first accordion at age six and also played the chanter in the Boys’ Brigade band.

After serving his apprenticeship as a mechanic at Dalls garage, Ladybank, he later worked as a mechanical engineer in the quarry at Newburgh.

During the war he saw service in the Army and was posted to Ireland, London and Germany.

It was there in 1945, as he was speaking to a POW who said his father worked in the Hohner factory, that his interest in the accordion was properly sparked.

His hobby of tuning and repairing accordions began after he visited the factory when the war ended, and he was offered a job there.

He turned down the offer but later carried out tuning and repairs at Bill Wilkie’s Music Shop in Perth for a number of years.

Mr Crawford and the

East Neuk Band played all around the countr y at dances, weddings, for country dance classes in Falkland, and recording for the BBC.

He later had a band under his own name and continued with that into his late ’80s, travelling far and wide to guest at accordion club nights.

Often his wife Lizzie and daughter Anita, a fine accordion player herself, went along and supported the band.

Mr Crawford also found time to compete in the Perth Festival, winning in 1960, and went on to become a judge for many years.

He composed several tunes, including Freuchie’s March To Lords for the local cricket club which won the National Village Cup at Lords in 1985. This was played on the pipes by the Rev Ian Wotherspoon, who also led Mr Crawford’s funeral service at Falkland Cemetery.

He was honoured by the Accordion and Fiddle Clubs for services to Scottish dance music in 2002 and will be remembered as a quiet, unassuming, honest, hard-working man who was never happier than when helping people out.

A friend said: “John will be sorely missed by his f a m i l y, friends and musicians from all over Scotland.”

TRIBUTES: John Crawford, of Freuchie, died aged 96.